OCI Doctors and Foreign Doctors Practising in India

An OCI cardholder who qualified as a doctor abroad can practise medicine in India — but not automatically. The legal framework was rewritten when the Medical Council of India (MCI) was replaced by the National Medical Commission (NMC) in September 2020, and again when the NMC notified the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021 in November that year. This guide summarises the current position for three groups — OCIs with foreign MBBS degrees, OCIs who studied MBBS in India, and foreign nationals who are not of Indian origin.

The Regulator: National Medical Commission (NMC)

Since 24 September 2020, all medical registration and medical education in India is governed by the National Medical Commission Act, 2019. The NMC replaced the MCI and operates through four autonomous boards:

Under-Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) — MBBS standards and curriculum
Post-Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) — MD, MS, DM, MCh
Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) — institutional accreditation
Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) — the register of medical practitioners in India

For registration questions that once went to the MCI, the current body is the EMRB under the NMC, plus the relevant State Medical Council for state-level registration. Any paperwork or guide that still refers to "MCI" is out of date.

Three Separate Pathways — Which One Applies to You?

Path A — OCI cardholder with a foreign medical degree

You are treated as a Foreign Medical Graduate (FMG) under the 2021 NMC regulations. You must:

Hold a primary medical qualification recognised by the regulator in the country where it was awarded
Meet the qualifying course requirements (see below)
Clear the FMGE (or NExT, once fully operational — see below)
Complete a 12-month Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) at an Indian hospital approved for internship
Apply for registration with the State Medical Council of the state where you will practise
Get endorsed onto the Indian Medical Register maintained by the NMC

Path B — OCI cardholder with an Indian MBBS

If you completed MBBS at an NMC/MCI-recognised Indian medical college and completed your Indian internship, you are effectively on par with an Indian medical graduate for registration purposes. You register directly with a State Medical Council. No FMGE/NExT.

However, your status as an OCI/foreign citizen can still matter for:

Public-sector recruitment — many government medical posts are restricted to Indian citizens
Scholarships and subsidised residency positions — some reserved for Indian nationals
Border/sensitive-area practice — can require security clearance

Path C — Foreign national who is not of Indian origin (no OCI)

Your pathway is heavily restricted. Full, permanent registration is generally not available. You can obtain temporary registration under Section 33 of the NMC Act for:

Teaching, research, or clinical training at a specific approved institution
Short-term consultancy or academic exchange
Humanitarian/charitable service with prior Government of India approval

Temporary registrations are tied to a named institution and granted for a limited period, renewable. You cannot set up an independent private practice on this basis.

The FMGE — What It Is and How It Works

The Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE) is conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) — usually twice a year (typically June and December).

Format

Single-day exam, 300 multiple-choice questions
Two sessions of 150 questions each (3 hours per session)
Computer-based test conducted at centres across major Indian cities

Pass requirement

50% or higher — there is no percentile ranking, only pass/fail
Historical pass rate is low — roughly 20–30%, reflecting the gap between some foreign curricula and the Indian expectation

Attempts

No limit on number of attempts under current regulations (earlier 6-attempt ceiling was removed)
A pass in FMGE is valid indefinitely — no expiry

Eligibility to appear for FMGE

You must hold a primary medical qualification that meets the NMC's 2021 Licentiate Regulations:

Course duration of minimum 54 months of formal instruction abroad
12 months of clinical training abroad in the same institution where the degree was awarded
Medium of instruction in English
Clinical training in the same country and institution as the theoretical course
The qualification must allow you to practise as a doctor in the country of issue

Graduates from countries whose universities do not meet these specifications (for example, some Russia/Ukraine/China curricula that historically had shorter clinical components) may need additional work before becoming eligible.

The NExT — What You Need to Know

The National Exit Test (NExT) is an NMC-mandated common exam intended to:

Replace the MBBS final-year professional examination for Indian medical students
Replace the FMGE for foreign medical graduates
Serve as the basis for NEET-PG ranking for postgraduate admissions

Current status (as of 2026)

NExT has been announced, its regulations notified, and dates rescheduled multiple times. FMGE continues to be the operational qualifying exam for foreign medical graduates until NExT is fully rolled out. The practical position is:

If you are an OCI/foreign medical graduate right now, prepare for FMGE — that is what you will actually sit
Keep an eye on NMC notifications — when the NExT transition happens for FMGs, it will apply to specific cohorts

Check the NMC website directly for the current status rather than relying on secondary sources — this is an area that has moved multiple times.

The 12-Month Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI)

Passing FMGE (or NExT, when applicable) is necessary but not sufficient. Before you can get full permanent registration, you must complete a 12-month Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship at an Indian hospital approved for internship by the NMC.

Minimum clinical hours and postings prescribed
Stipend varies by state — typically Rs. 25,000 – Rs. 45,000 per month at government institutions
Internship can be tough to secure — demand for slots exceeds supply in many states
Some states have dedicated FMG internship seats separate from Indian MBBS graduates

The CRMI is the single biggest practical hurdle for foreign medical graduates after FMGE — plan for it before passing the exam, not after.

State Medical Council Registration

India maintains a State Medical Register in each state, plus the Indian Medical Register at the central level.

Practise in a state requires registration with that state's medical council
You register with one state council as your primary, and obtain additional registrations in other states where you practise
Fees and processing time vary: typically Rs. 5,000 – Rs. 30,000 with processing of 2–8 weeks
Documents: NMC registration certificate, FMGE pass certificate, internship completion certificate, primary medical degree with equivalency, identity/address proof, affidavits

Postgraduate Training in India

An FMG who has passed FMGE, completed CRMI, and is registered can appear for NEET-PG to compete for an MD, MS, DM, or MCh seat in India. FMG candidates compete in the same merit pool as Indian MBBS graduates — there is no separate FMG quota for PG in India.

Alternative postgraduate pathways:

DNB (Diplomate of National Board) — offered at accredited hospitals; a recognised alternative to MD/MS with similar rigor
Fellowships — many super-specialty fellowships are open to registered practitioners

Visas

If you are living abroad and coming to India to sit FMGE or begin internship:

OCI cardholders — no separate visa; the OCI card itself is a lifelong visa. However, temporary restrictions on OCI employment in specific sectors (rare now) should be confirmed before signing a contract
Foreign nationals (non-OCI) — require an employment visa sponsored by the Indian institution, or a medical visa for patient care in specific contexts
Students taking FMGE alone — typically enter on a tourist or business visa for the exam; for the 12-month CRMI, an employment or student visa is needed

Common Misconceptions

"I have an OCI, so I can practise in India like any Indian citizen" — only if your MBBS is from a recognised Indian institution. A foreign MBBS, OCI or not, goes through the FMGE/NExT pathway.
"MCI registration is enough" — the MCI no longer exists; since 2020 it is the NMC and the relevant State Medical Council.
"I have a US/UK specialist qualification, so I can bypass FMGE" — no. Specialist qualifications abroad do not exempt you from FMGE/NExT. You still must qualify at the MBBS-equivalent level first.
"I can open a private clinic immediately after FMGE" — no. CRMI completion + State Medical Council registration come first.

A Realistic Timeline for an OCI FMG

From the moment you land in India:

Month 0 — arrive, enrol for FMGE at next available sitting
Month 3–6 — sit FMGE; if you pass, receive pass certificate
Month 6–8 — apply for and secure a CRMI slot; paperwork varies by state
Month 8–20 — complete 12-month CRMI
Month 20–22 — State Medical Council registration + NMC/IMR entry
From Month 22 — fully registered to practise

If you fail FMGE the first time — realistic given the 20–30% pass rate — add 6 to 12 months. Plan for 24–36 months end to end from landing to independent practice.

Official Sources

National Medical Commission — nmc.org.in — the single authoritative source, including FMGE/NExT regulations
NBEMS (conducts FMGE) — natboard.edu.in
State Medical Councils — linked from the NMC site

Anyone selling "guaranteed" FMGE coaching with a registration-guarantee attached is selling coaching, not registration — only NMC and the relevant State Medical Council can register you. Verify any consultant or intermediary against the NMC-published list before paying.

Final Word

Practising medicine in India as an OCI or foreign doctor is achievable, but not fast. The NMC framework since 2020 has been consistent in one respect — it treats foreign-trained doctors as a specific category with its own assessment pathway. Passing FMGE/NExT and completing CRMI is the core requirement for anyone who did not study MBBS at an Indian institution. Budget 2–3 years end to end, plan the CRMI placement before you start, and check the NMC site for the current status of the NExT transition before acting on anything you read elsewhere.