The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has approved the proposal of Medical Council of India (MCI) to amend the Screening Test Regulations (2002). Now, it is mandatory for the candidates to qualify NEET to pursue MBBS abroad. As per the official declaration by Health Ministry, the Indian citizens or overseas citizen of India intending to obtain primary medical qualification from any outside medical institution, on or after May 2018, shall have to mandatorily qualify NEET for admission to MBBS courses abroad.

According to the sources, only 12 to 15% of the graduates who come back after studying medicine abroad manage to clear the Screening Test i.e the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE)…

…If they don’t clear the FMGE, they don’t get registered to practice in India, as a result, many indulge into illegal ways to practice. Thus this decision has been taken to ensure that only competent students get to study medicine in the foreign universities and can clear the screening test when they return.


As per the reports, each year, around 7,000 students go outside India to study medicine, mostly to countries like China and Russia. Till now, a student who wanted to take up admission to a medical course outside the country had to obtain only an ‘Essentiality Certificate’ from the MCI. But now to filter the process much more, it has been decided to make NEET compulsory.

It has been found that only 13% to 26.9% of the candidates who return after studying medicines abroad, qualify the screening test which is also known as the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE). It is a matter of great concern as more than half of the candidates are not able to practice medicine after they return and are unable to contribute to the nation’s healthcare practice. Now the compulsion of NEET before going to study abroad will filter up to the process and is expected to enhance the number of students qualifying the screening test after returning from abroad studies.

This year the CBSE NEET Examination will be held on May 06, 2018. Candidates who will appear this year for NEET and qualify the same can register for practice in India if they wish to obtain a primary medical qualification from any foreign university.

National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test is conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). The level of the exam is appropriate for class 12th qualified. In the exam, the candidates need to attempt 180 questions on Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. The questions asked are of multiple choice type and the candidates only get 3 hours to give their best shot.

You are most welcome to give your view on NEET compulsory to study MBBS abroad. The initiative by MCI is good because doctors deal with lives of people. Hence, on the best of the best should be allowed to be a doctor. But for a student of 17-18 years old, another exam is a burden. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. 

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22 COMMENTS

  3. It is a good decision taken by the MCI to make the MBBS course more qualitative . It should have been made mandatory long before.

  4. NEET compulsory to Persue MBBS Abroad— This law is 100 percent favor to some capitalist and Political Persons, due to mostly Indian Private Medical Colleges are related to him.

  5. An overkill by MCI, to say the least…..
    If the level of NEET exam is appropriate for class 12th qualified, then why shouldn’t a CBSE student scoring say 90% not be qualified to study medicine….. especially when CBSE itself is conducting NEET? Why should a student’s future hang on how they perform in a single 3 hour exam? What’s the point in struggling 2 years to pass the CBSE 12th board exam?
    This is all just another scam with the coaching institutes as the main beneficiaries!!

  7. This is a meaningful decision. Of course, it will get far-reaching results. Public health will not be messed up. And the country will be able to get qualified doctors.

  9. Question : If a student goes to study abroad after qualifying NEET, whether he will have to appear in FMGE to practice in India if somebody knows tell me

    • Hi, you need to give NEET to study abroad and then when you come back, after finishing your studies, you need to appear for FMGE.

      • Now it will be called PG NEET. or exit exam only. There’s no MCI exam now onward.

  10. If a student already gone ro study in abroad in previous year they also need to attend and qualify the neet or its only to. those who are going ro abroad this year? In Philippine previous year started students comes into MD this year.
    Pl clarify my doubt if any body having clarity about it

      • You’re wrong. You don’t know the reality. The present government and health minister is totally ignorant about medical science and technology and the education system. They’re asking the 2017 batch students to give again the NEET in this year. The big fight is going on. They’re going to file a petition in supreme court.

  11. Well its a remarkable step but I hope you also realize that due to SC/ST reserves most of the “BEST OF THE BEST'(As quoted by you) from GENERAL reserves do not get seats because of them inspite of their better marks & performance.

  13. Its purely a initiative supporting few CAPITALISTS who have invested in opening new MEDICAL Colleges across India. Its also a move supporting NEET coaching centers, 4 in 10 Students who study MBBS in India fail to complete their MBBS degree – what move the government has taken to filter these fake Doctors. NEET for foreign MBBS study is purely Business. They wont let u LIVE nor DIE.

  14. When quality of doctors are concern, about 50% of seats are reserved. Think first for it’s removal.

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