NEW DELHI: Nearly 100 foreign medical graduates (FMGs) in Delhi are facing a major career dilemma, as Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) hospitals with community medicine facilities are turning down internship opportunities.
The MCD hospitals claim they are strictly adhering to National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines, offering only 7.5% of their total 60 internship seats (approximately 5 seats) to FMGs, unlike the previous year when more seats were available to them.
Foreign medical students claim that owing to this, they are unable to complete their required three-month internship in Preventive and Social Medicine (PSM), which forms an essential part of their one-year mandatory training. This hinders them from taking postgraduate (PG) entrance tests and establishing their medical practice.
When asked, MCD officials verified their adherence to NMC guidelines, confirming the allocation of paid internships to 7.5% of their total 60 positions. They acknowledged accepting more than 7% FMG students last year but chose not to provide further details.
Delhi Medical Council officials state that teaching institutions like Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) and Vardhman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC) reserve 7.5% of their seats for FMG internships, in accordance with NMC guidelines.
Students placed in these institutions based on merit rankings proceed with their one-year programme, supported by existing PSM departments. However, non-teaching facilities such as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Hospital, Ganga Ram, and BLK Max Hospital, while offering internships to FMGs, lack PSM departments, requiring their students to complete a three-month internship at alternative facilities like MCD hospitals with community medicine facilities.
Dr Ravi Dabas, an FMG student, said that MCD hospitals have enough positions. “Despite repeated attempts to secure placements, we are constantly rejected. The MCD has not allocated existing positions to FMG students, citing financial and position constraints, preventing us from gaining the required practical experience,” said Dr Dabas, adding this is despite showing willingness to work without payment.
Clarifying that the issue emerged after Supreme Court proceedings regarding FMG internship compensation, Dr Ashwini Dalmiya, Executive Member, Delhi Medical Council, said, “In April 2024, the Supreme Court mandated equal treatment and stipends for FMGs during internships, matching Indian MBBS graduates. Subsequently, the MCD stopped offering internship positions, citing inability to provide stipends due to budget limitations.”
“Let the stipend be waived off at least for 84 days so that FMGs can timely complete their degree and be eligible for NEET PG,” said Dr Dalmiya.
Dr Saloni, another student, indicated that this uncertainty and delays in obtaining PSM postings have resulted in considerable psychological and emotional strain among students. “Uncertainty looms around our medical careers and this ambiguity adversely affects our mental wellbeing,” said Dr Saloni.
