New Delhi— The National Medical Commission (NMC) has identified 632 medical students studying abroad whose eligibility certificate applications contain deficiencies. In a notice issued on February 18, 2025, NMC referenced its previous notice from February 18, 2024, released by the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB). The notice sets a seven-day deadline for these students to correct their applications. If they fail to do so within the stipulated time, NMC will reject their applications.

The NMC Ethics Board stated, "Applicants listed in Annexure-I must rectify the deficiencies in their applications within seven days from the date of this notice. If they fail to do so, their applications will be summarily rejected."

Additionally, the notice advised all applicants who have not yet received their eligibility certificates to resolve any outstanding deficiencies as soon as possible.

Legal Framework and NEET-UG Eligibility Requirement

NMC cited Section 13(48) of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, which governs the recognition of medical qualifications. This clause mandates that Indian citizens must obtain an eligibility certificate before enrolling in a foreign medical institution. Without this certificate, they cannot appear for the mandatory screening test required for practicing in India.

However, the requirement for an eligibility certificate was waived following the release of NEET-UG 2019 results (as per a public notice issued on April 5, 2019). Since June 5, 2019, qualifying for NEET-UG has been considered an alternative to the eligibility certificate for Indian and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) students seeking admission to MBBS or equivalent courses in foreign medical institutions.

NMC’s Findings and Next Steps

The NMC Registration Division reviewed the submitted applications and found deficiencies in 632 cases. These students proceeded abroad without obtaining an eligibility certificate. After evaluating the applications based on the provided documents, NMC flagged the deficiencies and requested corrections via its online portal.

On February 18, 2025, NMC published a list of these 632 students whose applications remain pending. The commission has granted these candidates additional time to rectify their applications, emphasizing that failure to comply will result in rejection.

"We appreciate your cooperation in this matter. Addressing these deficiencies promptly will help expedite the processing of eligibility certificates and allow applicants to continue their academic pursuits without delays," NMC stated in the notice.

Previous Notices on Eligibility Certificate Deficiencies

This is not the first time NMC has flagged application deficiencies. In January 2024, the commission identified 1,060 candidates with similar issues and gave them three days to address the deficiencies. Similarly, on February 6, 2024, NMC released another list of 237 students and urged them to complete their applications.

The commission continues to monitor and enforce compliance to ensure that Indian medical students studying abroad meet all eligibility requirements before proceeding with their education.