Reflecting what seems to be a national trend at this point, Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) in Bihar are yet to begin their Compulsory Rotating Medical Internships (CRMI), after the internship allotments have been cancelled twice.
According to aspirants, the matter began when the first allotment list, issued for aspirants who appeared in the FMG Exam 2025 Session 1 on January 12, contained errors in the candidates’ final marks.
They say that this list was cancelled on April 17 by the Bihar Council for Medical Recruitment (BCRM), as it wrongly printed several candidates’ FMGE scores as 280, 281, and even 299 out of 300 — when the highest score in the FMGE 2025 January session was 256.
However, when the error was rectified and a new list was issued, the Department of Health issued a notice on April 22, announcing that the FMG internship allotments made by the BCMR were cancelled due to alleged violations of National Medical Council (NMC) guidelines.
The notice further announced that internship allotments to FMGs are to be made by individual hospitals and medical colleges in Bihar.
One week since the notification, FMGs allege that no such allotment has been made.
They allege that the Health Department cancelled the FMGE internships and assigned the duty of allotting CRMI internships to individual medical institutions in a very arbitrary, opaque fashion.
“We were not told the exact reason for this move, and the Health Department is still refusing to disclose the reason,” says Dr Manish (name changed on request of anonymity), an FMG.
Moreover, when candidates approached medical colleges for internship allotment, they were told that the seats were full, and the last day for registration was on April 17.
“When the internship allotments were cancelled on April 22, how could the seats already be filled on April 17?”, Dr Manish* asks.
This lack of transparency, as well as the colleges’ claims of the seats getting filled before the internships began, is compelling candidates to suspect foul play.
“Clearly, a few candidates who did not perform well, but have political connections must have pulled some strings to get into the college of their desires,” alleges Dr Gautham (name changed on request of anonymity), another FMG, as the reason for the Health Department’s sudden cancellation of the allotments.
The FMGs also allege hearing rumours of hospitals denying CRMI to candidates unless they were politically well-connected or had the backing of a politician.
“Because of this, those of us who performed well, but lack connections, are suffering,” he sighs.
In addition, despite numerous visits and appeals to the colleges, the Department of Health and the BCMR, the FMGs have been given no relief.
“The BCMR says that the matter is not in their hands anymore, due to the Health Department’s intervention. Medical institutions tell us that they have no internship vacancies. The Health Department has been similarly unresponsive. Who do we go to when nobody wants to listen to us,” Dr Bani (name changed on request of anonymity), an FMG, laments.
With the Bihar Legislative Assembly elections approaching, the Department of Health informed candidates that the government was “busy”, and relevant authorities would look into their case once they “have the time”, she further alleges.
She adds that this delay has caused significant stress among FMGs, who see this as a hurdle to their professional growth.
“We had already spent six years on our education and clearing the FMGE. If we don’t join CRMI on time due to delayed allotment, we won’t be able to appear for NEET-PG in 2026. If we wait until 2027, our education would be delayed by a year,” she says.
While their fears are palpable, candidates also allege that they are not in a position to agitate or make loud demands for their internship.
“Some candidates have expressed an idea to file a petition in the court, but I am not sure if it would help. By the time it takes to get listed and heard, it would have been too late,” says Dr Bani, adding, “We have no choice but to wait.”
Further, Dr Manish says, “FMGs already face discrimination compared to our Indian counterparts. We don’t want to make matters worse by fighting against the system, as our future is also dependent on it.”
