Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) in Maharashtra are facing unprecedented delays in their career progression as the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has allegedly failed to issue internship notices nearly four months after the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) results were announced in January 2025.
"It's been nearly four months since the results were declared for the FMGE, which was held in January 2025," said Dr Prassana, an affected FMG and added, Since then, we have been waiting for the Maharashtra Medical Council to release a notification for internship for the domicile of Maharashtra. We tried calling them, emailed them, visited the office in person, submitted written letters urging them to commence the process... seems like nothing is working."
The frustration among these young doctors is palpable as they watch their counterparts in other states begin their internships while they remain in limbo.
Compounding delays and silent authorities
According to affected students, the MMC has been unresponsive to emails, phone calls, and even in-person visits. This communication breakdown has left hundreds of FMGs uncertain about their future.
Dr Ismail, another FMG awaiting his internship notice, explained the situation: "Even if they announce it, they'll take around 50 days to allot the medical colleges, increasing the burden. Even if they release the notice this upcoming week, they'll definitely take at least till June to complete the allotment. We gave our exam in January, and by June, we would have wasted six months sitting at home."
The All India FMG Association (AFA) has taken up the issue by submitting formal letters to the MMC requesting immediate action. Dr Kaushal, Social Media Coordinator of AFA, in conversation with EdexLive, pointed out that despite approaching the council through various channels, they have received only vague assurances without concrete timelines.
A multi-layered problem
The crisis extends beyond just internship notices. Many FMGs who have already begun their internships haven't received provisional registration certificates from the MMC, which are necessary for legal practice during the internship.
"I have many friends who have completed an internship of around nine to 10 months, but still haven't received their provisional registration, which makes them ineligible for the upcoming NEET-PG 2025 attempt," Dr Ismail revealed and added, "This attempt will go to waste for them."
Dr Dhruv Chauhan, a medical activist, noted that FMGs across India face various bureaucratic hurdles that often prolong their academic careers by one to one and a half years. However, the situation in Maharashtra has become particularly acute.
Dr Kaushal also raised similar concerns, “This delay results in increased hardships,” Dr Kaushal said. “Students miss out on applying for postgraduate exams and jobs. It directly pushes their careers back by a year or more.”
Financial and career implications
The delays have serious financial and career implications for these doctors. After completing six years of education abroad and preparing for qualifying exams at home, many continue to be financially dependent on their parents during these extended waiting periods.
"First of all, we have to study for six years in a foreign country. For those six years, we usually took money from our parents. Then again, to prepare for the exam, we have to sit at home again and seek help from the parents," explained Dr Ismail.
The stipend issue further compounds their troubles. "The Maharashtra government has announced that Rs 18,000 should be paid to us as a stipend for internship, the same as Indian medical graduates. But the stipend issue is also a big one. Many people are still working day and night and yet aren't being paid," he added.
Seeking solutions
The All FMGs Association (AFA), a collective body representing FMGs nationwide, recently submitted a formal letter to the MMC urging immediate action. The letter, addressed to the Registrar of MMC, specifically highlights two urgent issues:
1. Delays in issuing internship notices to FMGs who have cleared the FMGE
2. Failure to provide provisional registration certificates to those already undertaking internships
“We kindly request the Council to expedite the issuance of internship notices and provisional registrations, and to communicate timelines transparently,” the letter states. “We also request a written response within three days outlining the steps the Council will take to resolve these issues.”
Meanwhile, doctors like Dr Prassana continue to wait. "We have already invested so much time in this degree, six years abroad, one year for the exam and the waiting period... It's mentally really very tough."
As this crisis continues to unfold, hundreds of qualified foreign medical graduates remain in a state of professional limbo, unable to progress in their careers despite having cleared all necessary examinations and requirements.
