Indian Government has recognised Foreign PG Medical Degrees

The Indian Government, on March, 10, issued a notification under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, recognizing Postgraduate medical degrees awarded in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K and the U.S, generally referred to as the English speaking countries.

The decision to recognize foreign post graduate degrees was taken to overcome the  shortage of medical practitioners in India. However the government made it clear that these degrees will be recognized for enrolment of medical practitioners in those countries which recognized its own.

Consequent to the notification issued by the Government of India, those holding foreign post graduate degrees need not go through the screening test stipulated by the Medical Council of India.(MCI)The recognition has come as a boon to Indian students who go abroad to acquire foreign degrees after doing  M.B.B.S in India.They can now come back and practice here.

According to MCI, the number of registered allopathic doctors in India are 6,83,582, in the ratio of  1: 1632 i.e one doctor for  a population of 1632.In addition there are more than six lakh practitioners  of Indian systems of  Medicine and Homoeopathy. There are 271 medical colleges, of which 138 are in the government sector and the remaining 133 in the private sector. A total number of 11,005 post graduate seats are available in these colleges. But only if the MCI and DCI recognize the courses in foreign countries the degree holders can register in India and practice. Consequent to the notification issued by the Government of India, the MCI and DCI will also recognize the foreign degrees.

The recognition will further increase the number of students going abroad to secure a postgraduate degree.

K.Mohanan, Vice-President of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) the recognition of foreign degrees will also help Corporate hospitals in the country to find man power for their patients, mainly as part of the health tourism package. Besides, the decision will also help in the medical outsourcing. For example, a doctor sitting in India will give expert opinion about the CT scan taken of a patient in a US hospital.