Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

As per the new amendment in rules by Medical Council of India (MCI), any Indian student looking forward to MBBS undergraduate degree from abroad, must obtain an eligibility certificate for the same.

Lately, news regarding many agents providing false and misleading information to students desirous of doing MBBS abroad has been surfacing media channels. Many students have been admitted to low quality institutes using unfair means, which later led to their degrees being unacceptable in India or other countries.

Keeping this in mind, MCI has made stricter rules regarding medical education in foreign universities for Indian students. Students interested in admission in medical courses abroad this year, must sit for NEET 2018. Furthermore, candidates must avail an eligibility certificate for the same.

Provision for obtaining the eligibility certificate has existed in the past years as well, but in 2013, MCI stopped the same due to work getting piled up while issuing the certificates. Many candidates applied for the certificate but did not receive it. However, the process has been brought back and has been mandated for candidates who have gone abroad in 2013, 2014 and 2015 also.

Starting this year, students wanting to pursue medical education from abroad will have to clear National Eligibility cum Entrance Test. For students already pursuing their studies abroad, obtaining eligibility score has been made mandatory, however, they do not have to appear for NEET. Thus, NEET Results will play an important role in deciding your future as your eligibility to go abroad will be based on the same.

Applying for Eligibility Certificate

Here are a few rules declared by MCI to apply for eligibility certificate.

  • As we have mentioned above, any Indian student desirous of doing MBBS abroad (on or after 15th March, 2002) must have an eligibility certificate. They can approach Medical Council of India for the same.
  • Applications for the same are available at Medical Council of India’s office. The application can also be made as per the format prescribed by MCI.
  • Candidate must submit the original mark sheets of the qualifying along with its photo copy.
  • There is also a provision for submitting a Demand Draft, the amount of which will be prescribed during the process. This demand draft is to be issued in the favor of Secretary, Medical Council of India, New Delhi.
  • In case the documents submitted by the candidate do not include his date of birth, then a government authorized certificate that mentions his/her date of birth has to be submitted by the candidate.
  • For candidates belonging to reserved categories, a valid caste or category proof along with all other documents is to be submitted.
  • After collecting the documents, MCI holds the right to do further investigations for the purpose of establishing the truthfulness and completeness of the details submitted by the candidate. For this, they can contact the applicant as well.
  • In case any discrepancy is found in the details or documents submitted by the candidate, the council will straight away reject the application. In such cases, the candidature of the applicant will be considered null and void.
  • After going through all the details and documents provided by the applicant, eligibility certificate will be issued to the candidate. The eligibility certificate allows the candidate to pursue his/her desirous under graduate course abroad.
  • Once the process is complete, all the original mark sheets and documents submitted by the candidate will be returned back. A photocopy of all the documents will be retained by the council.

Note: The eligibility certificate only grants the permission to pursue undergraduate courses abroad. The usage of this document for any unauthorized purpose or the violation of rules regarding the certificate will lead to cancellation of certificate.

Eligibility criteria for certificate

Candidates looking to get this certificate must fulfil the eligibility criteria laid down by MCI. The same has been mentioned below.

  • He/she has completed 17 years of age on 31st December of the concerned year (i.e. in the year of admission to the MBBS Course).
  • Candidate must have passed Higher Secondary examination or Indian School Certificate Examination or 10+2 examination, by studying by for a period of at least 12 years. The candidate must have opted for subjects Physics, Chemistry and Biology in the last two years.
  • They must have opted for any other elective course, with English subject as well, the level of which should not be less than the core course of English as prescribed by NCERT (National Council for Educational Research and Training).
  • In case the structure of course pursued by candidate is not according to the 10+2 system, he/she will have to go for pre-professional training for a year, to make them eligible for further admissions.

Why do you need this certificate?

The certificate is important as without this certificate, you degree will not be recognized by Medical Council of India and you would not be allowed to practice medicine in India.

MCI has issued a list of foreign colleges recognized by the council. Candidates can avail this list on the official website of the council. Candidates must obtain eligibility certificate if they wish to study medicine abroad.
Furthermore, after completing your education from any foreign university, candidates will have to appear for a screening test, organized by MCI on their return to India. Qualifying the test, also known as Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE), enables you to practice medicine in India.

In order to appear for this test, candidates must hold an eligibility certificate issued by MCI. Thus, the certificate is very important and is a useful document for your medical career. Medical Council of India is constantly working to raise the standards of medical education in India. These rules are designed to benefit the students.

By ruby