Before MBBS Abroad – Read this new Internship Rules

Many students who study MBBS abroad face the same problem:
their internship abroad is not accepted in India.

Not because they did anything wrong.
But because no one clearly explained the NMC internship rules in simple words.

This blog will solve that.

If you’re planning MBBS abroad — or already studying — this is the most important rule you need to understand. Because your internship decides your eligibility for FMGE/NExT, your Indian medical license, and your future as a doctor.

Let’s break everything down clearly.

1. What Exactly Are NMC Internship Rules for MBBS Abroad? (Explained Simply)

NMC requires 2 things from every Indian student studying abroad:

1) 54 months of academic study (4.5 years)

2) 12 months of compulsory internship (CRMI-style)

This combination = a valid MBBS degree in India.

TWhy the internship is crucial:

• It is mandatory for FMGE/NExT eligibility
• It is required for permanent registration in India
• It gives you the license to practice

If the internship is not valid under NMC rules, your entire degree could become problematic in India.

This is why internship rules matter more than university fees, country, or rankings.

2. Course Internship vs NMC Internship — They Are Not the Same

When students and parents hear the word internship, they usually think it’s one single thing. But in MBBS abroad (including Uzbekistan), there are TWO completely different internships — and mixing them up can cost you 1 full year.

Course Internship (Done Abroad as Part of MBBS Curriculum)

This is the internship that your foreign university includes inside the MBBS program itself.

• It is part of your academic curriculum
• You do it in the university hospital
• It helps you finish your degree
• It is required for your MBBS completion abroad
• You cannot skip it

But NMC does not count this as the final mandatory internship for Indian licensing.

This is where most students get confused.

NMC Internship (Compulsory After You Return to India)

After finishing MBBS abroad, NMC requires a separate 12-month Compulsory Rotating Internship (CRMI) in India.

This is not the same as your course internship.

• Must be completed after clearing FMGE
• Conducted in NMC-approved hospitals
• Mandatory for registration as a doctor in India
• Required even if you did a 1-year internship abroad

Even if you completed a 1-year internship abroad, you must still do this again in India.

This is not a “double internship”—it’s just how the Indian licensing system is structured.

In Short:

• Course Internship = For completing your MBBS degree abroad
• NMC Internship = For getting your medical license in India

They serve different purposes, and you need both.

3. The University owned Teaching Hospital Rule (The Most Important Point Students Miss)

Most Indian students look only at the university name when choosing an MBBS abroad.
But NMC doesn’t approve a university based on its name.
NMC checks one thing above everything else:

“Does the university have its own attached teaching hospital with enough beds, departments, and patient flow?”

If the answer is no, the university is not eligible for Indian students — even if the medical degree is valid in that country.

This is where students make the biggest mistake.

Why is the Teaching Hospital Rule So Important?

NMC’s FMGL Regulations clearly say that a university must have an attached or owned teaching hospital that offers real clinical exposure equal to Indian standards.

This means:

• You must study in a hospital owned or controlled by the university
• That hospital must have all major departments (medicine, surgery, pediatrics, OBG, psychiatry, etc.)
• It should have enough beds for students to learn on real patients
• It must allow students to do clinical rotations inside it

If the hospital is just a partner hospital, an affiliated hospital, or a small private clinic — NMC will not accept it.

Real Problem Students Face Because of This Rule

Some foreign universities use rented or affiliated hospitals for clinical training.
Students study 3–4 years in classrooms and only see a hospital during the final year through an agreement.

NMC does not count this as valid clinical training.

As a result:

• Your degree may not be recognized
• You may not be allowed to write FMGE/NEXT
• You may be asked to redo clinical training or internship
• You lose time, money, and confidence

And the sad part? Students realize this only after reaching abroad.

In Simple Words:

If the university doesn’t have a proper teaching hospital of its own,
your MBBS will not be valid for practicing in India.

This is the No.1 rule students miss.

4. Is Internship Abroad Valid in India?

The Clear & Honest Answer**

YES — but only if these 3 conditions are fulfilled:

1) The university is recognized

by the local medical council + included in the WHO/NMC accepted list.

2) The internship is done in a teaching hospital

(owned or officially affiliated)

3) The internship is full 12 months + department-wise rotation

Medicine, Surgery, OBG, Pediatrics, Emergency, etc.

If even one is missing, NMC can:

• ask for repeat internship in India
• delay your registration
• block your FMGE/NExT progression

5. Internship After MBBS Abraod – What Actually Happens (FMGE/NExT exam)

This is the part most students misunderstand.
Previously and currently , the process is:

Finish MBBS → Internship abroad → FMGE → Internship in India → Registration

Let’s break it down simply.

Step 1: Complete Your MBBS + 1-Year Internship Abroad

Before you return to India, you must complete:

• Your full MBBS degree
• 1-year internship in the university-owned teaching hospital

Only then can you move to the next stage.

Step 2: Return to India and Apply for FMGE

FMGE = Foreign Medical Graduate Exam
This is a knowledge-based licensing exam that tests:

• Your medical concepts
• Understanding of clinical subjects
• Ability to apply theory in practice

Passing FMGE is mandatory to register as a doctor in India.

Step 3: Complete a 1-Year Internship in India (CRMI)

Even if you did 1-year internship abroad, you must do another 1-year internship in India after clearing FMGE.

Why?

✔ Understand Indian patients and hospital workflow
✔ Train in NMC-supervised institutions
✔ Complete mandatory clinical rotations required for registration

This Indian internship is compulsory for all foreign MBBS graduates.

Step 4: Get Permanent Registration & PG Eligibility

After completing the Indian internship:

• You get your medical registration
• You are officially licensed to practice in India
• You become eligible for PG NEET seats

In Short: FMGE Pathway

1. Complete MBBS abroad
2. Finish 1-year internship abroad
3. Return to India → Pass FMGE
4. Complete 1-year internship in India
5. Get registration & license + PG eligibility

In the future, FMGE will be replaced by NExT—a unified exit exam for Indian and foreign medical graduates. NExT will combine licensing, skills assessment, and PG eligibility into a single exam. Until NMC officially rolls it out, FMGE remains mandatory.

Learn more about the upcoming NExT exam:
Click here to read about NExT – the new unified exit exam

6. Final Awareness Guide for Students & Parents (Read This Before Selecting Any University)

The 3 Most Common Student Mistakes (And Why They Create Big Problems Later)

1) Choosing a university without its own teaching hospital
Low-fee universities outsource everything.
Students study in classrooms for years and only see hospitals during internship.
Later, NMC rejects it because the hospital was not university-owned or not a true teaching hospital.

2) Believing “Internship Included” = NMC Approved
Universities use this as a marketing line.
But “included” means nothing unless the internship is:

• inside a teaching hospital,
• supervised by licensed doctors,
• with proper departments and rotation structure.
  If any of these are missing → internship becomes invalid.

3) Doing internship in a normal general hospital because it’s easy
Students pick a nearby hospital or the university sends them to small affiliated clinics.
General hospitals = no academic departments, no structured rotations, no teaching faculty.
NMC rejects these instantly.

Quick 30-Second Checklist (If Any Answer = NO, Avoid That University)

✔ Does the university have its own teaching hospital?
✔ If not, is the affiliate hospital officially recognized for training?
✔ Is the internship full 12 months with proper rotations?
✔ Will the teaching hospital issue a “clinical internship completion” certificate?
✔ Is the hospital approved by the local medical authority?
✔ Do Indian students from past batches have zero internship problems?

Conclusion: Your MBBS Dream Is Precious — Don’t Risk It

Studying MBBS abroad is a 6-year dream for you and your family.
But even if you study well and graduate, one small mistake—like choosing a university without a proper teaching hospital—can block your entire future in India.

That’s why choosing the right guidance matters.

At Noha Overseas, we never push unsafe or low-quality universities.
We send students only to NMC-compliant, government universities where hundreds of Indian students have already completed valid internships without problems.

Students trust Noha because:
No cheating. No hidden issues. Only safe universities and clear guidance.

Your MBBS dream is big.
Your future is important.

Before you decide anything, talk to Noha once — (click here) we’ll make sure you take the right step from day one.

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