In October 2024, approximately 480 Indian students participated in counseling sessions conducted by Nepal’s Medical Education Commission (MEC), hoping to secure a place in MBBS and BDS programs at Nepali medical colleges. However, a recent change in the Nepal Medical Council (NMC) regulations has left many of them in a state of uncertainty. These regulations, introduced in April 2023, stipulate that Indian students who enrolled in Nepal after 2021, or those planning to do so, will not be granted a license to practice medicine in Nepal. As a result, many of these students are now considering abandoning their courses and have planned to protest against both private colleges and the NMC.
Licensing Crisis for Indian MBBS Students in Nepal
The core issue stems from the ambiguity in Nepal’s policies regarding the practice of medicine by foreign students. According to the revised NMC regulations, international students who do not receive a license to practice in Nepal are unable to qualify for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) or the National Exit Test (NExT) in India, which are required to practice medicine in the country. As a result, students who came to Nepal with the expectation that their education would be valid in India are now facing a dilemma about their future careers.
The confusion over the validity of their medical degrees is compounded by the lack of clarity surrounding the status of medical education in Nepal. A student from Muzaffarpur, Bihar, studying at Kathmandu University, expressed concerns that despite taking the licensing exam in Nepal, they were unsure if their medical education would be recognized in India. Another student from Gorakhpur, studying at Tribhuvan University, pointed out that Nepal’s medical education is not yet recognized by the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), limiting global opportunities for aspiring doctors.
Protest Plans and Demands for Policy Amendments
In response to the uncertainty caused by the NMC’s policy, the Global Medical Society (GMS), an association representing Indian MBBS students in Nepal, announced plans to stage a protest. The students are demanding that the NMC regulations be amended to allow them to practice medicine in Nepal or gain recognition for their degrees in India and abroad. A key request is for the NMC to grant a license to practice for at least 10 years, enabling them to pursue their careers in India and other countries without facing additional barriers.
Around 1,338 Indian students, including those currently enrolled in Nepal’s medical schools, could face significant setbacks if these regulatory issues are not addressed. Many students have expressed concerns that the policies will severely impact their ability to practice in India, forcing them to abandon their courses and return home. The GMS has also requested that the authorities delay the last date for new admissions to allow prospective students to make informed decisions about their future.
Financial Impact on Indian Students
The financial strain on students has been considerable. Many students and their families have invested significant amounts of money in tuition fees and related expenses. On average, each student has paid around Rs 30 lakh in tuition fees alone, totaling an estimated Rs 400 crore for the 1,400 students who traveled to Nepal between 2021 and 2024. Furthermore, students were often misled by consultants and private medical colleges, who charged illegal pre-booking fees ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh. These fees, despite being declared illegal by the NMC, were collected by consultants who misinformed families about the viability of studying in Nepal.
Dr. Kumar, a representative from a private medical college in Nepal, confirmed that about 845 students had registered for counseling this year, with 480 students selected based on the MEC merit list. However, after the awareness about the licensing issue spread, nearly 50% of these students withdrew their applications.
Conclusion
The situation for Indian MBBS students in Nepal is dire, as regulatory changes and financial challenges threaten their medical careers. The planned protest aims to highlight the uncertainty caused by the Nepal Medical Council’s policies and the financial hardships faced by students misled by unscrupulous consultants. With a large number of students already affected, the call for policy amendments has gained significant momentum. Indian students in Nepal are hoping for a swift resolution to the licensing issue, ensuring that their medical degrees are recognized and their hard-earned investments are not wasted.
