The Madhya Pradesh High Court has issued a notice to the State Government, Director of Medical Education, National Medical Commission, and MP Medical Council in response to a plea filed by a medical student who completed his MBBS degree from Nantong University, China.

This student has challenged the MP Medical Council’s decision that increased the mandatory internship period for Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) from two years to three years, claiming it has been applied retrospectively and has disrupted his career path.

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A division bench comprising Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf issued the notice and scheduled the matter for further hearing on April 24, alongside another related petition.

Background of the Case

• The petitioner had traveled to China to pursue MBBS at Nantong University.
• Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, he had to return to India and completed the final year of his course online.
• After successfully passing the Foreign Medical Graduate (FMG) Examination, he got provisional registration under the National Medical Commission (NMC).
• He began his internship at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Medical College, Vidisha.

• On March 23, 2023, the MP Medical Council informed the student that his internship would last for two years.
• Based on this, the student planned to finish by March 2025 and had begun preparing to appear for the NEET PG Examination 2025.

• On November 4, 2024, the student was informed for the first time that his internship would now last three years.
• According to the plea, this order was applied retrospectively for those who completed their MBBS from China during or after the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The plea states:
"Foreign Medical Graduate students are made to suffer for reasons which are difficult to understand but easy to infer, because it was not the mistake of the petitioner but it was the natural calamities or a man-made calamity."

• The plea highlights that only the MP Medical Council has mandated a 3-year internship.
• Other medical councils like the Delhi Medical Council allow internship periods of one year or, in special cases, two years.

• The retrospective change means the petitioner will not be eligible for the NEET PG 2025.
• He will now be junior to his own batchmates, some of whom have already completed their internships and joined Pre-PG courses.

• Quashing of the November 4, 2024 order increasing the internship to 3 years.
• A direction to the authorities to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) and Eligibility Certificate confirming completion of internship by March 23, 2025.
• Permission to appear in NEET PG 2025.
• As interim relief, the plea asks for a stay on the order during the pendency of the case.

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According to the plea:
"This retrospective rule is not only unfair but has a direct impact on the career progression of FMGs who have already been through several challenges due to the pandemic."

Case Title: Dr. Narayan Raghuvanshi vs. State of MP

Case No: WP 9549/ 2025