Petition Highlights Delay in CRMI Process
The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the National Medical Commission (NMC) on a plea filed by the Association of Doctors and Medical Students (ADAMS) and other Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) from Kerala and Tamil Nadu, alleging “arbitrary and unreasonable inaction” in starting the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) process in these states. The petitioners, all FMGs who cleared the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) and obtained provisional registration, sought immediate allocation of internship slots.
Other States Have Commenced Internships
According to the plea, while most states began the CRMI process soon after FMGE results were declared over six months ago, Kerala and Tamil Nadu have not yet issued notifications. This delay has left FMGs from these states unemployed for half a year, causing financial strain and halting their professional progress. The petitioners alleged discriminatory treatment compared to FMGs in other states.
Legal Basis and NMC Regulations
The petition refers to the NMC’s CRMI Regulations, 2021, which make internships mandatory for permanent registration and require FMGs to complete rotational postings in all clinical departments. Rule 4 specifically bars permanent registration without CRMI completion in India. The petitioners requested the Supreme Court to direct NMC and the state authorities to start the internship process immediately.
Earlier Appeals to NMC
Earlier this year, ADAMS had urged NMC to issue uniform guidelines for provisional registration, citing delays in pass certificate issuance for FMGE December 2024 session qualifiers, which affected their ability to apply for internships on time.
