# Internship in India After MBBS Abroad: The 12-Month CRMI, Seat Allotment, Stipend and Documents

URL: https://4mbbs.com/guides/internship-in-india-after-mbbs-abroad/
Last checked: 2026-11-14
Publisher: 4MBBS (https://4mbbs.com) — independent, source-cited guide to MBBS abroad

**Quick answer:** After passing FMGE, a foreign medical graduate must complete a 12-month Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) in India before permanent registration, on top of the 12-month internship done abroad under FMGL 2021. You apply through your State Medical Council, which allots seats in NMC-recognised teaching medical colleges: up to 7.5% of each college's intern quota, plus seats in new colleges. NMC listed 43,250 FMG internship slots for 2026-27. Stipend is set by states and colleges, and pay parity with Indian interns is still contested.

Key facts:
- Category: Rules & exams

Key takeaways:
- FMGL 2021 requires a supervised internship in India of at least 12 months, in addition to the 12-month internship at the foreign university; it follows the CRMI Regulations, 2021.
- You need an FMGE pass and provisional registration from your State Medical Council before you can start; FMGs apply through the State Medical Council.
- Internship is allowed only in medical colleges approved for CRMI; NMC said in 2022 that standalone PG institutes and non-teaching hospitals cannot conduct it.
- Colleges may give up to 7.5% of their permitted intern quota to FMGs; in March 2026 NMC listed 43,250 slots across 797 colleges and reserved all CRMI seats in new colleges for FMGs.
- CRMI rules say every intern is paid a stipend fixed by the state or institution, but FMG stipends vary widely: J&K raised intern pay to ₹25,000 a month from October 2026 including FMGs, while FMGs in Telangana protested non-payment.
- Graduates who studied online during COVID-19 or the Ukraine war may need one or two years of clinical clerkship (fee capped at ₹5,000 a month) before CRMI.

## Why do foreign medical graduates need an internship in India?

Every foreign medical graduate who wants to practise in India must complete a **12-month supervised internship in India**, even after completing an internship abroad. Regulation 4(c) of the [FMGL Regulations, 2021](https://4mbbs.com/guides/nmc-fmgl-rules-mbbs-abroad/) makes it a condition of permanent registration, and NMC's FAQs answer "Yes" to whether it is mandatory "in addition to completing an internship ... in the same foreign medical institution".

The Indian internship follows the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) Regulations, 2021, published on the same day as FMGL 2021. The CRMI rules say foreign graduates "are required to undergo internship at par with Indian Medical Graduates" if they want permanent registration. In other words, you rotate through the same departments, keep the same logbook and are assessed in the same way as an Indian MBBS intern.

So a typical compliant pathway has **two internships**: one year at your foreign university, which is part of your degree, and one year in India after [FMGE](https://4mbbs.com/guides/fmge-exam/).

## Step by step: from FMGE to permanent registration

1. **Pass FMGE** and collect the pass certificate from NBEMS in person.
2. **Apply for provisional registration** to the State Medical Council (SMC) of your state. NMC's FAQ says FMGs apply for internship "with the respective State Medical Council through National Medical Commission".
3. **Take part in seat allotment.** The SMC, often working with the state's Directorate of Medical Education, allots internship seats through a counselling or merit-based process.
4. **Complete any extra clerkship** if NMC's rules on online study apply to you (see below).
5. **Do the 12-month CRMI** in the allotted medical college, rotating through the prescribed departments, with a logbook.
6. **Get the completion certificate** from the Dean or Principal.
7. **Apply for permanent registration** to the SMC, which leads to entry in the medical register.

When NExT starts, the [NExT guide](https://4mbbs.com/guides/next-exam-foreign-medical-graduates/) explains how Step 1 and Step 2 will slot into this sequence. Until then, FMGE remains the gateway.

## Who is eligible to start the internship?

NMC's FMGL FAQs list the conditions. You must have:

1. Completed a foreign medical course of at least 54 months.
2. Completed a 12-month internship in the same foreign institution.
3. Received the degree with English as the medium of instruction.
4. Studied the Schedule-I subjects.
5. Been registered with, or be competent to get a licence from, the regulator in the degree country, on par with its citizens.
6. Passed the screening test (FMGE), NExT or another test mandated by NMC.
7. Obtained provisional registration from your State Medical Council.

Students who joined before 18 November 2021 are not under FMGL. The CRMI rules say those Indian citizens are governed by section 13(3) of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 and must complete CRMI in India if they did not do the practical training required in the degree country.

## Where can you do the internship?

Only in **medical colleges or institutions approved to provide CRMI to Indian medical graduates**, together with their affiliated hospitals and community health centres recognised by NMC. The CRMI Regulations add three placement rules for foreign graduates:

| Rule | What it says |
|---|---|
| New colleges first | FMGs "may be posted first in colleges which have been newly opened and have yet to be recognized" |
| Merit-based allotment | FMGs may be posted to colleges "through a counseling or seat allocation process based on the merit" |
| 7.5% cap per college | Colleges "may allow up to 7.5 per cent of their permitted quota of interns" for FMGs |

In September 2022 NMC told State Medical Councils that FMGs who have qualified FMGE must be allotted seats **in medical colleges only**, and that standalone postgraduate institutes offering DNB training and non-teaching hospitals "are not entitled" to conduct CRMI.

## How many internship seats are available for FMGs?

In March 2026 NMC directed medical colleges across India to begin allotting CRMI slots to eligible foreign graduates for 2026–27. According to Careers360, the numbers were:

| Item | 2026–27 |
|---|---|
| CRMI slots for FMGs | 43,250 |
| Medical colleges | 797 |
| Share of each college's permitted intern intake | About 7.5% |
| New medical colleges | 100% of CRMI seats reserved for FMGs |
| Seats created by intake increases, 2022–23 to 2025–26 | All reserved for FMGs |
| States with the most slots | Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, then Tamil Nadu and Telangana |

NMC said these seats were in addition to internship seats in non-teaching hospitals previously approved by the Medical Council of India. For comparison, 9,354 candidates passed FMGE in October 2026 and 4,635 in June 2026, so seats are not the main bottleneck. The real problems are state-level delays, documentation and stipend.

## Do FMG interns get a stipend?

On paper, yes; in practice, it depends on your state and college. This is the most contested part of the FMG internship.

**What the rules say.** Schedule clause 3 of the CRMI Regulations says "all interns shall be paid stipend as fixed by the appropriate authority applicable to the institution/University or State", for 52 weeks. NMC's November 2023 public notice said Ukraine-returned FMGs doing CRMI are "eligible to receive stipend in parity with Indian Medical Graduates", and that at the CRMI stage after clerkship they get a stipend "equivalent to the stipend received by IMGs of that college/Institution".

**What happens on the ground.** Recent reports show wide variation:

| Place and date | What was reported |
|---|---|
| Supreme Court, 2024 | A bench observed that FMGs "cannot be treated differently and should be paid stipends" during internship; in October 2024 the Court issued notice on further pleas from Kerala and Andhra Pradesh FMGs |
| Delhi, April 2025 | NMC told the Delhi Medical Council it had "no objection" to relaxing the stipend condition for FMGs "willing to forgo the stipend", so they could intern at MCD hospitals without delay |
| Jammu & Kashmir, Jan 2025 → Oct 2026 | FMG interns set to receive ₹12,300 a month (about US$130); from 1 October 2026 the government raised MBBS and BDS intern stipends to ₹25,000 (about US$265), "including Foreign Medical Graduates" |
| Telangana, Oct 2026 | Indian MBBS interns normally receive ₹29,792 a month (about US$315); over 90 FMGs were detained protesting that they were denied equal pay, with some paid ₹5,000 a month in arrears and others unpaid for months |

Before accepting a seat, ask the college in writing whether it pays FMG interns, how much, and from which month. Budget for at least part of the year without income.

## Extra clinical clerkship for online study

Graduates who studied part of their course online, mainly because of COVID-19 or the war in [Ukraine](https://4mbbs.com/mbbs-in-ukraine/), may have to do a clinical clerkship in India before CRMI. NMC's public notice of 22 November 2023 set the framework:

| Situation | Requirement before CRMI |
|---|---|
| Course completed fully offline, with or without the foreign internship | Provisional registration, then 12-month CRMI |
| Final year studied and examined online only | 1 year clinical clerkship, then CRMI |
| Penultimate year studied online only | 2 years clinical clerkship, then CRMI |
| [Philippines](https://4mbbs.com/mbbs-in-philippines/) MD admitted on or before 18 Nov 2021 | Extra 1-year internship to compensate for a 48-month course, then CRMI |

Colleges may charge a clerkship fee of up to **₹5,000 a month** (about US$53), and allotment is done by the Directorate of Medical Education and the SMC together. A further notice on 18 March 2026 explained how SMCs should verify compensatory physical training done abroad, and NMC's FAQs of 8 June 2026 said such cases "shall not be rejected solely" because training was completed after the final exam, with each case judged by the SMC on documents. A December 2025 corrigendum also requires an extra year of internship in India for students admitted to foreign BS courses, online or in person, before 18 November 2021.

None of this applies if you join a compliant, fully in-person course in 2027. It is a reminder to keep every transcript and certificate from day one.

## Documents to prepare for the internship

State Medical Councils publish their own lists, but the documents below come up again and again in NMC and NBEMS rules:

1. FMGE pass certificate issued by NBEMS (the online scorecard is not accepted in its place).
2. Degree certificate or provisional pass certificate, apostilled or attested by the Indian embassy.
3. Official transcripts and mark sheets showing subjects, duration and clinical postings. NMC's June 2026 FAQ says SMCs examine transcripts "along with passport records".
4. Foreign internship completion certificate.
5. Proof of registration with, or licence eligibility from, the medical regulator of the degree country.
6. Passport with all entry and exit stamps for the whole course.
7. [NEET-UG scorecard](https://4mbbs.com/guides/neet-for-mbbs-abroad/), or an NMC [Eligibility Certificate](https://4mbbs.com/guides/nmc-eligibility-certificate/) for older cohorts.
8. Class 10 and 12 certificates and mark sheets.
9. Compensation or clerkship certificates, if you studied online at any point.

Keep certified copies in one folder. Our [documents guide](https://4mbbs.com/guides/documents-for-mbbs-abroad/) explains how to build that file from the day you apply.

## After the internship

Once you finish CRMI, the college's Dean or Principal issues a cumulative completion certificate and you apply for permanent registration to your State Medical Council. Registration lets you practise independently and sit for postgraduate entrance exams.

Total time from joining abroad to independent practice in India is therefore usually seven years or more: at least five and a half years abroad (often six) including the foreign internship, then FMGE, then one year of CRMI. Factor that into your plans, and into whether [MBBS abroad is worth it](https://4mbbs.com/guides/is-mbbs-abroad-worth-it/) for you.

## FAQ

**Is internship in India compulsory after MBBS abroad?**
Yes. Regulation 4(c) of the FMGL Regulations, 2021 says no foreign medical graduate can get permanent registration without a supervised internship in India of at least twelve months. NMC's FAQs confirm this is in addition to the 12-month internship you complete at your foreign university. The internship follows the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship Regulations, 2021, at par with Indian medical graduates.

**Do FMG interns get a stipend in India?**
They are supposed to, but practice varies by state and college. The CRMI Regulations, 2021 say all interns “shall be paid stipend as fixed by the appropriate authority” for the institution, university or state, and NMC's November 2023 notice said FMGs doing CRMI are eligible for stipend in parity with Indian graduates. Yet in April 2025 NMC allowed Delhi to post FMGs who were willing to forgo stipend, and FMGs in Telangana protested non-payment in October 2026.

**How are internship seats allotted to foreign medical graduates?**
Through your State Medical Council. NMC's FAQs say FMGs apply for internship with the respective State Medical Council through NMC. The CRMI Regulations allow posting through a counselling or seat-allocation process based on merit, first in newly opened colleges, with each college allowed to give up to 7.5% of its permitted intern quota to FMGs. Each state publishes its own schedule and merit rules.

**Can I do my internship in a private hospital in India?**
Only if it is part of a medical college approved for CRMI. NMC told State Medical Councils in September 2022 that FMGs who have qualified FMGE must be allotted seats in medical colleges only, and that standalone postgraduate institutes and non-teaching hospitals are not entitled to conduct the internship. In March 2026 NMC said its new FMG slots were in addition to non-teaching hospital seats approved earlier by the MCI.

**Do I have to do a 2-year or 3-year internship in India?**
Only in special cases. Under NMC's November 2023 notice, graduates whose final year was online only during COVID-19 or the war must do one year of clinical clerkship before CRMI, and those with an online penultimate year must do two. Philippines MD students admitted before 18 November 2021, and some pre-2021 BS students, must do an extra year of internship. A compliant course studied fully offline needs only the standard 12 months.

**What documents do I need for FMG internship in India?**
Expect to submit your FMGE pass certificate, degree certificate or provisional pass certificate with embassy attestation or apostille, transcripts and mark sheets, the foreign internship completion certificate, proof of registration or licence eligibility in the degree country, passport with all entry and exit stamps, NEET scorecard or Eligibility Certificate, and any compensation certificates for online study. Your State Medical Council's notice gives the exact list.

**Can I start internship in India before passing FMGE?**
No. NMC's FAQs list passing the screening test (FMGE), or NExT once it starts, and obtaining provisional registration from the State Medical Council among the conditions for internship. An August 2026 NMC draft keeps FMGE as the qualifying test for provisional registration of foreign graduates until NExT comes into force.

## Sources

- Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship Regulations, 2021 (National Medical Commission): https://nmc.org.in/rules-regulation-nmc/36/file
- National Medical Commission (Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate) Regulations, 2021 (National Medical Commission): https://nmc.org.in/rules-regulation-nmc/37/file
- Frequently Asked Questions on FMGL Regulations, 2021 (National Medical Commission): https://nmc.org.in/rules-regulation-nmc/39/file
- Public Notice: Clarification on various issues relating to FMGs (22 November 2023) (National Medical Commission (copy hosted by Medical Dialogues)): https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/nmc-public-notice-226019.pdf
- FAQs on the Public Notice dated 18.03.2026 (8 June 2026) (National Medical Commission): https://nmc.org.in/storage/cms/rules-regulation-nmc/mCMboVaMMdlR8sYWcwwnwPlpzIoRvKHWVomoWGmo.pdf
- NMC directs medical colleges to start internship process for FMGs; over 43,000 slots across 797 institutes (13 March 2026) (Careers360): https://news.careers360.com/nmc-fmgs-medical-colleges-mbbs-seats-uttar-pradesh-maharashtra-directs-start-internship-process-over-43000-slots-across-797-open/amp
- Standalone PG institutes, non-teaching hospitals not entitled to conduct internship for foreign medical graduates: NMC (21 Sept 2022) (Careers360): https://news.careers360.com/standalone-pg-institutes-non-teaching-hospitals-not-entitled-conduct-internship-for-foreign-medical-graduates-nmc
- NMC allows Delhi Medical Council to relax stipend condition, give internship posting to FMGs at MCD hospitals (29 April 2025) (Medical Dialogues): https://medicaldialogues.in/health-news/nmc/nmc-allows-delhi-medical-council-to-relax-stipend-rule-permit-fmg-internships-at-mcd-hospitals-147490
- Supreme Court to decide on stipend for FMG internship, notice issued (16 Oct 2024) (Medical Dialogues): https://medicaldialogues.in/news/education/supreme-court-to-decide-on-stipend-for-fmg-internship-notice-issued-136532
- Stipend parity protest: over 90 FMGs detained in Telangana (24 Oct 2026) (Medical Dialogues): https://medicaldialogues.in/state-news/telangana/stipend-parity-protest-over-90-fmgs-detained-in-telangana-181911
- J&K hikes MBBS, BDS interns' monthly stipend from Rs 12,300 to Rs 25,000 (22 Oct 2026) (Medical Dialogues): https://medicaldialogues.in/state-news/jammu-kashmir/jnk-hikes-mbbs-bds-interns-monthly-stipend-from-rs-12300-to-rs-25000-181756
- NMC grants FMGL 2021 exemption to foreign BS students admitted online, mandates extra internship (31 Dec 2025) (Medical Dialogues): https://medicaldialogues.in/amp/health-news/nmc/nmc-grants-fmgl-2021-exemption-to-foreign-bs-students-admitted-online-mandates-extra-internship-161770

Quote with attribution to 4MBBS: https://4mbbs.com/guides/internship-in-india-after-mbbs-abroad/