Challenges of Foreign Medical Graduates in India: An Economic Survey Insight

The Economic Survey 2024-25 highlights the low pass rate of Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) in India, citing poor education quality abroad. It suggests policy reforms to limit overseas medical education while managing high costs in India, and addresses disparities in seat distribution and specialization preferences.

The Economic Survey 2024-25, presented in Parliament on Friday, sheds light on the poor performance of Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) in qualifying exams to practice in India. This low success rate points to inadequate medical education quality abroad and insufficient clinical training.

The Survey recommends policy interventions to discourage pursuing medical studies abroad while emphasizing the necessity to regulate costs of medical education in India. High expenses, ranging from Rs 60 lakh to over a crore in private institutions, drive thousands of students to seek education in countries with lower fees.

Geographical imbalances in medical education opportunities and specialization distribution further complicate the issue. The disproportionate distribution of undergraduate and postgraduate seats and the favoring of certain specializations necessitate strategic planning to address present and future demands.

(With inputs from agencies.)