Skip to content
MBBS in China Q&AMenu

Do I need a licence in China to register in India?

Unofficial · Sources checked

Under India's National Medical Commission (Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate) Regulations, 2021, an Indian student who earns a medical degree in China must be registered with the professional regulatory body in China — or otherwise be competent to grant a licence to practise medicine there, at par with the licence given to a citizen of China — to be eligible for permanent registration in India (regulation 4(b)). This is India's rule for Indian students seeking registration at home; it does not state what China requires of foreign graduates, so ask the Chinese university in writing how its international graduates meet regulation 4(b).

For the examination and registration steps in India, see Licensing exams.

What regulation 4(b) says

regulation 4(b) of the National Medical Commission (Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate) Regulations, 2021 (Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part III, Section 4, 18 November 2021) reads in full:

"registered with the respective professional regulatory body or otherwise, competent to grant license to practice medicine in their respective jurisdiction of the country in which the medical degree is awarded and at par with the license to practice medicine given to citizen of that country"

For a degree awarded in China, the country in which the degree is awarded is China, and the jurisdiction is China's.

Under regulation 5, the FMGL Regulations 2021 do not apply to foreign medical graduates who had acquired a foreign medical degree, or were already pursuing education in a foreign institution, before the regulations came into force on 18 November 2021 (per Q2 and Q4 of the National Medical Commission (India)'s FAQ on the regulations); those students are governed by the earlier regulations.

The plain-language answer (FAQ Q9)

Q9 of the National Medical Commission (India)'s FAQ on the FMGL Regulations, 2021 asks "Do FMGs need to be registered in the country which awards them the degree?" and answers:

"Yes; FMGs need to be registered with the respective professional regulatory body or otherwise, competent to grant license to practice medicine in their respective jurisdiction of the country in which the medical degree is awarded and at par with the license to practice medicine given to citizen of that country [Reg. 4(b) of FMGL. 2021]."

The May 2025 advisory (key requirement f)

The National Medical Commission (India)'s Advisory U-14021/UGMEB-2025 of 19 May 2025, section 3 "Rules to be followed for the students who intend to pursue medical education in foreign countries", lists key requirements. Item f states:

"Registered with the respective professional regulatory body or otherwise, competent to grant license to practise medicine in their respective jurisdiction of the country in which the medical degree is awarded and at par with the license to practise medicine given to citizen of that country."

Section 3 of the advisory names no country and no foreign university.

FAQ Q16 — condition (v) for internship in India

Q16 of the FAQ lists the conditions an FMG must fulfil to be eligible for internship in India. Item (v) repeats the same registration requirement:

"(v) registered with the respective professional regulatory body or otherwise, competent to grant license to practice medicine in their respective jurisdiction of the country in which the medical degree is awarded and at par with the license to practice medicine given to citizen of that country;"

The screening-test wording is a different test

The registration-in-country rule above belongs to the FMGL Regulations 2021. A separate, older wording appears in the rules for the Screening Test (Foreign Medical Graduate Examination), printed by the information desk and the FMGE bulletin. The two wordings are different and come from different documents.

From the National Medical Commission (India)'s "For Students to Study Abroad" information desk page, eligibility criterion (1) to appear in the screening test:

"he/she is a Citizen of India or has been granted Overseas Citizenship of India and possess any primary medical qualification to be a recognized qualification for enrolment as medical practitioner in the country in which the institution awarding the said qualification is situated."

From the FMGE (Screening Test) October 2026 Information Bulletin, chapter 4 (eligibility criteria):

"The candidate should possess a primary medical qualification, which is confirmed by the Indian Embassy concerned, to be a recognized qualification for enrolment as medical practitioner in the country in which the institution awarding the said qualification is situated."

The October 2026 bulletin also states that the eligibility of candidates who took admission to the primary medical qualification on or after 18-11-2021 shall be determined strictly in accordance with the FMGL Regulations 2021. The bulletin is for the October 2026 session; each session has its own bulletin. The information desk page carries no date of its own.

The screening-test wording concerns eligibility to appear in the test. It is not the regulation 4(b) registration requirement.

What this page does not cover

This page sets out India's FMGL Regulations 2021 condition only. It does not describe China's own licensing rules for foreign graduates. Ask the Chinese university in writing how its international graduates meet regulation 4(b).

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026.

This page is an unofficial summary, is not legal or professional-licensing advice, is not published by the bodies named, promises no admission, examination or registration outcome, and the official text and the regulator's own instructions prevail if they differ.

Check the regulator's current document before you act. Medical councils issue new notices often, and a notice can change who may sit an examination. This page reflects the documents as they stood on the date above. It does not promise registration or a licence.

All questions  The Ministry's list

MBBS Q&A