Delhi govt places 275 foreign medical graduates in internships across 12 hospitals
Synopsis
Delhi has quietly cleared a stubborn backlog: 275 foreign medical graduates who had cleared qualifying exams but were stuck without internship placements can now begin their mandatory training across 12 hospitals. With 207 of those seats in non-teaching hospitals, the move signals a deliberate push to spread the training load beyond conventional medical colleges.
Key Takeaways
The Delhi Health Department has allotted 275 internship seats to foreign medical graduates (FMGs) following a counselling process on 21 July .
68 seats have been placed in 7 teaching hospitals , including Lady Hardinge Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital .
207 seats have been allocated across 5 non-teaching hospitals , including BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital and St.
Stephen's Hospital .
The placements allow FMGs who cleared the mandatory qualifying exam to complete the final requirement for NMC registration .
Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said the move eliminates unnecessary delays for deserving candidates.
The Delhi Health Department has allotted internship seats to 275 foreign medical graduates (FMGs) across 12 hospitals in the national capital following a structured counselling process, Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh announced on Tuesday, 21 July. The move resolves a long-pending concern for FMGs who had cleared the mandatory qualifying examination but were awaiting placements required to complete registration as medical professionals.
Seat Allocation Breakdown
Of the 275 total internship seats, 68 have been distributed across seven teaching hospitals: ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College and Hospital, and NDMC Medical College.
The remaining 207 seats have been allocated across five non-teaching hospitals: Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, Guru Gobind Singh Hospital (Raghubir Nagar), Jaipur Golden Hospital, BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, and St. Stephen's Hospital.
What the Government Said
Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh stated: 'The Delhi government is committed to creating opportunities for young medical professionals while simultaneously strengthening the healthcare delivery system. By facilitating internship placements for 275 Foreign Medical Graduates, we have ensured that deserving candidates can complete their professional training without unnecessary delays.'
Singh further added that under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the government is working to build 'a robust, skilled and future-ready healthcare workforce that serves the people of Delhi with dedication, competence and compassion.'
How the Process Was Conducted
The Health Department coordinated with both teaching and non-teaching hospitals to ensure transparent counselling and equitable seat allocation. Officials said the process was designed to allow internships to commence without further delay, addressing a backlog that had built up among FMGs who had already fulfilled their examination requirements.
Why This Matters
Foreign medical graduates — typically Indian students who complete their MBBS abroad — are required to clear the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) and complete a compulsory rotating internship before they can register with the National Medical Commission (NMC) and practise in India. Delays in internship allotment have historically left hundreds of qualified graduates in limbo, unable to contribute to the healthcare workforce despite holding degrees. This initiative directly addresses that gap within Delhi's public and private hospital network.
The development comes as Delhi continues to expand its healthcare infrastructure to meet the demands of one of the world's most populous urban centres. With 275 new interns now placed, the city's hospitals stand to benefit from additional trained hands across both speciality and general care settings. Further rounds of FMG internship counselling are expected as more graduates clear qualifying examinations.
Point of View
But it underscores a structural problem: India produces thousands of foreign-trained medical graduates each year, yet internship infrastructure has not kept pace with demand. The heavy reliance on non-teaching hospitals — which account for more than three-quarters of the seats here — raises questions about the quality and supervisory depth of training. Delhi's move is a useful template, but without a national-level coordination mechanism between the NMC and state health departments, FMG backlogs will continue to recur after every examination cycle.
NationPress
22 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Delhi government's FMG internship initiative?
The Delhi Health Department has allotted 275 internship seats to foreign medical graduates across 12 hospitals in the city following a counselling process. The initiative allows FMGs who have cleared the mandatory qualifying examination to complete their compulsory internship and obtain NMC registration to practise medicine in India.
Which hospitals are included in the FMG internship allotment?
Seven teaching hospitals are included — ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College and Hospital, and NDMC Medical College. Five non-teaching hospitals — Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, Guru Gobind Singh Hospital, Jaipur Golden Hospital, BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, and St. Stephen's Hospital — account for the remaining 207 seats.
Why do foreign medical graduates need a separate internship allotment process?
FMGs — typically Indian students who complete their MBBS abroad — must clear the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) and complete a compulsory rotating internship before they can register with the National Medical Commission and legally practise in India. Internship seats are not automatically assigned after the exam, which has historically created a backlog of qualified graduates unable to begin practice.
How many seats went to teaching versus non-teaching hospitals?
Of the 275 total seats, 68 were allotted to seven teaching hospitals and 207 to five non-teaching hospitals. The larger share in non-teaching facilities reflects the broader network being tapped to absorb the FMG cohort.
Who oversaw the internship counselling process?
The Delhi Health Department coordinated the counselling and seat allocation in close collaboration with both teaching and non-teaching hospitals. Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh confirmed that the process was designed to be transparent and equitable, enabling internships to begin without further delay.
