The Supreme Court will hear a plea against extended internships for foreign medical graduates affected by COVID-19 or the Ukraine war. The petition seeks alternative training options instead of mandatory extra internships.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a petition challenging government notices requiring foreign medical graduates (FMGs) to undergo extended internships due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.

A bench comprising Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih issued notices to the Centre and relevant authorities, seeking their responses within six weeks.The petition, filed by the Association of Doctors and Medical Students, seeks alternative guidelines for FMGs who completed their education, partly online and partly on-site, after disruptions.

Senior advocate P V Dinesh appeared for the petitioners, who argue the current requirements of up to three years of compensatory internship are excessive and inconsistent.

(Source:https://www.theweek.in/wire-updates/national/2025/05/13/lgd15-sc-foreign-medical-graduates.html )