This blog will bring you clarity between the situation of MBBS in Philippines and regulations of NMC. The Embassy of India, Manila sent a letter to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Philippines. This note verbale dated 08 October 2026 describes Indian law. The embassy says foreign graduates of recognized Indian colleges, including Filipinos, can get permanent registration on the same terms as Indians. It asks Manila to set up reciprocity. That would let Indian graduates of CHED-recognized schools sit the Physician Licensure Examination (PLE).
The problem is not solved yet. The Philippine side must decide next.
The letter touches only the Philippine license, so admission and study go on as before. NMC sets the rules for Indian registration.
What does India's 8 October 2026 letter say?
The Embassy of India, Manila filed the letter under reference number Mani/Edu/234/02/2025. It answers a DFA note from 16 November 2023. It went to the DFA's Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs, marked for Assistant Secretary Marshall Louis M. Alferez.
| Letter point | Plain meaning |
|---|---|
| DFA note verbale 23-4189 (16 Nov 2023) | The letter replies to this earlier Philippine note |
| Indian law allows permanent registration of foreign graduates, including Filipinos, on the same terms as Indians | India's side of reciprocity |
| The DFA is asked to let Indian graduates of CHED-recognized schools sit the PLE and get registered | The request to Manila |
| The Embassy's revised advisory of 17 June 2026 | Background for readers |
Why do Indian students need reciprocity to take the PLE?
Philippine law makes foreigners prove reciprocity before they sit the PLE and Section 9 of the Medical Act of 1959 sets that rule. The PRC says nobody can skip this proof.
Reciprocity means the foreign country allows Filipino doctors practice under the same rules as its own citizens. India must show that and Manila must accept it. The Embassy's letter aims at this exact gate. It gives Manila a written statement of Indian law to review.
Who decides
The Philippine Board of Medicine and the PRC decide. India cannot decide for them.
What counts as proof
In Board of Medicine v. Ota, decided 14 July 2008, the Philippine Supreme Court denied the Board's petition. Published case digests say the courts looked at what Japanese law allowed. No Filipino doctor had to practice there first.
Limit of that case
A Japanese applicant brought it. However this does not promise the same result for Indian graduates.
Does reciprocity affect NMC registration and FMGE?
Some websites say reciprocity has no link to Indian registration, while others call it a serious risk.
NMC Regulation 4(b) of the FMGL Regulations 2021 says a foreign medical graduate must hold a license in the country of study, at par with the license that country gives its own citizens. NMC applied this rule in a Georgia clarification that PTI reported.
No source we found says how NMC treats a graduate who holds the Philippine MD but cannot yet sit the PLE. Ask NMC in writing before you decide.
CHED adds that graduates who plan to practice in the USA, Australia, UK, Canada or Switzerland do not need the PLE. They must still pass those countries' own exams (Embassy advisory, 17 June 2026).
| Your goal | Does the PLE matter? |
|---|---|
| Practice in India | Unclear. Regulation 4(b) asks for a license at par with citizens. Confirm with NMC. |
| Practice in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia | No, per CHED. Each country sets its own exams. |
| Practice in the Philippines | Yes. You need reciprocity first, then the PLE. |
What is confirmed and what is pending?
Five documents exist. One decision is still missing.
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Nov 2023 | DFA note verbale 23-4189, cited in the letter | The letter |
| 8 May 2025 | CHED tells the Embassy the MD meets FMGL points: 54-month MD, Schedule-I subjects, English instruction, 12-month internship, Certificate of Registrability | Embassy advisory |
| 11 Mar 2026 | House Resolution No. 73 says CHED-recognized MD programs comply with NMC rules | Embassy advisory |
| 17 Jun 2026 | Embassy advisory says Indian guidance on reciprocity is awaited | Embassy website |
| 8 Oct 2026 | Embassy sends note verbale to the DFA | The letter |
| Pending | DFA, PRC and Board of Medicine response. No public reply found as of 21 October 2026. | Our search |
Every document so far comes from CHED, the House, the DFA, or the Embassy. We found nothing yet from the PRC or the Board of Medicine, who control the exam.
What should aspirants, current students and parents do?
Agents may tell you the problem is solved. The record shows a request and Manila has not publicly answered it. A family that pays first and asks later takes the biggest risk.
Aspirants and parents
- Ask the college for written proof of its PLE pathway for Indian students. Verbal promises protect nobody.
- Confirm the MD runs 54 months, excluding the pre-medical BS, then a 12-month internship at the same institution or its attached hospital.
- Ask if graduates receive a Certificate of Registrability for practice in the Philippines.
- Read the Embassy's advisories before you pay a fee.
Current students
- Keep records of enrollment, subjects and internship hours.
- Treat the Philippine license as pending. Nothing says it is lost.
- Ask your college for its latest written statement on Indian students and the PLE.
- Register with the Embassy of India through its Indian students page.
Final-year students
- Ask your college how it will file your PLE application if Manila approves reciprocity.
- The PLE runs about twice a year, so a missed filing can cost months.
- Ask NMC in writing whether a pending Philippine license affects your FMGE or NExT path.
Where to verify
- Embassy of India, Manila: education advisories
- PRC: licensure and reciprocity notices
- CHED: list of recognized schools
- NMC: FMGL Regulations and FAQs
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