Do I need to clear the accreditation exam in Russia? (Admission after 18 Nov 2021)

Yes, if you were admitted to MBBS in Russia after 18 November 2021 and you want to sit FMGE or NExT in India. NMC's FMGL Regulations 2021 say you need a licence to practise from the country where you got your degree. In Russia, that licence comes from passing primary accreditation (первичная аккредитация). If you were admitted before 18 November 2021, you are exempt, even if you transferred or took academic leave and graduate later. If your admission date is close to the cut-off, write to NMC and confirm your own case.

Who needs it and who doesn't?

The rest of this page explains each row.

Why does 18 November 2021 matter?

That is the date the FMGL Regulations 2021 (Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate) apply from. Clause 4(b) says a foreign medical graduate must hold a licence to practise from the country where they got their degree.

This applies to every country, not only Russia. A student in Kazakhstan, Georgia, the US or Australia faces the same rule with that country's licensing exam.

The requirement has been challenged in court. Recent Supreme Court and High Court rulings have confirmed it for students admitted after 18 November 2021.

For a Russian MBBS (General Medicine, Лечебное дело) graduate, the licence to practise comes through primary accreditation. Without it, you cannot sit FMGE or NExT.

What if you were admitted before 18 November 2021?

You are exempt from this requirement. The court rulings gave relief to students whose admission date was before 18 November 2021, including those admitted earlier in 2021.

This also covers students who:

• took academic leave for a few months or years and now graduate with a later batch
• transferred to another university or another country after being admitted before the cut-off

What counts is your original admission date, not the year you graduate.

You still sit FMGE or NExT as usual. You just don't need the Russian licence first.

Which date counts as your admission date?

There is no official clarity on this yet.

The most logical answer is the date on your university's admission or enrolment letter, the one you received when you applied. But NMC has not confirmed this. They could instead look at:

• the date on your pre-admission letter
• the date on your visa invitation letter
• the date your classes started

These can differ, even for students in the same university and the same batch.

If your dates fall on both sides of 18 November 2021, don't guess. Write to NMC directly, or raise a query on the public grievance portal (pgportal.gov.in), and attach your admission letter, pre-admission letter and any other relevant documents. Ask them to confirm in writing whether the rule applies to you.

Do you need it if you aren't coming back to India?

If you stay in Russia: yes. Primary accreditation is mandatory to work as a doctor in Russia. It is also the step before residency (ординатура).

If you move to a third country: it depends. Each country has its own rules, and they change. Some ask for a licence from your country of study. Some also ask for work experience. Others don't need either. Australia, for example, currently lets you apply for AMC Part 1 directly, without a licence from your country of study or your country of citizenship.

Check the current rules with the medical regulator of the country you are aiming for.

If there is any chance you will come back to India later, remember the FMGL rule still applies to you.

How do you prove you have passed?

When you pass, you receive an accreditation certificate. It is in Russian. Like your degree, it will need to be translated and apostilled.

Exactly when NMC will ask for it is not yet clear. Very few Indian graduates have reached this point, so the process hasn't been tested. Most likely you will need it when applying for FMGE or NExT, and again for internship and permanent registration in India.

Keep the original safe and get translated, apostilled copies made early.

What if you are still not sure whether it applies to you?

Do two things.

Ask NMC about your own case. Don't rely on what classmates or agents say. Write to NMC with your documents and get an answer in writing.

Start preparing anyway. If it turns out you need the exam, finding out late is expensive:

• The exam is held in cycles, usually June–July after finals. If you miss a cycle, you wait for the next one.
• Starting three months before the exam leaves little time for the medical Russian it needs.
• Losing three to six months between graduation and your first attempt pushes back FMGE or NExT too.

Starting early does not take much time:

If NMC later tells you that you are exempt, you have lost very little. That time also helps you revise for your finals.

What does the exam involve?

Primary accreditation has three stages, all in Russian:

1. MCQ test: 80 questions in 60 minutes, 4 options each, 70% to pass.
2. Practical skills: OSCE-style stations at a simulation centre.
3. Situational tasks: two patient cases with 12 questions each.

The complete guide to the licensing exam in Russia covers each stage, how many attempts you get, what happens if you fail one, and when to start preparing. The exam explainer has the full stage-by-stage breakdown.

AkkredPrep is an independent self-study platform. It is not affiliated with the Russian Ministry of Health, any accreditation centre or any university. You can try practice questions on the free demo.