Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) based in Tamil Nadu have announced plans to stage a hunger strike in Chennai on 6 January 2026 to draw attention to prolonged delays in administrative processes that are preventing them from beginning their mandatory clinical internships. The announcement was made by the Tamil Nadu Medical Students Association-FMG Wing and the Doctors’ Association for Social Equality, after a state executive meeting in early December. 

According to FMG representatives, many graduates cleared the FMGE months ago but are still waiting for provisional eligibility certificates from the Tamil Nadu Medical Council (TNMC)  a vital document required to proceed with internship postings, obtain no-objection certificates, and secure temporary registration to practise. Graduates allege that the turnaround time for these certificates has stretched from typically a few months to more than a year with little clarity on timelines or reasons for the delays. 

The FMGs also raised concerns over the limited number of internship seats in government medical colleges, noting that only a small percentage of CMRI (Compulsory Medical Rotatory Internship) seats have historically been allocated to FMGs despite National Medical Commission permissions and previous commitments to increase quota. They demand that 20 % of total internship seats be formally set aside for foreign-educated graduates and that district-level hospitals also be authorised for internship training to expand opportunities. 

Leaders of the protest say the delays have severe professional and financial impacts, as many FMGs are unable to progress toward permanent registration and full clinical practice. The hunger strike is intended as a symbolic call for more prompt, transparent administrative action and a fairer allocation of internship placements.