With the number of NEET-UG aspirants reaching nearly 23 lakh in 2025 and just around 1.1 lakh MBBS seats available across the country, a growing number of Indian students are turning to medical colleges abroad to fulfil their ambitions. The sharp demand-supply imbalance in India's medical education system is prompting many to seek opportunities in countries across Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean.
Out of the total seats, approximately 55,000 are in government medical colleges where tuition fees are subsidised. The intense competition for these limited seats forces many high-scoring candidates to either look at costly private colleges or explore options abroad.
This trend, experts say, is driven by necessity rather than choice.
"Studying abroad can ease the academic pressure typical of the Indian medical entrance system," said a medical education consultant. "International programmes often offer multiple intakes and more flexible admission criteria, considering a student's overall academic profile, language skills, extracurricular achievements, and interview performance," Arunesh Kumar, Country Head - India & South East Asia, Manipal's American University of Antigua (AUA) College of Medicine.
Beyond accessibility, global medical universities are also attracting Indian students with modern infrastructure, integrated curricula, and early clinical exposure. Many Caribbean medical schools, for instance, combine foundational education on island campuses with clinical training in hospitals in the United States. Such programmes allow students to interact with peers from diverse nationalities and gain a global perspective essential for today's healthcare systems.
Accreditation is another factor shaping the decision. Many international medical universities are listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS) and are recognised by global bodies such as the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), and region-specific authorities like the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM-HP).
These recognitions enable graduates to pursue licensure in countries such as the US, UK, and Canada, through standardised exams like USMLE or PLAB. For students seeking specialisation and a global career trajectory, international medical education offers a structured path.
"While studying medicine abroad comes with challenges such as cultural adaptation and passing foreign licensing exams, it remains a strategic option," the consultant added. "For those unable to secure domestic seats or those aiming for global careers, it's not a fallback - it's a forward-looking decision."
