Is UV Gullas College of Medicine NMC Approved? [2026 Verified Guide]

"Is UV Gullas NMC approved?" is probably the single most-searched question by Indian parents researching this college — and rightly so. Sending a child abroad for six years is a massive financial and emotional commitment, and the entire value of that investment hinges on whether the resulting degree allows the graduate to practice medicine in India.

This article gives you a clear, honest answer — along with the steps to verify it yourself, because you should never take any consultant's word (including ours) at face value on something this important.

First, Understand How NMC Recognition Actually Works

This is the part most marketing materials gloss over: the National Medical Commission (NMC) does not "approve" individual private foreign medical colleges in the way it accredits Indian medical colleges. Instead, NMC's framework — under the Foreign Medical Graduate Licensure (FMGL) Regulations — evaluates whether a foreign medical degree, combined with the graduate's NEET qualification and exam performance (NExT), entitles them to practice in India.

In simpler terms: NMC recognition isn't a single yes/no stamp on "UV Gullas" as an institution. It's a framework of conditions that, if met, make the UV Gullas MD degree eligible for NExT and subsequent registration.

The Conditions That Must Be Met

• NEET qualification before joining. The student must have a valid NEET qualifying score obtained before enrolling in the foreign medical college. This is non-negotiable and applies to every foreign MBBS/MD destination, not just Philippines.
• Recognized foreign institution and country. The Philippines is among the countries whose medical education system is recognized under India's regulatory framework. The University of the Visayas (and by extension UV Gullas College of Medicine) is listed in the WHO World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS) — a key reference point used in the screening process.
• Minimum programme duration. The MD programme must meet the minimum duration requirements (54 months for the medical degree), which UV Gullas's structure satisfies.
• Attendance requirements. Students must maintain minimum attendance (typically 75%) throughout the programme — a requirement enforced by the institution itself.
• Mandatory internship. A 12-month rotating internship, completed either abroad or in India depending on regulations at the time of graduation.
• Clearing NExT. The final and most critical step — graduates must clear NExT (National Exit Test), which from the 2025 batch onwards has replaced the earlier FMGE screening test, before receiving permanent registration to practice in India.

How to Verify This Yourself

Don't take anyone's word for it — here's how to check independently:

• Visit the official NMC website (nmc.org.in) and look for the Foreign Medical Graduate Licensure Regulations and any published lists of recognized institutions/countries.
• Check the WHO World Directory of Medical Schools at wdoms.org and search for "University of the Visayas" or "Gullas College of Medicine."
• Check the Philippines' Commission on Higher Education (CHED) website to confirm the institution's accreditation status within the Philippines itself.
• Ask any admission consultant for the specific regulatory document references they're basing their claims on — a credible consultant will have no issue providing this.

The Right Way to Phrase This (And Why It Matters)

Rather than asking "is the college NMC approved" — which implies a binary stamp that doesn't quite exist in this form — the more accurate framing is: "Does completing this programme, combined with NEET qualification and clearing NExT, make me eligible for medical registration in India?" Based on current regulations and the institution's WHO listing and programme structure, the answer for UV Gullas is yes — provided all the conditions above are individually satisfied by the student.

What Changed With NExT Replacing FMGE?

Starting with the 2025 graduating batch, the old FMGE screening test has been replaced by NExT (National Exit Test) — a unified licensing exam that both Indian MBBS graduates and foreign medical graduates must clear. NExT has two parts: Part 1 (theory-based, covering major clinical subjects) and Part 2 (clinical/practical OSCE-style assessment, taken after internship).

This is actually a positive development for foreign medical graduates in one sense — it standardizes the bar that all doctors, regardless of where they studied, must clear before practicing in India. UV Gullas has restructured parts of its later-year curriculum to align with the NExT syllabus and exam pattern.

Bottom Line

UV Gullas College of Medicine, as part of the University of the Visayas system, is listed in the WHO World Directory of Medical Schools and structures its MD programme to meet the duration, curriculum, and internship requirements that NMC's Foreign Medical Graduate framework expects. Whether a specific student's degree ultimately leads to Indian medical registration depends on that student individually meeting all conditions — NEET qualification, attendance, internship completion, and clearing NExT.

Always verify directly with official sources, and be wary of anyone who promises "100% guaranteed NMC approval" without explaining this framework.