The protest by foreign medical graduates (FMGs) over the June 2026 Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) has been called off after the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) agreed to a series of changes, including a more balanced question paper, an additional examination this year, and greater transparency in the evaluation process.The decisions were taken during a meeting between NBEMS officials and representatives of the All India Medical Students Association–Foreign Medical Students Wing (AIMSA-FMSW) on August 27. According to Medical Dialogues, the agreement followed sustained protests over the difficulty of the June examination and concerns regarding examination procedures.
FMGE difficulty level to be rationalised
The most significant decision concerns the structure of the FMGE question paper. NBEMS has agreed to rationalise the difficulty level, with the proposed distribution set at 30 per cent low-difficulty, 50 per cent moderate-difficulty and 20 per cent high-difficulty questions.The move comes after candidates alleged that the June paper was unusually difficult. The June session recorded a pass rate of about 12.8 per cent, intensifying demands for a review of the examination pattern. According to media reports, candidates raised concerns about the paper’s difficulty, video-based questions, and facilities at examination centres.However, the agreement does not mean that the qualifying standards for the June examination will be lowered. NBEMS has maintained that the competency threshold required for medical practice cannot be diluted and has not agreed to grant grace or compensatory marks.
Additional FMGE to be held by October-end
In a major relief for candidates, NBEMS has agreed to conduct an additional FMGE by the end of October 2026. This will give eligible candidates another opportunity without having to wait for the next regular examination cycle.The decision effectively creates a third FMGE opportunity this year. The Times of India also reported that the additional examination will be conducted by late October following the discussions between the board and protesting candidates.
FMGE to be conducted three times a year
From the next cycle, FMGE is set to be conducted three times a year, with proposed examination windows in December/January, April/May and August/September.The change is expected to reduce the waiting period between attempts and provide greater flexibility to foreign-trained medical graduates whose professional progression depends on clearing the screening examination.
More transparency and better examination facilities
The agreement also includes measures aimed at making the examination process more transparent. NBEMS has agreed to provide candidates with details such as question IDs, correct answer IDs, response IDs, and marks awarded for individual questions through the applicant portal.The board has also agreed to improve examination center facilities and provide additional time for biometric attendance, according to the meeting decisions reported by Medical Dialogues.The latest agreement brings an end to the immediate confrontation, but its success will ultimately depend on implementation. For thousands of FMGs, the October examination and the revised examination framework will be the first real test of whether the promised reforms translate into a more transparent and predictable screening process.
