 "Why Pass Percentage In Foreign Medical Graduate Examination Remains Low")
Around 22 per cent candidates have qualified in the recently released results of the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) 2023. Nearly 78 per cent students who pursued medical education from abroad have failed the exam. The pass percentage in the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination has always remained relatively low.
Over the years, qualifying percentage of the entrance exam has hovered around 10 to 20 per cent. This percentage was recorded as low as 4.93 per cent in 2014, while the highest qualifying percentage was recorded as 39 in the December 2022 FMGE.
As per information shared by the government, the pass percentage of students who have pursued medical education from Bangladesh, Nepal has been relatively better than those who have graduated from other countries such as Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan among others.
Lack of clinical exposure
Experts cite lack of clinical exposure and substandard medical education in the foreign medical colleges as one of the reasons for the low pass percentage in the exam.
Unlike the medical colleges in India, the colleges in the foreign countries do not have proper infrastructure. The students enrolled in these medical colleges are not trained in hospitals. On the other hand, medical students from India have to undergo mandatory one year internship to complete their MBBS degree. The absence of patient exposure and clinical training deprives the foreign medical students to have the essential knowledge required for practicing in India. Therefore, these students find it difficult to qualify the licensing exam in the country.
Experts also cite that reducing the difficulty level of the licensing exam is also not a viable option as it will be unfair to have unskilled doctors in the country.
The Foreign Medical Graduate Examination is a screening test for medical graduates seeking eligibility to practice medicine in the country. It is administered twice a year in June and December by the National Board of Examinations. The examination is open to both Indian citizens and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) aiming to acquire the registration certificate from either the National Medical Commission (NMC) or the State Medical Council (SMC).
