New Delhi: The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has rejected demands to lower the qualifying standard of the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE), saying the screening test is meant to ensure that doctors trained abroad meet the minimum competency required to practise medicine in India.
This is at the backdrop of continuing protests by foreign medical graduates over the June 2026 FMGE, with candidates questioning the difficulty and transparency of the examination.
At the same time, an expert panel set up by NBEMS has proposed several changes to make the examination more transparent and candidate-friendly, including examining the feasibility of holding FMGE three times a year, giving candidates access to their recorded responses and reviewing the examination fee.
The three-member committee, headed by Air Marshal (Dr.) Pawan Kapoor (Retd.), however, did not recommend grace or compensatory marks for the June examination. It found no material evidence that the video-based questions or the overall difficulty of the paper had adversely affected the results.
Why Are FMG Students Protesting?
The protesters are foreign medical graduates-predominantly Indian students who have completed or are completing their medical education outside India and need to clear FMGE to become eligible to practise medicine in the country.
The June 2026 examination triggered renewed agitation among candidates, with sections of the student community raising concerns over the difficulty of the paper and the inclusion of video-based questions. Candidates have sought greater transparency in the examination process and questioned whether the paper was disproportionately difficult.
One of the key demands raised during the agitation has been relief in the form of grace or compensatory marks for the June examination.
NBEMS, however, has maintained that the available evidence does not support such a measure.
"The issue is to ensure a fair and transparent examination while retaining the competency threshold necessary for patient safety," a senior NBEMS official said, adding that the board remains open to legitimate concerns raised by candidates.
What the FMGE Results Show?
The attempt-wise results provide an important context to the debate over the June examination. In June 2026, 35.74 per cent of first-time candidates cleared the FMGE. The pass rate fell to 21.45 per cent among candidates appearing for the second time and to just 3.29 per cent among those appearing after more than five attempts.
A similar pattern was visible in December 2025. The pass percentage among first-time candidates was 47.53 per cent, compared with just 5.58 per cent among candidates who had appeared more than five times. NBEMS officials argue that these figures show why the overall pass percentage should not, by itself, be used to conclude that an entire examination cohort faced an unfair paper.
The board's position is that FMGE is fundamentally different from a competitive entrance examination. It is a screening test designed to establish whether a medical graduate trained outside India has the minimum level of competence required to practise safely.
Why The Qualifying Standard Matters?
The minimum competency requirement, officials said, is linked directly to patient safety. A doctor entering clinical practice must be able to identify and respond appropriately to potentially life-threatening conditions, including myocardial infarction, stroke, sepsis, complicated pregnancy and paediatric emergencies.
NBEMS therefore maintains that while the examination process can be made more transparent and accessible, its qualifying threshold cannot be diluted.
What the Expert Panel Has Recommended?
The expert committee has proposed a number of changes following its review of the FMGE examination. One of the key recommendations is to examine the feasibility of conducting FMGE three times a year instead of the existing schedule. The panel has also recommended a review of the examination fee and improvements in infrastructure at examination centres.
Another significant proposal is to allow candidates access to their recorded examination responses, subject to technical and legal safeguards. This could give candidates greater visibility into their performance and address some of the concerns over examination transparency.
The panel has also suggested a more balanced structure for the question paper, with 30 per cent of questions in the low-difficulty category, 50 per cent of moderate difficulty and 20 per cent of high difficulty. It has recommended that the mean difficulty level of the examination should not exceed 5.5.
Questions Over Commercial Interests
Amid the protests, sections of the student community have also raised questions about the possible role of overseas medical consultancies and coaching interests in the agitation.
The argument being raised is that commercial players involved in overseas medical education could have a vested interest in keeping prospective Indian students within the foreign medical education pipeline.
These concerns have emerged alongside the broader debate over the large number of Indian students pursuing medical degrees overseas and the screening requirements they face on returning to India.
NBEMS, however, has focused its response on the examination itself, maintaining that legitimate concerns around transparency, accessibility and the conduct of the test can be addressed, but not at the cost of the competency standard required for medical practice.
The ongoing FMGE row, therefore, centres on two competing demands: candidates seeking a fairer and more transparent examination process, and the regulator's insistence that any reform must preserve the minimum clinical competency needed to protect patients.