FMGE 2026: NBEMS rules out lower qualifying marks, proposes changes for greater transparency

The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has rejected demands to lower the qualifying standard for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE), saying the screening test must retain the minimum competency level required to practice medicine in India.

The decision comes amid protests by foreign medical graduates over the June 2026 FMGE. Candidates have raised concerns about the difficulty of the paper, video-based questions and transparency in the examination process.

NBEMS said it would consider measures to make the examination more transparent and candidate-friendly but ruled out lowering the competency threshold or awarding grace and compensatory marks for the June session.

An expert committee constituted by NBEMS has proposed several changes, including examining the feasibility of conducting FMGE three times a year, reviewing the examination fee and improving infrastructure at test centers.

The three-member committee, headed by Air Marshal (Dr.) Pawan Kapoor (Retd.), found no material evidence that the video-based questions or the overall difficulty of the June paper had adversely affected the results. It therefore did not recommend grace or compensatory marks for candidates.

"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.

The protesters are foreign medical graduates, predominantly Indian students who have completed or are completing their medical education outside India. They must clear FMGE to become eligible to practice medicine in the country.

The June 2026 examination led to renewed protests, with candidates questioning the difficulty of the paper and the inclusion of video-based questions. One of their main demands has been relief through grace or compensatory marks.

NBEMS has maintained that the available evidence does not justify such a measure.

The attempt-wise results provide context to the debate over the June examination. In June 2026, 35.74% of first-time candidates cleared FMGE. The pass rate was 21.45% among second-time candidates and 3.29% among those who had appeared more than five times.

A similar pattern was recorded in December 2025. The pass percentage among first-time candidates stood at 47.53%, compared with 5.58% among candidates who had taken the examination more than five times.

NBEMS officials have said these figures indicate that the overall pass percentage alone cannot establish whether an entire examination cohort faced an unfairly difficult paper.

The board has also emphasized that FMGE differs from a competitive entrance examination. It is a screening test intended to determine whether foreign-trained medical graduates have the minimum competency required to practice safely in India.

NBEMS said the minimum competency requirement is directly linked to patient safety. Doctors entering clinical practice must be capable of identifying and responding to potentially life-threatening conditions, including myocardial infarction, stroke, sepsis, complicated pregnancy and pediatric emergencies.

The board therefore maintains that the qualifying threshold cannot be diluted, although changes can be made to improve the examination's transparency and accessibility.

The expert committee has proposed several reforms following its review of FMGE. One recommendation is to examine the feasibility of conducting the examination three times a year instead of under the existing schedule.

The panel has also recommended reviewing the examination fee and improving infrastructure at examination centers.

Another proposal would allow candidates to access their recorded examination responses, subject to technical and legal safeguards. The move could provide candidates with greater visibility into their performance and address concerns about examination transparency.

The committee has also suggested a revised question paper structure, with 30% of questions in the low-difficulty category, 50% at moderate difficulty and 20% at high difficulty. It has recommended that the mean difficulty level should not exceed 5.5.

Sections of the student community have also raised questions about the possible involvement of overseas medical consultancies and coaching interests in the FMGE protests.

The argument 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 a wider debate over the number of Indian students pursuing medical degrees overseas and the screening requirements they face after returning to India.

NBEMS has focused its response on the examination, maintaining that concerns over transparency, accessibility and test conduct can be addressed through reforms but not by compromising the competency standard required for medical practice.

The FMGE dispute therefore remains centered on candidates' demand for a fairer and more transparent examination and NBEMS' position that the minimum clinical competency requirement must be preserved to protect patients.