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FMGE 2026: Panel Suggests Major Changes, 3 Exams A Year Amid Low Pass Rate
The central demand of the protesting candidates is some form of relief or compensation for those who appeared for the June 2026 FMGE.
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The Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) is a crucial qualifying test for Indian students who pursue medical education abroad. Conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), the exam must be cleared by foreign medical graduates before they can proceed towards medical practice in India.
The June 2026 FMGE results saw a pass rate of only 12.38%. The low pass percentage led to questions over the paper’s difficulty, the inclusion of video-based questions, arrangements at examination centres and the transparency of the process. The NBEMS subsequently formed a three-member independent committee to examine the complaints and recommended several changes for future exams. However, candidates’ demand for compensation or grace marks for those who appeared in the June exam remains unresolved. Some candidates have now launched a hunger strike over the issue.
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A total of 37,448 candidates appeared for the FMGE held in June 2026, but only 12.38% were successful. The low pass rate triggered strong reactions from candidates, who alleged that the question paper was considerably more difficult than usual. They also objected to the inclusion of video-based questions, claiming they had not been adequately informed about them beforehand. Questions were also raised about examination-centre arrangements and the overall transparency of the process.
Candidates say the protests were the result of weeks of dissatisfaction rather than a sudden development. After the June FMGE results were announced on July 10, 2026, the low pass percentage became a major focus of their campaign. Protests continued through July before reaching Delhi, where candidates staged a demonstration at Jantar Mantar on August 3.
Representatives of the All India Medical Students Association–Foreign Medical Students Wing (AIMSA-FMSW) and the All FMGE Association (AFA) also took part in the demonstration. Following the protest, representatives of the candidates were invited for discussions with NBEMS officials.
After the August 3 protest, NBEMS constituted a three-member independent committee to examine the grievances raised by candidates. The panel was asked to review the conduct and results of the June 2026 FMGE.
Candidates temporarily suspended their agitation while discussions were underway. According to the protesters, the initial meetings suggested that their concerns were being considered seriously. Dr Jaswant Singh Yadav, a key representative of the protesting candidates who is currently on hunger strike, said the board indicated that issues including the answer key, paper difficulty, video-based questions and examination fees would be reviewed.
However, as discussions continued, the two sides failed to reach an agreement on the candidates’ most important demand.
Compensation for June candidates becomes the main issue
The central demand of the protesting candidates is some form of relief or compensation for those who appeared for the June 2026 FMGE.
Candidates argue that if the board has identified areas requiring changes in future examinations, those who appeared for the June test should also receive some form of relief. They maintain that they are not seeking automatic qualification without meeting the exam requirements, but are instead asking for a one-time concession or compensation.
According to a report in The Indian Express, Dr Ashish Kumar, a core member of the protesting student group, said that if deficiencies in the examination justified changes for future candidates, the June batch should also be considered for some form of relief.
Committee recommends changes but no grace marks
The expert committee proposed several changes to the FMGE. Among them was a recommendation to increase the proportion of questions with a lower difficulty level. It also suggested that candidates should be informed in advance if multimedia or video-based questions are to be included in future examinations.
The committee further suggested considering an additional three minutes for biometric processing. It recommended that video-based questions not be introduced in the FMGE for at least one year.
However, the panel did not recommend grace marks or compensation for candidates who appeared in June 2026. It concluded that the available evidence did not establish that the issues examined had a significant impact on the examination results and also referred to the legal standards governing FMGE qualification.
This decision has become one of the key reasons candidates have resumed their protests.
24-hour assurance also becomes a point of contention
Another meeting between the candidates and NBEMS has added to the dispute. According to the protesters, NBEMS representatives asked for 24 hours to try to obtain permission for some student representatives to view the examination questions.
The candidates agreed and said five representatives wanted to examine the questions, particularly the video-based ones, to understand their number and nature. However, they claim that no clear response was received even after the 24-hour period.
According to the protesters, they waited further and visited the NBEMS office around 56 hours later, on August 20, to seek an update. They said the subsequent discussions failed to produce a resolution, prompting them to resume their agitation.
Why are video-based questions at the centre of the controversy?
The inclusion of video-based questions has become one of the most contentious aspects of the June FMGE.
The FMGE is traditionally a computer-based examination comprising 300 questions conducted across different shifts. Candidates have roughly one minute per question. Protesters argue that video-based clinical questions require additional time because candidates must watch the video, read the question and analyse the answer choices before responding.
They claim this reduced the time available to attempt the remaining questions. Protester Rafiq alleged that candidates encountered around 20 to 22 video-based questions, although different claims have been made regarding the exact number.
The expert committee’s recommendation to provide advance information about multimedia-based questions in future exams, along with its suggestion to keep video-based questions out of the FMGE for at least a year, has strengthened the protesters’ argument. Candidates contend that if such changes are considered necessary going forward, the June batch should also have received some form of relief.
What do NBEMS and NMC say?
NBEMS and the National Medical Commission (NMC), however, have presented a different rationale for the use of video-based questions.
Senior NMC officials have previously argued that such questions can provide a better assessment of a doctor’s clinical understanding, symptoms and diagnostic abilities. They maintain that certain clinical aspects cannot be adequately evaluated through static images alone.
Officials have also argued that video-based questions are consistent with medical training and that the FMGE is intended to ensure that foreign medical graduates meet the minimum competency standards required to practise medicine in India’s healthcare system.
According to this view, the examination is not designed merely to ensure that a certain number of candidates qualify. Its primary purpose is to establish whether candidates meet the minimum level of competence expected of doctors treating patients in India.
Quick Answers
Ask News18The NBEMS expert committee has recommended several forward-looking measures for future examinations, including advance familiarity with multimedia questions, stronger examination-centre infrastructure, and contingency arrangements. They also suggested greater transparency by providing candidates access to their recorded responses and marks, considering conducting the FMGE at least three times a year, reviewing examination fees, and including a greater proportion of lower-difficulty questions.
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