Only 12% clear Foreign Medical Grad Exam, govt says 88% candidates were repeaters
The government told the Rajya Sabha that the FMGE June 2026 pass rate stood at 12.78 per cent, with nearly 88 per cent of candidates being repeaters. It said first-time candidates did better, while curriculum differences across countries remain a challenge.
The overall pass percentage in the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) June 2026 session stood at 12.78 per cent, with the government informing Parliament on Tuesday that nearly 88 per cent of candidates who appeared for the exam were repeaters, a factor that significantly influenced the overall result.
Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel said the FMGE, conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), is meant to assess whether foreign medical graduates possess the knowledge and competence required to be granted registration to practise medicine in India.
OVER 35% OF FIRST-TIME CANDIDATES CLEAR EXAM
The government clarified that while the overall pass rate was low, more than 35 per cent of first-time candidates (freshers) cleared the examination. It added that the overall result depends on several factors, including the quality of medical education received abroad, the candidate's level of knowledge, and performance in the examination.
The response came after Rajya Sabha MP IS Inbadurai sought to know whether the government had taken note of reports suggesting that only about 12 per cent of students passed the FMGE in 2026 and whether the decline was linked to the quality of foreign medical education or the examination's screening standards.
Addressing concerns over the reasons behind the low pass percentage, the government said undergraduate medical curricula followed in different countries may differ from India's, particularly in areas such as public health priorities, national health programmes, and disease patterns.
On possible reforms, the Centre said any changes relating to the eligibility criteria, syllabus, or regulatory framework governing foreign medical graduates are considered by the National Medical Commission (NMC) from time to time in accordance with statutory provisions and stakeholder requirements. However, it did not announce any specific timeline for changes.
The overall pass percentage in the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) June 2026 session stood at 12.78 per cent, with the government informing Parliament on Tuesday that nearly 88 per cent of candidates who appeared for the exam were repeaters, a factor that significantly influenced the overall result.
Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel said the FMGE, conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), is meant to assess whether foreign medical graduates possess the knowledge and competence required to be granted registration to practise medicine in India.
OVER 35% OF FIRST-TIME CANDIDATES CLEAR EXAM
The government clarified that while the overall pass rate was low, more than 35 per cent of first-time candidates (freshers) cleared the examination. It added that the overall result depends on several factors, including the quality of medical education received abroad, the candidate's level of knowledge, and performance in the examination.
The response came after Rajya Sabha MP IS Inbadurai sought to know whether the government had taken note of reports suggesting that only about 12 per cent of students passed the FMGE in 2026 and whether the decline was linked to the quality of foreign medical education or the examination's screening standards.
Addressing concerns over the reasons behind the low pass percentage, the government said undergraduate medical curricula followed in different countries may differ from India's, particularly in areas such as public health priorities, national health programmes, and disease patterns.
On possible reforms, the Centre said any changes relating to the eligibility criteria, syllabus, or regulatory framework governing foreign medical graduates are considered by the National Medical Commission (NMC) from time to time in accordance with statutory provisions and stakeholder requirements. However, it did not announce any specific timeline for changes.
The overall pass percentage in the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) June 2026 session stood at 12.78 per cent, with the government informing Parliament on Tuesday that nearly 88 per cent of candidates who appeared for the exam were repeaters, a factor that significantly influenced the overall result.
Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel said the FMGE, conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), is meant to assess whether foreign medical graduates possess the knowledge and competence required to be granted registration to practise medicine in India.
OVER 35% OF FIRST-TIME CANDIDATES CLEAR EXAM
The government clarified that while the overall pass rate was low, more than 35 per cent of first-time candidates (freshers) cleared the examination. It added that the overall result depends on several factors, including the quality of medical education received abroad, the candidate's level of knowledge, and performance in the examination.
The response came after Rajya Sabha MP IS Inbadurai sought to know whether the government had taken note of reports suggesting that only about 12 per cent of students passed the FMGE in 2026 and whether the decline was linked to the quality of foreign medical education or the examination's screening standards.
Addressing concerns over the reasons behind the low pass percentage, the government said undergraduate medical curricula followed in different countries may differ from India's, particularly in areas such as public health priorities, national health programmes, and disease patterns.
On possible reforms, the Centre said any changes relating to the eligibility criteria, syllabus, or regulatory framework governing foreign medical graduates are considered by the National Medical Commission (NMC) from time to time in accordance with statutory provisions and stakeholder requirements. However, it did not announce any specific timeline for changes.
