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The central demand of the protesting candidates is some form of relief or compensation for those who appeared for the June 2026 FMGE.
The June 2026 FMGE results saw a pass rate of only 12.38%. (File/Representative image)
The Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) is a 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.
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.
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.
NBEMS constituted committee
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.
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.
Video-based questions a main problem
The inclusion of video-based questions has become one of the most contentious aspects of the June FMGE. The exam comprises 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, reported News18 Hindi. They claim this reduced the time available to attempt the remaining questions.
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 NBEMS and NMC said?
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.
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Ask News18An expert committee has proposed several changes to the FMGE, including providing advance information about multimedia-based questions and keeping video-based questions out of the exam for at least a year.
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August 27, 2026, 09:47 IST
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