The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) will close registration for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) October 2026 session today, September 25. Eligible candidates can submit their applications until 11:55 pm through the official NBEMS website.
The FMGE is a screening test for Indian citizens and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) who have obtained their primary medical qualification from a medical institution outside India and seek registration to practise medicine in India.
FMGE October 2026 key dates
Registration for the October session opened on September 11 at 5 pm. The examination is scheduled for October 31 and will be conducted in computer-based mode. The result is scheduled to be declared by November 30.
The selective edit window will allow candidates to correct specified deficiencies or errors in uploaded images and other permitted details.
Who can apply
Candidates must be Indian citizens or OCIs and must hold a primary medical qualification from a recognised foreign medical institution. For this session, the final examination result for the primary medical qualification must have been declared on or before August 31, 2026. Candidates must provide documentary proof of having completed the required medical course.
The FMGE application fee is Rs 4,650, including GST. Payment can be made through UPI, credit card or debit card issued by an Indian bank.
What is different about FMGE in 2026
The October examination is the third FMGE session of 2026. Until now, the screening test was conducted twice a year. NBEMS added the October session after an expert committee recommended examining the feasibility of conducting the examination three times a year. The January 2027 FMGE has consequently been postponed, with a revised date to be announced separately.
The change follows concerns raised after the June 2026 FMGE. Of the 37,448 candidates who appeared, only 4,635 qualified, putting the overall pass percentage at 12.38 per cent.
Candidates had protested over the difficulty of the paper, video-based questions, technical problems and conditions at some examination centres. The NBEMS expert committee reviewed these concerns but did not recommend grace or compensatory marks for the June examination.
The panel instead recommended examining the feasibility of a third annual FMGE, reviewing the examination fee, improving examination-centre infrastructure and allowing candidates access to their recorded responses, subject to technical and legal safeguards. It also suggested a question-paper structure of 30 per cent low-difficulty, 50 per cent moderate-difficulty and 20 per cent high-difficulty questions.
FMGE exam pattern
The examination has 300 questions carrying 300 marks, divided into two parts of 150 questions each. Candidates must score at least 150 marks out of 300 to qualify. There is no negative marking. The official information bulletin also states that there is no restriction on the number of attempts, but a candidate who has already qualified cannot take the FMGE again.
Candidates who have completed registration should download and retain their submitted application and payment confirmation. Those applying today should complete the process before the 11:55 pm deadline, as NBEMS will not accept applications after the registration window closes.