FMGE Exam 2024

The Medical Council of India Screening Test, also known as Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE), is a licensure exam conducted by the National Board of Examinations (NBE) in India. This exam is one of the mandatory requirements for an Indian citizen who has a medical degree from a college outside India to practice medicine in the country.

The screening test was introduced in 2002 as a qualifying exam for Indian students who received their medical degrees from countries other than India such as the former Soviet Union, Eastern European countries, China, Nepal, the Philippines, and the Caribbean countries.

Indian doctors who possess fundamental medical degrees from the above countries are required to undertake the MCI screening examination.

The medical school must be listed in the WHO's International Directory of Medical Schools (now World Directory of Medical Schools). Candidates who qualify the screening test can apply to the National Medical Commission of India or any Indian State Medical Council for provisional registration or permanent registration.

The validity of this exam was challenged in Indian courts and was upheld by the Supreme Court of India in 2009. The exam has sparked controversies, including allegations that it is unfair and lacks transparency – for example, not allowing examinees to keep their question papers after the exam, or not showing the exact marks or answer sheet when appealing a failure. An appeal petition filed under RTI India to reveal the marks of an appealing student was not accepted.

The examination held twice a year in June and December, specifically on the third Monday and Tuesday of each month. In 2021, the National Medical Commission, which replaced the Medical Council of India in 2020, published draft regulations concerning Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGE) that modify the requirements for the screening test.

Starting in 2022, foreign graduates will be required to pass the new National Exit Test (NEXT) replacing the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE).

Candidates wishing to practice in India must pass the NEXT within two years of completing their medical studies abroad. The draft regulation is expected to become official when it is published in the next gazette.