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.