Foreign medical graduates seek review after pass rate drops to 12.78%

CHENNAI: Foreign medical graduates (FMGs) have expressed concern over the sharp decline in the pass percentage in the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) held in June this year, urging the authorities to review the examination pattern and evaluation process.

The results, announced on July 7 by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), showed that only 4,635 of the 36,280 candidates who appeared for the exam have qualified, resulting in a pass percentage of just 12.78%.

A total of 37,428 candidates had registered for the examination, while 31,645 failed to secure the minimum qualifying marks. Candidates said that the first paper was relatively balanced, but the second paper was significantly more difficult. They pointed out that, for the first time, the examination featured a large number of clinical scenario-based, image-based and video-based questions.

Several candidates claimed that the lengthy, hospital-oriented questions consumed considerable time, leaving many unable to attempt all the questions within the stipulated duration.

The result data also showed that 327 candidates narrowly missed qualifying by just one mark, scoring 149 against the required 150. Overall, 9,905 candidates scored between 130 and 149, highlighting that thousands fell just short of the qualifying mark. The latest pass rate marks a significant decline from 18.6% in the June 2025 session and 23.9% in December 2025 session.

Dr S Vasanth Philip Abishak, state secretary, Tamil Nadu Medical Students Association, urged the NBEMS and National Medical Commission (NMC) to conduct a transparent review of the exam and reassess the question pattern and time allocation. “Any major changes to the exam format, including the introduction of video-based questions, should be announced well in advance to allow candidates adequate preparation. Authorities must consider a one-time reduction in the qualifying marks for the June 2026 session, due to unusually low pass percentage and the large number of candidates who narrowly missed the qualifying score,” he added.