The announcement brings important relief for foreign medical graduates aspiring to qualify for medical practice in India. Apart from increasing the number of examination opportunities, NBEMS has also announced changes relating to the difficulty level of questions, examination fees, transparency in answer evaluation, video-based questions, grievance representation, examination centre facilities and biometric attendance time.

Additional FMGE Examination to Be Held in October 2026

According to the changes announced by NBEMS, an additional FMGE examination will be conducted towards the end of October 2026.

This means that eligible foreign medical graduates will receive an additional opportunity to appear for the screening examination during 2026. The move is expected to benefit candidates who may not be able to qualify in an earlier session or those seeking another opportunity to clear the examination.

FMGE to Be Conducted Three Times a Year From Next Year

One of the most significant changes announced by NBEMS is the decision to conduct the FMGE examination three times every year from next year onwards.

As per the proposed schedule, the three examination cycles will broadly be held during:

• December/January

• April/May

• August/September

The introduction of three FMGE sessions every year will provide foreign medical graduates with more frequent opportunities to take the qualifying examination and may also reduce the waiting period between successive attempts.

Meeting Held With AIMSA-FMSW Representatives

The changes follow discussions between representatives of AIMSA-FMSW and officials of NBEMS regarding issues faced by foreign medical graduates during the FMGE June 2026 session.

According to the notification, a meeting was held to discuss the concerns and difficulties experienced by candidates. Several issues related to the conduct of the examination and candidate experience were reportedly taken up during these discussions.

Based on the deliberations, NBEMS has announced a number of measures aimed at improving the examination process and addressing concerns raised by foreign medical graduates.

FMGE Question Paper Difficulty Level to Be Rationalised

NBEMS has also announced changes to the overall difficulty level and composition of the FMGE question paper.

The number of questions falling under the low and moderate difficulty categories will be increased. The revised distribution of questions will follow the ratio of:

30:50:20 for Low, Moderate and Difficult questions respectively.

This means that:

• 30% of questions will be of low difficulty level

• 50% of questions will be of moderate difficulty level

• 20% of questions will be of difficult level

The rationalisation of the question paper pattern is expected to create a more balanced distribution of questions while ensuring that the examination continues to assess the required knowledge and competence of candidates.

FMGE Examination Fee to Be Reduced

Another important announcement concerns the examination fee.

NBEMS has stated that the FMGE examination fee will be reduced from the next examination onwards. While the notification highlights the decision to lower the fee, the revised fee structure and other related details are expected to be communicated separately through the appropriate official channels.

The reduction in examination fees is likely to provide some financial relief to foreign medical graduates appearing for the screening test.

Greater Transparency in Question and Response Evaluation

NBEMS has also announced measures to improve transparency in the evaluation process.

For every question, candidates will be able to access the following information through their respective applicant portals:

• Question IDs

• Correct answer IDs

• Response IDs marked by the candidate

• Marks awarded for each question

The publication of these details on the individual applicant portal will enable candidates to review their responses and understand how their scores have been calculated.

NBEMS to Clarify Number of Video Questions in FMGE June 2026

In another significant development, NBEMS will state before the High Court of Delhi, in connection with an ongoing matter, that the number of video-based questions in the FMGE June 2026 examination was only 14.

The issue is currently connected with proceedings before the Delhi High Court, and NBEMS will place its position regarding the number of video questions before the court of law.

Representation of Foreign Medical Graduates in Grievance Redressal Matters

The request for including representatives of Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) in the NBEMS grievance redressal committee for matters related to FMGE will also be considered.

According to the announcement, this request will be placed before and examined by the Governing Body of NBEMS.

The move could potentially provide foreign medical graduates with greater representation in discussions concerning grievances and issues connected with the conduct of the FMGE examination.

Improvement in FMGE Examination Centre Facilities

NBEMS has also addressed concerns regarding facilities available at examination centres.

The Board has stated that efforts will be made to ensure that examination centre facilities are made more conducive and suitable for candidates. Necessary instructions in this regard will also be issued to the technology partner of NBEMS.

The decision is aimed at improving the overall examination-day experience and addressing practical difficulties that candidates may face at test centres.

Additional Time for Biometric Attendance

An important operational change has also been announced regarding the time taken for biometric attendance during the examination.

Candidates will be provided with an additional one minute per section to compensate for the time spent on biometric attendance procedures.

However, the additional time will be subject to a maximum limit of:

Three additional minutes per examination shift.

The extra time is intended to ensure that candidates do not lose valuable examination time due to biometric attendance procedures conducted during the test.

FMGE 2026: Key Changes Announced by NBEMS

The major changes announced for the FMGE can be summarised as follows:

What the Changes Mean for FMGE Aspirants

The latest announcements represent a major set of changes in the way the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination is expected to be conducted.

The decision to introduce three FMGE sessions annually from next year will give candidates more opportunities to qualify without having to wait for long intervals between examination cycles. At the same time, the revised question difficulty distribution, proposed reduction in examination fees and increased transparency regarding candidate responses and marks are expected to address several concerns raised by FMGE aspirants.

The additional examination planned for October 2026 will also provide another opportunity for eligible candidates during the current year.

Foreign medical graduates are advised to keep a close watch on official NBEMS announcements for the detailed examination schedule, revised fee structure, application process and other instructions related to the upcoming FMGE sessions.