FMGE June 2026 irregularities row: Candidates seek update on NBE panel review, demand immediate release of answer key

New Delhi: After the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) constituted an independent committee to examine the issues raised by candidates over alleged irregularities during the FMGE June 2026, medicos have stated that the stipulated timeline for the review has ended, but they have received no update on the status or progress of the Committee's review.

Highlighting that thousands of medicos are waiting for an update amid anxiety over the difficulties caused during the examination, a delegation of the All India Medical Students’ Association – Foreign Medical Students’ Wing (AIMSA-FMSW) held a brief meeting once again with the officials of the NBE on August 18.

During the meeting, the delegation raised issues related to video-based questions, technical problems, the difficulty level of the examination and the demand for compensation marks for affected candidates.

According to the Association, NBEMS heard the concerns positively and constructively and informed them that it needed a further 24 hours to discuss and examine them.

The concerns raised by the medicos include poor examination centre facilities, a sudden increase in examination difficulty without prior communication, excessively high examination fees, the requirement of previous roll numbers, and other candidate concerns.

Their key demands are - an independent inquiry into the conduct of the FMGE June 2026 examination, publication of the official answer key and candidates' response sheets to ensure transparency, a review of the introduction of video-based questions and the collection of previous FMGE roll numbers, improvement in examination centre infrastructure, review in the FMGE examination fee, and appropriate compensation by lowering the qualifying cut-off for June 2026 candidates. The association also urged the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to establish a transparent mechanism for stakeholder consultation before introducing major changes to the examination pattern.

The Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) is a screening test conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) for students who have obtained their primary medical qualification from institutions outside India and wish to obtain provisional or permanent registration to practise medicine in India, or to appear for the National Eligibility-Entrance Test - Postgraduate (NEET-PG) to enrol in Indian medical institutes.

The examination is conducted under the Screening Test Regulations, 2002, and is held twice every year. FMGE June 2026 was conducted on June 28, in a computer-based mode, and the results were declared on July 7, 2026.

Medical Dialogues had reported earlier that the NBE constituted an independent three-member committee to examine all the issues raised by the candidates and also agreed to release the FMGE June 2026 answer key after the review process was completed.

The assurance was given after the medicos held a protest at the Jantar Mantar on August 3, 2026, which was called by the All FMGs Association (AFA) and the All India Medical Students' Association - Foreign Medical Students' Wing (AIMSA-FMSW).

However, the medicos have claimed that they have not yet received an update from NBEMS. They have demanded accountability from the examination authority and sought fair evaluation and compensation marks for affected candidates.

According to figures cited by medicos raising concerns over the evaluation process of the FMGE June 2026 examination, 327 candidates scored 149 marks, while 1,464 candidates scored between 145 and 148 marks and 2,366 candidates scored between 140 and 144 marks.

Commenting on this, Dr Mohammad Momin Khan, Health Activist and Co-Convenor, Indian Medical Association Junior Doctors Network (IMA-JDN) J&K, told Medical Dialogues, "Transparency in the evaluation process is non-negotiable."

He urged NBE to release the official answer key and candidates’ answer sheets to enable independent verification and strengthen confidence in the examination process. Dr Khan also raised concerns regarding extreme heat and inadequate basic facilities at some examination centres, stating that such conditions are unacceptable for candidates appearing in a high-stakes national examination.

"Candidates deserve a fair, transparent and accountable examination process," Dr Khan said, calling on the authorities to address the concerns raised by FMGE candidates and take appropriate steps to ensure confidence in the examination system.

Also read- FMGE June 2026 row: NBE forms probe panel, answer key to be released after review