Release FMGE June 2026 answer key, reduce cutoff! Medicos protest at Jantar Mantar over exam concerns, move Health Ministry

New Delhi: Raising serious concerns that arose during the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) June 2026 examination conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), the medicos held a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

In its memorandum, the Foreign Medical Students' Wing of the All India Medical Students' Association (AIMSA-FMSW) demanded 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.

During the protest today, NBEMS has invited the representatives of All India Medical Students' Association (AIMSA) – Foreign Medical Students' Wing for an official meeting at 2.30 pm.

In a post on X, AIMSA-FMSW wrote, "Voices united at Jantar Mantar. As AIMSA- FMSW lead today's protest, NBEMS has invited their representatives for an official meeting (Time Today 2:30pm). Dialogue is the first step toward resolving the concerns of the FMG community."

In a representation to Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, the association urged for immediate intervention regarding FMGE June 2026 Examination. They stated that thousands of aspiring doctors expressed deep concern over issues that affected the fairness, transparency, and overall conduct of the examination.

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.

1. Introduction of Video-Based Questions Without Prior Notice

One of the main concerns raised by the FMGs was the introduction of video-based clinical questions in the FMGE June 2026 examination for the first time. The association alleged that candidates were not informed in advance about the new question format and were not given any mock demonstration or official orientation.

It said video-based questions take more time to answer than regular multiple-choice questions as candidates need to carefully observe the clinical findings before responding. However, the examination duration remained unchanged, leaving many candidates under severe time pressure. According to the memorandum, several aspirants were unable to attempt all the questions despite adequate preparation, and the association argued that such a major change in the examination pattern should have been communicated well in advance.

2. Poor Examination Centre Facilities

The association also highlighted poor infrastructure at several examination centres. According to the memorandum, candidates reported that many centres lacked basic facilities, with non-functional air conditioners despite extreme summer heat, faulty fans, inadequate drinking water, and poor ventilation during the nearly five-hour examination. It claimed that several students suffered from excessive heat, dehydration, dizziness, near-fainting episodes, and extreme exhaustion, which affected their concentration, clinical reasoning, and overall performance. The association said every candidate deserves a safe, comfortable, and standardized examination environment.

3. Sudden Increase in Examination Difficulty Without Prior Communication

The memorandum further claimed that the FMGE June 2026 examination was significantly more difficult than previous sessions. According to the association, candidates were not informed in advance about any change in the examination pattern or increase in the difficulty level. It also pointed out that no additional time was provided despite the introduction of time-consuming video-based questions. The association said these factors placed candidates under considerable stress and may have contributed to the poor performance reported by many aspirants.

4. Excessively High Examination Fee

The association also sought a review of the FMGE examination fee, stating that candidates are charged Rs 26,195, which it said is higher than the fee for several other national medical entrance examinations, including NEET-PG. It pointed out that Foreign Medical Graduates already incur significant expenses on overseas medical education, licensing procedures, travel, documentation, and repeated examination attempts. The association argued that such a high examination fee should be matched with better examination infrastructure, fairness, and greater transparency.

5. Need for Transparency and Release of Answer Key

The association also demanded greater transparency in the FMGE evaluation process. It urged the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) to publish the official answer key and candidates' response sheets, saying this would allow aspirants to verify their performance. According to the memorandum, many candidates claimed they received identical or nearly identical scores in multiple FMGE attempts, with some reportedly scoring 149 marks in consecutive examinations. While acknowledging that such outcomes may have valid explanations, the association said the absence of an official answer key or response sheet has created doubts among candidates and called for a more transparent evaluation system.

6. Previous Roll Number Requirement and Candidate Concerns

The association also questioned the requirement for candidates to provide the roll number of their previous FMGE attempt during the application process. It said that after the results were declared, some candidates alleged they had received the same or very similar marks in consecutive attempts, raising concerns about the purpose of collecting previous roll numbers. While noting that these claims remain unverified, the association said they have led to mistrust among aspirants and called for an independent review to reassure candidates that every FMGE attempt is evaluated fairly, independently, and solely on the basis of their current performance.

7. Request for Appropriate Compensation & Bonus marks

Citing the combined impact of the newly introduced video-based questions, unchanged examination duration, poor infrastructure at examination centres, extreme heat, and the increased difficulty level of the paper, the association sought compensation for FMGE June 2026 candidates. It urged the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to consider reducing the qualifying cut-off, stating that these factors caused significant physical and mental stress and adversely affected candidates' overall performance.

Also read- FMGE June 2026 row: NBE to form panel after medicos flag tough exam, poor centres