FMGE June 2026 candidates allege poor facilities, extreme heat at Noida's exam centre, seek NBE action

Noida: While appearing for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) on Sunday, June 28, several medicos allegedly faced poor infrastructure and uncomfortable conditions amid high heat at their examination centres in Noida, with many alleging a lack of basic facilities.

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 are expected to be declared by July 28, 2026.

Students who appeared for the examination at the eam centre, ION Digital Zone, Sector 62, Noida, said that there was inadequate ventilation and cooling despite extremely high temperatures exceeding 40°C. They reported experiencing discomfort, including nausea, dizziness, tremors, and symptoms consistent with heat exhaustion during the examination.

In a statement to Medical Dialogues, Dr Samar Kumar, National FMG In-charge of FAIMA, said candidates spent nearly eight hours at the examination centres, including reporting and exit formalities, despite the examination itself lasting around five hours. He alleged that many centres had non-functional air conditioners and fans, inadequate drinking water facilities, and poor overall arrangements amid the prevailing heat.

"Yesterday’s FMGE exposed serious concerns not just about the difficulty of the examination, but also about the conditions under which candidates were expected to perform. The examination is not just a 5-hour paper. From reporting time to final exit, candidates spend nearly 8 hours at the examination centre. In the prevailing heat, many students reported non-functional ACs, fans not working, inadequate drinking water, and extremely poor examination conditions. Several candidates also reported students feeling unwell and even fainting during the examination," he said.

He pointed out that despite paying an examination fee of Rs 6,195, candidates were made to appear for the high-stakes licensing exam without adequate basic amenities.

"FMGE is a screening examination, designed to assess whether a Foreign Medical Graduate possesses the minimum competency required to practice medicine in India. It is not a competitive entrance examination. If the examination is gradually becoming even more difficult than NEET PG or INI-CET, with highly complex video/GIF-based clinical diagnosis questions, it raises important concerns about whether the purpose of a licensing screening examination is being maintained. A screening exam should assess competence fairly and consistently, not become a race of excessive difficulty," he told Medical Dialogues.

Dr Kumar said that while testing clinical reasoning is important, candidates should be given a fair opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge under proper examination conditions. "Conducting such a high-stakes examination in centres lacking basic facilities is unacceptable," he added.

He further urged the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) to ensure that every examination centre provides functional air conditioning or proper ventilation, adequate drinking water, and basic infrastructure.

"If candidates are expected to spend nearly 8 hours at an examination centre and perform at their best, the least they deserve is a safe, comfortable, and dignified environment. FMGE is a screening examination, not an endurance test. The standard of a licensing examination should be defined by fairness, uniformity, and the assessment of minimum required competence, not by unnecessarily escalating difficulty or forcing candidates to endure avoidable hardships," he said.

Reacting to the reports, Dr Mohammad Momin Khan, Health Activist, Former Vice President of AIMSA, and member of FAIMA, said that candidates appearing for a high-stakes professional examination should be provided with safe and adequate facilities, including proper ventilation, cooling arrangements, drinking water, and medical assistance when required.

The affected students have urged NBEMS to take immediate cognisance of the complaints, conduct a thorough inquiry into the reported deficiencies, and implement corrective measures to prevent similar situations in future examinations.

Also read- FMGE June 2026 admit cards released, exam on June 28