When the results of the June 2026 Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) were declared earlier this week, many headlines focused on one statistic: only about 12.3 percent of 37,448 candidates qualified – lowest among the last six sessions.

Though the biannual exam has historically recorded lower pass percentages in June than in December, candidates, teachers and doctors Newslaundry spoke to point to a different concern: why an examination that determines whether thousands of foreign-trained Indian doctors can practise medicine offers no response sheets, no question papers and no scope for re-evaluation.

Unlike many national examinations, FMGE candidates only receive a scorecard after the exam. They are also required to accept a non-disclosure agreement prohibiting them from reproducing or sharing examination content.

The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) had defended this policy before the Central Information Commission in 2024, arguing that FMGE draws from a limited question bank and that releasing question papers or answer keys would encourage rote memorisation rather than analytical thinking.

Candidates, however, argue that protecting the integrity of the examination need not come at the cost of transparency.

A gateway to practising medicine in India

Every year, thousands of Indian students pursue MBBS degrees abroad because government medical seats remain scarce while private medical colleges often cost upwards of Rs 1 crore.

To legally practise medicine in India, they must clear the FMGE, a qualifying examination........

© newslaundry