FMGE Exam Pattern 2026: Syllabus, Passing Marks & Marking Scheme
The definitive FMGE 2026 reference: exam pattern, 300 questions across 2 papers, +1 marking with no negative marking, 150/300 (50%) passing marks, and full syllabus scope.
NEETPGAI EditorialPublished 5 Jun 202613 min read
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The FMGE 2026 pattern is fixed and easy to plan around — here are the four numbers that define it:
300 questions, two papers. FMGE is 300 single-best-answer MCQs split into two papers of 150 each, with 150 minutes per paper — roughly one minute per question.
+1 marking, no negative marking. Each correct answer scores +1 and there is no penalty for a wrong one, so you must attempt all 300 questions and never leave a blank.
Pass at 150/300 (50%). FMGE is purely qualifying — score 150 or more aggregate across both papers to clear, with no sectional minimum and no rank or percentile.
Whole MBBS syllabus, NBEMS-conducted, twice a year. There is no separate FMGE syllabus; it mirrors the full Indian MBBS curriculum, and NBEMS runs the exam in (typically) June and December.
This structure rewards reliable breadth over niche depth: you do not need to outscore anyone, only to sit comfortably past the 50% line.
What the FMGE is and who conducts it
The Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) is a licensing screening test that Indian citizens and Overseas Citizens of India must clear to practise medicine in India after earning a primary medical qualification abroad. It is conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) under the regulatory framework of the National Medical Commission (NMC), and it is held twice a year — typically in June and December. Without an FMGE pass, a foreign medical graduate cannot obtain permanent registration with a State Medical Council or the NMC, and so cannot legally practise in India.
FMGE exists because medical curricula vary widely across the countries where Indian students study — Russia, China, the Philippines, Ukraine, Nepal, Bangladesh, Georgia, Kazakhstan and others. The exam is the common standard that confirms a graduate has the core competence expected of an Indian MBBS holder. Historically the pass percentage has been low, often in the 20–35% range across sittings, which reflects under-preparation far more than exam difficulty — the questions test fundamentals rather than esoterica. Understanding the pattern precisely is the first step toward joining the candidates who clear comfortably.
FMGE exam pattern at a glance
The FMGE is a 300-question, computer-based, single-best-answer MCQ exam delivered in two papers on the same day. Every element of the structure is fixed by NBEMS, which means you can plan against precise numbers rather than estimates. The table below is the entire pattern in one view.
Parameter
FMGE detail
Total questions
300 MCQs (single best answer)
Papers
2 papers of 150 questions each
Time
150 minutes per paper
Marking
+1 per correct answer
Negative marking
None
Passing mark
150 / 300 (50%), aggregate
Result type
Qualifying — pass or fail, no rank or percentile
Mode
Computer-based test (CBT)
Conducting body
NBEMS
Frequency
Twice a year (typically June and December)
Two numbers in this table do most of the strategic work. The 150 minutes per 150-question paper gives you an average of one minute per question, so pacing and decisiveness matter as much as knowledge. And the 50% aggregate pass means your two papers are scored together against a single fixed line — there is no sectional cut-off, so a strong showing in your best subjects can offset a weaker one. Everything from 150 marks upward produces the identical "pass" verdict.
Marking scheme and what no negative marking means for strategy
The FMGE marking scheme is purely additive: every correct answer earns +1, and a wrong answer or a blank both score zero. Your final score is simply the count of correct answers across both papers, out of a maximum of 300. There is no scaling, normalisation, or percentile conversion — NBEMS compares your raw aggregate against the fixed 150 cut-off and returns a pass or fail.
The absence of negative marking changes optimal exam behaviour completely. Because an unanswered question costs you exactly as much as a wrong one — nothing — you should answer all 300 questions without exception. On any question you are unsure of, eliminate the options you can confidently rule out and commit to the best of what remains. Across 300 questions, this disciplined elimination-and-guess approach is pure upside: even a one-in-three guess on twenty uncertain questions is expected to add several marks. The candidates who leave items blank to "play it safe" are simply discarding free expected value, which on a 50% qualifying exam can be the difference between clearing and a re-sit.
The FMGE syllabus mirrors the entire Indian MBBS curriculum across all three phases — pre-clinical, para-clinical, and clinical — so there is no separate "FMGE syllabus" to hunt for. Anything taught in an Indian MBBS programme is examinable. What matters for planning is relative emphasis: because FMGE samples 300 questions across the whole curriculum, the clinical and para-clinical blocks reliably contribute more questions than the pre-clinical block, so you should allocate study time by yield rather than spreading it evenly.
Preventive and Social Medicine (PSM) deserves a special mention: it is consistently high-yield in FMGE and one of the most scoring subjects relative to effort, because much of it is fact-based and stable year to year. Pharmacology and Pathology reward mechanism-based understanding that transfers directly into clinical vignettes, while the pre-clinical block is genuinely tested but should not consume a disproportionate share of a 300-question timetable. Because the scope equals the full MBBS curriculum, your foreign coursework already covers it — the real task is aligning depth and emphasis with how Indian exams frame the same fundamentals.
Eligibility and attempts in brief
FMGE eligibility is governed by the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021, which set the conditions a foreign medical graduate must satisfy to sit the exam and to register afterward. In broad terms, you must be an Indian citizen or Overseas Citizen of India holding (or about to hold) a recognised primary medical qualification from a foreign institution, with the course duration, clinical training, and internship requirements specified by those regulations. Candidates whose courses began after the 2021 regulations took effect face additional conditions, so your exact requirements depend on your enrolment cohort.
On attempts, the position as of 2026 is straightforward: there is no cap on the number of FMGE attempts — the earlier limit was removed, so a candidate can keep appearing until they qualify. That said, unlimited attempts are not a strategy. The candidates who clear quickly prepare as if every sitting is their last. Because eligibility and cohort rules are the part of FMGE most likely to change, treat this section as orientation only and verify your specific requirements on the official NMC and NBEMS portals before you apply.
What the FMGE pattern means for your preparation
The right FMGE strategy is read directly off the pattern, not borrowed from competitive exams. Three structural features should shape every decision in your timetable, because the format rewards a different kind of preparation than a ranked exam does.
50% aggregate pass → breadth beats depth. Since you need 150 of 300 with no sectional minimum, reliable coverage of high-yield fundamentals across every subject clears you, while deep knowledge of a niche corner does not. Make the common, repeated facts secure first; add depth only after the basics are solid.
No negative marking → answer everything. The marking scheme makes leaving a blank strictly worse than guessing. Build the habit in practice: never skip a question, always eliminate and commit.
150 minutes per 150-question paper → pace at one minute each. With roughly sixty seconds per question, you cannot afford to stall. Practise under timed, full-length conditions so your pacing and stamina hold across two papers on exam day.
Whole-MBBS scope → drill patterns, do not re-read. Because the syllabus is the full curriculum, you will not "finish" it by reading — you cover it by recognising the patterns FMGE repeats. Solve 50–100 MCQs daily and read every wrong answer until you understand the trap.
The summary is simple: FMGE rewards the candidate who prepares for a confident pass, not a high score. You are not competing for the last mark in the hall — you are clearing a fixed bar, and the pattern tells you exactly how high it is.
How NEETPGAI mirrors the FMGE pattern
NEETPGAI is an AI-powered MCQ practice platform built around exactly the high-volume, pattern-focused drilling that the FMGE structure rewards — and it mirrors the real exam format so your practice transfers directly to test day. When you set your target exam to FMGE, the platform tunes itself to a qualifying mindset rather than a competitive-rank one.
A free 31,500+ MCQ bank with full explanations, so both your breadth-first foundation work and your high-volume drilling run on the same verified question pool at no cost.
300-question, FMGE-pattern mock tests with no negative marking and a pass/fail verdict against the 150 line, so your timed practice replicates the two-paper structure and the exact marking scheme.
Pass-probability analytics that track accuracy, retention, and per-subject mastery, so you always know whether you sit comfortably above 50% before exam day rather than guessing.
A basics-first AI tutor that, in FMGE mode, frames answers around must-pass fundamentals instead of niche depth — clearing up concepts in your foundation phase and generating endless practice vignettes for drilling.
The full question bank, mock tests, revision, and analytics are free for every registered user; the AI tutor and a few advanced tools are part of the Pro plan, which covers FMGE, NEET PG, and INI-CET together. To start a focused FMGE preparation in the right mode from day one, begin on the FMGE preparation hub, and for the broader strategy see our complete FMGE preparation guide for foreign medical graduates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the FMGE exam pattern in 2026?
FMGE 2026 is a computer-based exam of 300 single-best-answer MCQs, split into two papers of 150 questions each, with 150 minutes allotted per paper. It is conducted by NBEMS twice a year, typically in June and December. There are no descriptive or practical components — every mark comes from objective multiple-choice questions.
What are the FMGE passing marks?
The FMGE passing mark is 150 out of 300 — exactly 50%, calculated as an aggregate across both papers. There is no sectional minimum and no rank or percentile. Score 150 or more in total and you qualify; everything above 150 produces the identical result, so FMGE is a target you can plan toward precisely.
Does FMGE have negative marking?
No. FMGE awards +1 for every correct answer and deducts nothing for a wrong one. Because a blank and a wrong answer both score zero, you should attempt all 300 questions. Eliminate the obviously incorrect options and commit to the best remaining choice — disciplined guessing on uncertain questions reliably adds marks across the paper.
How many questions are in the FMGE and how are they split?
FMGE has 300 questions in total, divided into two papers of 150 MCQs each, sat on the same day. Each paper carries a 150-minute time limit, giving you exactly one minute per question on average. All questions are single-best-answer multiple-choice; there are no image-free theory or viva sections.
Is there a separate FMGE syllabus?
No. FMGE has no distinct syllabus — it mirrors the entire Indian MBBS curriculum across pre-clinical, para-clinical, and clinical phases. Anything taught in an Indian MBBS programme is fair game. This means your foreign MBBS coursework already covers the scope; the work is aligning your depth and emphasis with how Indian exams frame the same fundamentals.
How is the FMGE score calculated?
Your FMGE score is the simple sum of correct answers across both papers, since each correct answer is worth +1 and there is no negative marking. The maximum is 300. NBEMS compares your aggregate against the fixed 150 cut-off; it does not scale, normalise into a percentile, or rank candidates against one another. You either clear 50% or you do not.
Who conducts the FMGE and how often is it held?
The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) conducts FMGE on behalf of the regulatory framework set by the National Medical Commission (NMC). It is held twice a year, typically in June and December, as a computer-based test at centres across India. Always confirm session dates and the application window on the official NBEMS portal.
Is there a limit on FMGE attempts in 2026?
As of 2026 there is no cap on the number of FMGE attempts — the earlier limit was removed, so a candidate can keep attempting until they qualify. Eligibility itself is governed by the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021. Verify your specific cohort's eligibility conditions on the official NMC and NBEMS portals before you apply.
Which subjects carry the most weight in the FMGE pattern?
Because FMGE spans the whole MBBS syllabus, no single subject dominates, but the clinical and para-clinical blocks — Medicine, Surgery, OBG, Pediatrics, PSM, Pharmacology, and Pathology — contribute the bulk of the 300 questions. PSM in particular is high-yield and scoring relative to effort. Pre-clinical subjects are tested but carry fewer questions, so weight your time toward the clinical block.
How does the FMGE pattern affect preparation strategy?
Three pattern features drive strategy: the 50% aggregate pass means breadth of high-yield fundamentals beats niche depth; no negative marking means you answer all 300 questions; and 150 minutes per 150-question paper means roughly one minute each, so pacing matters. Prepare for reliable coverage and timed full-length practice rather than a competitive-rank grind. Start your free FMGE-pattern practice now →
Know the pattern, then practise to it. FMGE is a fixed bar at 150 of 300 — the candidates who clear are simply the ones who prepared breadth-first and rehearsed under the real two-paper format. For full-length timed practice, take an FMGE-pattern mock test; to begin in the right mode today, create your free account or compare the Pro plan that covers FMGE, NEET PG, and INI-CET together.
Written by: NEETPGAI Editorial Team
Reviewed by: NEETPGAI Medical Advisory Board
Last reviewed: June 2026
Exam pattern, marking scheme, passing marks, and eligibility rules are summarised from the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS); always verify your cohort's specific requirements and each session's official notice on the NMC and NBEMS portals before planning. This article is reviewed for accuracy and exam relevance. For corrections or updates, contact the editorial team.
