Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE)

FMGE Exam 2020 Date	4th December, 2020
Name of the examination	Foreign Medical Graduates Examination
Common name	FMGE
Conducting body	National Board of Examinations
Frequency of the exam	Twice a year
Months in which the exam is conducted	June and December
Mode of examination	Online
Duration of the exam	5 hours
Total marks	300
Exam Level	National Level Exam

What is FMGE Exam? 

The National Board of Examination conducts a medical licensure examination called Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE) twice in a year for candidates who want to practice medicine in India. The National Board of Examination FMGE is also known as the Medical Council of India Screening Test. 

It is a mandatory examination for students who have completed their medical studies in colleges of foreign countries. The exam was introduced in 2002 for the Indian candidates who study medicine in other countries.

However, in order to be eligible for the National Board of Examination FMGE test, candidates must have studied in Medical Institutes that are listed in the WHO international directory of Medical Schools. 

It is important for the candidates to note that the NBE Foreign Medical Graduates Examination is not any kind of entrance examination. It is just a licensing exam to practice medicine in India for foreign medical graduates.

Candidates who want to apply for FMGE exam must complete the entire registration and application process. They can prepare for the exam by following the syllabus and the exam pattern released by the NBE. 

The candidates who are going to appear for the exam must not forget to take their Admit Card to the  exam centre. The candidates who score more than the  exam pass percentage will qualify in the exam, and their names will appear in the  exam results. 

FMGE Exam Details:

Any kind of exam has a set exam pattern decided by the authorities. It helps the students in their preparation and acts as a basic guide for setting the question paper. Since the NBE FMGE exam 2020 has two different papers, candidates need to create a preparation plan for both the papers. The exam details are as follows: 

FMGE Exam Dates:

FMGE is conducted twice every year. The June session of the exam was completed on the 31st of August, 2020. Therefore, candidates who want to appear for the exam must apply for the December 2020 session. 

According to a notice released by the National Board of Examinations on 16th September 2020, the exam will be conducted on the 4th of December, 2020. However, the official dates of the other events of the examination have not been announced by the authorities. 

The table given below shows the tentative dates of various events related to the exam. It will help the candidates to plan their schedules ahead of time.

FMGE 2020 Syllabus: 

FMGE syllabus is issued by the Medical Council of India after getting approval from the Government of India. The syllabus is different for both Paper A and Paper B of the exam 2020. Paper A includes the Pre and Para Clinical subjects, and Paper B includes the Clinical subjects. The list of subjects covered in the syllabus of both Paper A and Paper B is given below:

Pre and Para Clinical Subjects:

The Pre and Para Clinical subjects are very important for any medical student. They set the foundation for studying and practicing medicine. If a student does not have a strong basic knowledge of the pre and paraclinical subjects, then they cannot succeed in the clinical area of the field of medicine. 

Therefore, the exam tests the student's knowledge of the pre and para-clinical subjects through Paper A of the examination. The list of subjects given below come under the syllabus of the Pre and Para Clinical sciences:

• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Biochemistry
• Pathology
• Microbiology
• Forensic Medicine
• Pharmacology

Clinical Subjects:

After gaining an in-depth knowledge of the pre and paraclinical subjects, the students studying medicine get to learn about the clinical subjects of medicine. These subjects teach the students about the main concepts and techniques involved in medical practice. 

No student can become a successful medical practitioner without gaining an in-depth knowledge of the medical subjects. Therefore, the authority has allotted more weightage to Paper B of the exam. The list given below shows the main subjects included in the syllabus of clinical sciences:

• Medicine and Allied Subjects

1. Medicine 
2. Psychiatry
3. Radiotherapy
4. Dermatology and STD

• General Surgery and Allied subjects

1. General Surgery
2. Anaesthesiology
3. Radiodiagnosis
4. Orthopedics

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatrics
• Otorhinolaryngology
• Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Community Medicine

 FMGE Exam Pattern:

FMGE exam pattern is very helpful in guiding the students for their preparation. It shows the importance of a particular topic or subject in relation to another. In the exam, every subject has a fixed weightage. The weightage is divided among the subjects in both Paper A and Paper B. 

Pre and Para Clinical Subjects:

The Pre and Para Clinical section has seven subjects in total. The number of questions asked in the examination from each subject is shown in the table below:

Clinical Subjects: 

The Clinical section of the exam has six subjects in total. The number of question from each subject is shown in the table below:

The Medicine and Allied subject is subdivided into four other subjects. The number of questions from each subdivided subject in the Medicine and Allied Sciences is as follows:

General Surgery and Allied Subjects: 

The General Surgery and Allied subject is also subdivided into four other subjects. The number of questions from each one of the subdivided subject is shown in the table given below:

The best books for exam preparation are the textbooks of MBBS used by the candidates during their medical studies. Along with those books, the students can also refer to the following books to get familiar with the exam pattern and the types of questions asked in the exam.

• ROAMS review of all medical subjects by Agrawal V.D.
• Sure Success Magic by B. Ramgopal
• FMGE formula by DMA team
• A complete NBE centric approach FMGE solutions for MCI screening examination by Deepak Marwah
• Self Assessment & Review of FMGE/MCI Screening Examination by Kamal.K.V

FMGE Exam Registration:

Medical Graduates cannot appear for the exam if they haven't completed the registration and application process. In order to complete the entire process of registration and application, the candidates must follow certain steps carefully. 

Candidates who are applying for the exam must fill all the details carefully because certain details entered while the online registration process cannot be changed even during the correction window period. 

Therefore, candidates should refer to their official documents like the ID Proof, address proof, etc. while filling the application form. It would result in fewer errors caused due to confusion during the registration process.

The step by step process on how to apply for FMGE exam are given below:

• Visit the official website of NBE
• Select FMGE
• Click on the link of 'New Registration'
• Read the instructions displayed
• Click on Close
• Enter the following information in the registration form:

1. Name of the Candidate
2. Date of Birth
3. Gender
4. Nationality
5. Email ID
6. Mobile Number
7. Alternate Mobile Number
8. Enter Captcha
9. Submit

• The candidate will receive User ID and Password through an email
• Login again into the website using the credentials received in the email
• Click on the link of 'Go to Application Form'
• Enter the following information in FMGE Application Form

1. Personal Details
1. Father's Name
2. Mother,s Name
3. Identification Details
4. Communication Address
2. Qualification Details
1. 10+2 Qualification Details
2. Primary Medical Qualification
3. Test Centres Preferences

• Upload the required documents on the website
• Pay Rs. 6,490 as the application fee
• Submit and save the application form
• Take a print out of the application form for future reference

The candidates must upload the scanned images of the following:

• Photograph
• Signature
• Thumb Impression

The scanned images of the above documents must follow the specifications given below in order to be accepted:

Photograph:

Candidates should keep multiple copies of their photographs that follow the specifications given below because these photographs would come handy later for various purposes of the exam.  

• It must be a coloured photograph without any borders
• It should be a recent photograph and should not be older than 6 months
• It must have a white background
• The candidate's name and the date on which the photograph was taken must be mentioned at the bottom of the photograph

Signature: 

The scanned image of the candidate's signature must follow the specifications given below:

• It should be done on a white paper
• The candidate must have used a black or blue pen
• A signature done using capital letters is not accepted
• It should not contain any form of overwriting

Thumb Impression: 

Candidates must also upload a scanned image of their left-hand thumb impression. The thumb impression must follow the specifications given below:

• The thumb impression must be clear and must not have any borders
• It must be a recent one
• It should have a white background 

The original documents required for FMGE exam are as follows:

• MBBS Degree Certificate/ Provisional Pass Certificate
• Eligibility Certificate issued by the MCI (if applicable)
• Valid Indian Passport
• Certificate of Class 12th
• Marksheet of Class 12th
• Birth Certificate of Certificate of Matriculation
• Internship Certificate (if done abroad)
• Two Recent Photographs
• Address Proof
• Equivalence Certificate (from Association of Indian Universities for applicants who done their MBBS from abroad)

The above documents must follow the specifications given below to be accepted:

MBBS Degree Certificate/ Provisional Pass Certificate:

• It must be attested by the Embassy of India
• It must certify that the candidate has completed their qualification on or before November 30
• It must certify that the candidate has qualified in the final examination
• It must also mention that the candidate has completed all the required courses successfully
• If the candidate is pursuing during the year of applying, then a Provisional Pass Certificate that confirms the year of the internship must also be submitted   

Valid Indian Passport:

• The candidate must upload only the first and the last [age of the Valid Indian Passport
• Candidates who belong to the OCI card must upload their OCI certificate along with the passport
• Candidates who studied their Primary Medical Education in Nepal need not submit their Passport. Valid ID proof can be submitted by them instead of their Passport

FMGE Correction Window:

FMGE Correction Window will open after the end of FMGE online registration process. It gives a second chance to the candidates who have made any form of errors in the application while applying for the exam. 

However, the authorities of the exam do not allow the candidates to change all the details. Only certain details of the candidates can be changed during the Correction Window. Therefore, the candidates must be really careful while filling the application form.

The details that cannot be changed during FMGE Application Correction Window are as follows:

• Name of the Candidate
• Date of Birth
• Gender
• Email ID
• Mobile Number
• Nationality
• Testing Centre

Any other information, including the academic details filled during the Application Process, can be changed. The candidate must follow the steps given below to change the academic details:

• Visit the official website of NDE
• Enter the Registration Number and Password to log in
• Choose the medical institute or university form the drop-down list
• Enter the name of the city of the primary medical qualification

FMGE Exam Centres:

Since the exam is held all over India, the exam centres are distributed across many cities in the country. A candidate can easily find exam centres in Bangalore and the exam centres in Delhi. The candidate must select their preferred exam centres during the online registration process. 

It is advised to the candidates to select an examination centre that is closer to their residential city. The table given below shows the names of the cities where the exam centres are located:

FMGE Admit Card: 

The NDE will release FMGE Admit Card a week before the exam date. Candidates must carry a copy of their Admit Card to the exam centre if they want to be allowed inside the exam hall. Therefore, candidates are advised to download and take a print out of the Admit Card as soon as it is released. 

They should follow the steps given below to carry out the process successfully:

• Visit the official website of NDE
• Click on FMGE December 2020 Admit Card link
• Enter the User ID and Password
• Submit the details to login
• FMGE Admit Card will be displayed on the screen
• Cross-check the details given in the Admit Card
• Download and take a print out of the Admit Card
• Affix a passport size photograph on the print out of the Admit Card in the given space

The affixed photograph of the candidate on FMGE Admit Card must follow the specifications given below:

• A minimum of the 75% of the face and the head of the candidate should be visible
• The minimum size of the passport size photograph should be 35 mm X 45 mm
• The name of the candidate and the date of capturing the photograph must be mentioned on it
• The background should be white, and the candidate should be facing the camera
• There should not be any reflections, shadows, red eyes, stains, or scratches on the  affixed photograph
• The photograph must have a minimum of 600 dpi resolution

FMGE Admit Card has the following details mentioned on it:

• Name of the Candidate
• Father's Name
• Date of BIrth
• Gender 
• Category
• Nationality
• PwD Status
• FMGE Application Number
• Roll Number
• Date and Time of the Examination
• Address of FMGE Exam Centre
• Pincode of the Exam City
• Exam Guidelines
• A space to affix the Photograph

The candidate must take any one of the following Photo ID proof to the exam center

• Voter ID
• PAN Card
• Driving License
• Passport
• Aadhar Card

The following items are prohibited in the examination centre:

• Stationery Items
• Electronic Devices
• Ornaments
• Eatables 

Time Allocation of FMGE Exam Activities:

As mentioned above, the exam consists of two papers- Part A and Part B. The time allotted for both of these papers is two and a half hours each. Therefore, the total time required for completing both the papers is five hours. 

However, sitting for such long periods of time can be stressful and non-productive for the students. So the authorities have decided to conduct the exam in two different sessions, i.e., morning and afternoon sessions. 

They have also allotted specific time for completing certain activities like the biometric registration, exam login, etc. it helps in ensuring that all the necessary activities related to the examination are successfully completed by the students. It will also prevent unnecessary chaos and help in maintaining order and discipline in the examination hall. 

The table below shows the exam timing of different activities:  

FMGE Exam Question Papers: 

Referring to the exam question papers of the previous years can help the candidate to get a good idea of what type of questions are usually asked in the exam. It would help them design an effective strategy for their preparation. The exam question papers can be easily found online. The benefits of referring to the exam question papers are given below:

• They can be used as a paper for mock tests
• They can help the candidates understand the level of the difficulty of the exam
• Candidates will be prepared to face certain types of question in the exam
• Candidates will have an advantage over those who didn't refer to the exam question papers
• Candidates will get familiar with the exam pattern 

FMGE Exam Preparation Tips:

Every exam requires a different kind of preparation strategy. Moreover, since the exam pass percentage is very high, the pass rate is very low. Therefore, candidates must prepare for the exam thoroughly. A single candidate only gets three attempts to write the exam. 

Therefore, they must be careful not to waste a limited number of attempts. Given below are some tips for the candidates who want to appear for the December session of the exam:

Be thorough with FMGE syllabus:

Being familiar with the syllabus is the key to the preparation process of any exam. Therefore, candidates are advised to be thorough with the exam syllabus.

Prepare notes:

Preparing notes while studying not only helps with memorization but also helps with the revision process of the exam. Therefore, preparing notes is one of the most effective exam preparation tips.

Allot more time for difficult topics:

The candidates must allot more time in their preparation schedule for the topics that are difficult for them. In this way, they will be able to prepare thoroughly and gain more confidence in their weaker areas.

Practice revision consistently:

Revision is the key part of the preparation process of any exam. Therefore, candidates must allot time for weekly revision in their preparation schedule. 

Practice mock tests:

Mock tests are the best way for the candidates to check their own understanding. So candidates must practice as many mock tests as possible in order to prepare thoroughly.

Relax in between the study sessions:

Unless the candidates are taking the mock tests, it is advised for them to take regular breaks in between their study sessions. It would prevent the candidate from being stressed out.

FMGE Exam Result:

FMGE exam results will be released by the NDE after a few weeks of the completion of the exam. The pass percentage of the exam is 50%. If the candidates fail to obtain a minimum of 50% score in the results, then they won't be eligible for the medical practitioner license in India. 

Candidates can check the exam results by following the steps given below:

• Visit the official website of NDE
• Click on the link of FMGE exam 2020 result link
• Enter the application number and password to log in
• After logging in, the candidate's result will be displayed on the screen
• FMGE exam result card of the candidate will display the candidate's name, roll number, marks, and the qualifying status
• Download and take a printout of the results

FMGE Scorecard:

The authorities will release FMGE Scorecard of the candidate after the declaration of the results. The candidates must download it and keep it safe. It is advised to take a few printouts of the Scorecard for future use. Follow the steps given below to download FMGE Scorecard:

• Visit the official website of NDE
• Click on the link of FMGE Scorecard
• Enter the User ID and Password to log in
• The candidate's Scorecard will be displayed on the screen. It will contain the following details:

1. Candidate's Name
2. Candidate's Roll Number
3. Candidate's Scores
4. Correct and Incorrect Responses
5. Other details of the Results

• Verify the details and take a print out of FMGE Scorecard

Issuance of FMGE Pass Certificate:

The candidates who have successfully qualified in the exam will receive an Pass Certificate. They must visit the reporting address in New Delhi if they want to receive FMGE Pass Certificate.

Reporting Address of FMGE Pass Certificate: National Board of Examinations, PSP area, Sector-9, Dwarka office, New Delhi - 110075

The following documents must be taken to the reporting address. These documents would help the authorities to identify the identity of the candidates:

• FMGE 2020 December Admit Card
• Original MBBS Certificate
• Original Eligibility Certificate issued by the MCI
• Passport
• ID Proof

FAQs:

1. Is FMGE a mandatory examination?
   - If a candidate wants to secure a medical practitioner's license in India, then they must qualify in the exam.
   
   
2. How much score does a candidate need to qualify in FMGE?
   - FMGE exam pass percentage is 50%.
   
   
3. Is it possible for a candidate to get a medical practitioner's license in India without appearing for FMGE exam?
   - If a candidate holds a medical degree certificate and a medical practitioner's license from any one of the following countries, then the candidate need not appear for FMGE:
     a) United States of America

     b) Australia
     c) United Kingdom
     d) New Zealand

4. Can a family or any other member collect the Passing Certificate of the candidate?
   - No. The Passing Certificate can only be collected by the candidate who appeared for the examination.
   
   
5. Is FMGE similar to National Exit Test (NEXT)?
   - Even though NEXT was introduced through the NMC Act, it has not been implemented yet. Therefore, as of now, candidates need to qualify in FMGE to obtain their medical practitioner's license in India.