New Delhi: The protest by foreign medical graduates (FMGs) over Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) held this June entered its sixth day Tuesday, with candidates continuing their agitation in Delhi over their demand for relief to examinees, even as an expert committee set up by National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has recommended several changes to the exam system.Over 36,000 candidates appeared in June 2026 FMGE. A few of the students are on hunger strike, including a representative of FMGs, Dr Jaswant Singh Yadav, who has been fasting since Aug 20.The panel has proposed increasing the proportion of low-difficulty questions from 20% to 30%, seeking a mix of 30% low, 50% moderate and 20% difficult questions. It has also recommended that the mean difficulty level not exceed 5.5 and the median 5 on a scale of 1 to 10. This will mean 151 of the 300 questions will be at difficulty level 5 or below.The committee has also suggested examining the feasibility of holding FMGE at least thrice a year and reviewing the current exam fee of Rs 6,195, particularly for candidates who require multiple attempts.Separately, NBEMS has indicated that a third FMGE could be held this year, before Nov 14, with centre availability already being assessed. However, the proposal is yet to be formally approved.For greater transparency, the panel has proposed that from the next exam session, candidates may be allowed to view their recorded responses and corresponding correct answers as well as marks awarded for individual questions, subject to technical and legal safeguards.However, it said releasing the complete question paper and answer key may not be feasible under the existing confidentiality and legal framework.The panel has also called for a review of conditions of exam centres, particularly in areas prone to extreme temperatures. On video-based questions, it recommended that candidates be informed in advance and given an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the interface. It further suggested deferring their reintroduction in FMGE by at least a year.However, the committee has not recommended the grant of compensatory or grace marks for the June exam, saying there is insufficient evidence of video questions or the difficulty level materially affecting the outcome.This remains the key point of contention for the protesters, who say that while several changes have been proposed for future tests, their demand for relief to candidates who appeared in June remains unresolved.The panel has also recommended setting aside three additional minutes for biometric formalities, addressing the issue of lower pass percentage among repeat candidates and expediting implementation of the proposed NExT to create a level playing field for FMGs.NBEMS said it will proactively implement the recommendations while preserving the confidentiality, validity and integrity of FMGE.
