Every year, thousands of Indian citizens who studied medicine abroad return to India and need to clear the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination before they can practice. Here is everything you need to know. Who is considered a foreign medical graduate in India? An Indian citizen who completed their primary medical qualification (equivalent to MBBS) from a medical college outside India is considered a Foreign Medical Graduate (FMG). This applies regardless of which country they studied in — Russia, China, Ukraine, Philippines, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh or any other country. What exam must foreign medical graduates pass to practice in India? Foreign medical graduates must pass the FMGE (Foreign Medical Graduate Examination), also known as the MCI Screening Test, conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS). Passing FMGE is required to obtain provisional registration in India and complete a compulsory internship. What is the FMGE exam pattern? Mode: Computer-based test (CBT) Duration: 2.5 hours (150 minutes) Total questions: 150 MCQs (single best answer) Subjects: Pre-clinical, para-clinical and clinical subjects from the MBBS curriculum Passing marks: 50% (75 out of 150) Negative marking: No negative marking Frequency: Conducted twice a year (typically June and December) What is the FMGE pass rate? FMGE has a historically low pass rate. Typically only 15–20% of candidates pass in any given attempt. The low pass rate reflects the challenge of the exam and the variation in standards across different countries' medical programs. Some candidates take 3–5 attempts before passing. Who is eligible to appear for FMGE? To sit for FMGE: Must be an Indian citizen Must hold a primary medical qualification from a foreign country The foreign medical college must appear on the National Medical Commission's approved list of foreign medical institutions Must have completed the prescribed internship in the foreign country (typically 12 months) as part of the primary qualification — or will complete a 12-month internship in India after passing FMGE Must have completed MBBS-equivalent coursework of at least 54 months (4.5 years of academic study) Is the foreign medical college I studied at recognised in India? Your college must appear on the NMC's list of approved foreign medical institutions. You can check this on the NMC website (nmc.org.in). Graduates from unlisted institutions are not eligible for FMGE or medical registration in India. Before choosing to study medicine abroad, always verify that the target college is on the NMC-approved list. What happens after passing FMGE? After passing FMGE: Apply for provisional registration with the NMC or a State Medical Council Complete a 12-month compulsory rotating internship in India at an NMC-recognised institution After internship completion, apply for permanent medical registration Once permanently registered, you can legally practice medicine independently in India Is a 12-month internship mandatory in India after FMGE? Yes. All foreign medical graduates who have passed FMGE must complete a 12-month compulsory rotating internship at a recognised medical college or hospital in India. Even if you completed an internship abroad as part of your degree, you must complete the full Indian internship to be eligible for permanent registration. What subjects are covered in FMGE? FMGE covers the full MBBS curriculum: Pre-clinical: Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry Para-clinical: Pathology, Pharmacology, Microbiology, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Community Medicine Clinical: General Medicine, Paediatrics, General Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Ophthalmology, ENT, Dermatology and Venereology, Psychiatry, Anaesthesia, Radiodiagnosis Can foreign medical graduates appear for NEET PG? Yes. After passing FMGE and completing the 12-month internship in India and obtaining permanent registration, FMGs are eligible to appear for NEET PG and pursue postgraduate specialisation (MD/MS) in India. Will FMGE be replaced? Yes. The National Medical Commission has proposed the National Exit Test (NExT) to replace FMGE. Under NExT, foreign medical graduates will take the same Step 1 examination as Indian MBBS graduates. This effectively raises the standard for FMGs. However, NExT had not been implemented as of March 2026 and FMGE continues to operate. Monitor nmc.org.in for official updates. How does NExT change things for foreign medical graduates? Under NExT: FMGE will be abolished FMGs will take NExT Step 1 alongside Indian MBBS graduates on equal terms There will be no separate lower-bar exam for FMGs Passing NExT Step 1 allows you to do internship; passing Step 2 after internship gives permanent registration The overall bar for entry is higher, which may be challenging for graduates from programs with lower academic standards How many attempts are allowed for FMGE? Currently there is no official cap on the number of FMGE attempts. Candidates can appear repeatedly until they pass. However, given the transition to NExT, candidates should prepare thoroughly and aim to pass as early as possible. How should FMGs prepare for FMGE? Use standard Indian MBBS textbooks (the same books used for NEET PG preparation work for FMGE) Focus on high-yield clinical subjects — Medicine, Surgery, OBG and Paediatrics carry significant weight Take full-length mock tests to build speed and accuracy within the 150-minute time limit Community Medicine and Forensic Medicine are often neglected but tested Join coaching programs specifically designed for FMGE if needed Can foreign medical graduates issue digital prescriptions in India? During internship, prescriptions can only be issued under supervision. After obtaining permanent medical registration (post-FMGE + internship, or post-NExT Step 1 + internship + NExT Step 2), you have full legal authority to issue prescriptions independently — including digital prescriptions. Platforms like Doctrust help permanently registered Indian doctors generate compliant digital prescriptions and share them via WhatsApp. Try Doctrust free.