NBEMS Schedules Third-FMGE Exam For October 31, Reschedules January 2027 Exam
NBEMS will conduct an additional FMGE 2026 on October 31, marking the third FMGE examination this year. The board has also postponed the January 9, 2027 exam to a later date in January or February. The decision follows protests by foreign medical graduates over concerns related to the June FMGE and comes alongside several candidate-friendly measures announced by NBEMS.
NBEMS Third-FMGE Exam: The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has announced the date for the third Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) of 2026. According to an official notification issued on August 28, the board will conduct the additional FMGE on October 31, 2026.
The decision marks a change from the existing practice of conducting the FMGE twice a year. With the latest announcement, the screening examination will now be conducted three times a year, providing eligible foreign medical graduates with an additional opportunity to appear for the examination.
The examination will continue to be conducted in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode at examination centres across the country. NBEMS has clarified that the detailed schedule and other examination-related information will be provided through the Information Bulletin, which will be published on its official website.
January 2027 FMGE Exam Rescheduled
Along with announcing the October examination, NBEMS has also revised the schedule of the FMGE that was earlier scheduled for January 9, 2027.
The January examination has now been postponed and will be conducted on a later date in January or February 2027. The exact date and other details will be notified separately by NBEMS.
The postponement means that eligible candidates will have an additional opportunity to appear for FMGE on October 31 before the next regular examination is held in January/February 2027.
NBEMS To Release FMGE October Information Bulletin
NBEMS has not yet announced the application dates or detailed schedule for the October 31 FMGE. Candidates will have to wait for the Information Bulletin for details regarding eligibility, registration, examination fee, test centres and other instructions.
Candidates are advised to rely on the official NBEMS notification and Information Bulletin for the application process and other examination-related updates.
Third FMGE Announced After Protests By Foreign Medical Graduates
The announcement comes after sustained protests by foreign medical graduates over concerns surrounding the June 2026 FMGE. The All India Medical Students’ Association–Foreign Medical Students’ Wing (AIMSA-FMSW) had raised several concerns regarding the conduct and outcome of the examination.
Candidates had protested over issues including the difficulty level of the June examination, video-based questions, examination-centre facilities and transparency in the evaluation process. The protest included a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on August 3, following which NBEMS constituted an independent three-member committee to examine the issues raised by candidates.
The agitation later resumed in Delhi, with protesting foreign medical graduates demanding relief for candidates who appeared in the June FMGE. The protest continued for several days, with some candidates also undertaking a hunger strike. Following discussions between the protesting candidates and NBEMS officials, the board announced several candidate-friendly measures, after which AIMSA-FMSW called off its protest.
The additional FMGE in October was among the measures announced by NBEMS. The board said the additional examination would provide eligible foreign medical graduates with an earlier opportunity to appear for the screening test instead of waiting for the next regular examination cycle.
Sahil Behl is an education journalist at Jagran with over a year of experience in journalism. Prior to joining Jagran, he worked as a Sub-Editor in NDTV's Education department, where he was responsible for writing and editing education-related content as well as managing the department's social media presence. At Jagran, he covers a wide range of education topics, including board examinations, school updates, admissions, and job notifications, while leveraging his editorial expertise and strong understanding of digital content strategy.
Sahil holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and has also completed an eight-month certification program in Data Science. Passionate about emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, he closely tracks their growing role in journalism and explores how they are transforming shaping the future of the media industry.
