77 per cent of candidates fail in FMGE exam and discussion on career options

The results of the October 2026 FMGE exam announced by NBEMS have been very disappointing for medical graduates dreaming of becoming doctors in India after obtaining MBBS degrees from abroad. According to a report by ABP News, more than approximately 77 per cent of the candidates who appeared for this exam failed to secure passing marks, leaving the future of thousands of students hanging in uncertainty.

Looking at the statistical data, a total of 42,113 candidates were registered for this exam in the October session, out of which only 9,354 students could achieve success, while 31,539 candidates failed the exam. Thus, the total success rate in the exam remained only 22.87 per cent. Additionally, there are 5,365 students who could score between 140 to 149, meaning they missed passing by a margin of only 1 to 10 marks. In this situation, a question has arisen: have the dreams of the students who failed to pass the screening test to become doctors been shattered?

However, experts believe that failure in the exam does not mean that your medical career has come to an end. According to the ABP News report, the FMGE exam is primarily the gateway to legal licensing for practicing in India. Even if a student is unable to pass this exam in India, they have many other excellent career options open both within the country and at a global level.

Students who cannot directly engage in clinical practice in India can build their future in other fields related to the medical and healthcare sectors. By pursuing Masters in Hospital Management and Healthcare Management, students can work in important positions such as hospital administration, patient services, or medical strategy planning in corporate hospitals. Additionally, they can also choose a path of research in fields such as medical research, epidemiology, or biomedical science in ICMR, pharmaceutical companies, and biotech firms.

Furthermore, through MPH (Master of Public Health) programmes, students can work in fields such as community health, policy making, and disease prevention management. For this, they can join NGOs, government health panels, and global health committees. Students can also gain specialisation in fields such as medical lab technology, radiology technology, or occupational therapy and physiotherapy.

There are also many ways for medical practice at a global level. An MBBS degree is a globally recognised qualification; therefore, students who fail in FMGE can also practice medicine in countries other than India. According to the ABP News report, these countries, like India, have their own independent licensing examinations instead of FMGE.

For example, in the USA, residency and clinical practice can be undertaken by passing the United States Medical Licensing Examination. Similarly, registration can be obtained in the UK by passing a similar type of exam. Additionally, in Australia, the path to medical practice can also open through the Australia Medical Council examination.

FMGE (Foreign License Exam for Medical Graduates) is India's licensing exam for foreign medical graduates. The main objective of this exam is to ensure whether students who have obtained MBBS degrees from abroad possess the necessary level of knowledge to practice medicine in India.