FMGE Eligibility & NMC Screening Test Rules 2026: Who Can Apply | NEETPGAI
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FMGE Eligibility & NMC Screening Test Rules 2026: Who Can Apply
Complete FMGE eligibility guide: NMC Eligibility Certificate, recognised foreign institutions, course-duration norms, document checklist, and the path to registration in India.
NEETPGAI EditorialPublished 13 Jun 202617 min read
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FMGE eligibility comes down to four conditions you must satisfy before you can register for the exam:
Citizenship. You must be an Indian citizen or an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI). Other nationalities do not qualify.
Recognised foreign institution. Your primary medical qualification must be from a foreign institution listed on the NMC's recognised institutions register. An unrecognised degree is a hard disqualification — no exceptions.
NMC Eligibility Certificate. Most candidates require an Eligibility Certificate issued by the National Medical Commission, which must ordinarily be obtained before or during the course. Specific exemptions exist for cohorts that enrolled before the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 took effect.
Course and internship norms. The duration of your foreign medical course and clinical internship must meet the minimum standards set by NMC. Candidates whose cohorts fall under the 2021 regulations should verify the precise norms on the official NMC portal — these figures are cohort-sensitive and subject to update.
If all four conditions are met, you are eligible to appear in FMGE, which is conducted by NBEMS twice a year. Clearing it is what opens the door to provisional and then permanent registration in India.
What FMGE is and why eligibility is the first question to settle
The Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) is the NMC-mandated screening test that Indian citizens and Overseas Citizens of India must clear after earning a primary medical qualification abroad, before they can practise medicine in India. It is conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) as a computer-based test, typically held twice a year — in June and in December. Without a valid FMGE pass, no State Medical Council or the NMC will grant permanent registration, and lawful medical practice in India is not possible.
Because FMGE is a gateway, eligibility is not a formality — it is the prerequisite that determines whether the exam is even available to you. Sitting an exam you are not eligible for, or missing an eligibility condition only to discover it at registration, costs months and sometimes an entire session. The guidance below covers each condition in the order you need to address it: citizenship first, then institution recognition, then the Eligibility Certificate, then course and internship norms, then documentation. It closes with what comes after you pass.
A note on regulatory context: FMGE eligibility is governed primarily by the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 issued by the National Medical Commission. Some conditions depend on when you enrolled, so your exact requirements may differ from candidates who enrolled earlier or later. This article provides orientation on the framework; always verify the current, cohort-specific conditions on the official NMC portal (nmc.org.in) and the NBEMS information bulletin for the session you plan to sit.
Condition 1: Indian citizenship or OCI status
FMGE is available only to Indian citizens and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI). This citizenship filter is absolute — the exam is not open to foreign nationals, including those of Indian origin who hold a foreign passport without OCI status.
Indian citizens must hold a valid Indian passport. If you studied abroad on an Indian passport, this condition is almost certainly satisfied, but ensure your passport is valid and your documents are consistent.
OCI cardholders are explicitly included in the FMGE eligibility framework and must satisfy the same substantive conditions as Indian citizens — recognised foreign degree, Eligibility Certificate where applicable, and course-norm compliance. When registering through NBEMS, OCI applicants will typically need to submit both their OCI card and passport details, so have both documents ready before the application window opens.
Who does not qualify: foreign nationals studying medicine abroad who have no Indian citizenship or OCI status do not qualify for FMGE, regardless of educational background.
Condition 2: A recognised foreign medical institution
Your primary medical degree must be from a foreign institution that appears on the NMC's list of recognised foreign medical institutions. The NMC maintains and updates this list; institutions are assessed on criteria including the duration and structure of the medical programme, clinical training facilities, and the institution's standing in the country where it operates.
Why this matters critically: a degree from an institution not on the NMC list is a hard disqualification for FMGE. There is no individual appeals pathway for a degree from an unrecognised institution. If you are still deciding where to study, or are enrolled and have doubts about your institution's status, verify it on the NMC portal before you complete the course. If you have already graduated from an institution and are unsure whether it is recognised, check the current NMC list immediately — recognition status can change, and it is your responsibility to confirm it.
What recognition does not guarantee: a recognised institution means the institution appears on the NMC list. It does not automatically mean your specific programme cohort satisfies all the course-duration and internship norms. Those are verified separately.
Condition 3: The NMC Eligibility Certificate
The NMC Eligibility Certificate — also referred to as the Eligibility Certificate for Foreign Medical Studies — is a pre-departure or early-enrolment clearance issued by the National Medical Commission that verifies you are Indian or OCI, that you are going to study at a recognised institution, and that you have satisfied any preconditions NMC sets. For most candidates who enrolled after the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 took effect, the Eligibility Certificate is a mandatory requirement for FMGE registration.
Cohort-specific position: candidates who enrolled before the 2021 regulations were published may fall under transitional provisions. If you are in this cohort and are unsure whether you need an Eligibility Certificate, this is worth resolving before the NBEMS application window — not after. Check the NMC's published guidance for your specific enrolment year.
Consequences of not having one: if an Eligibility Certificate is required for your cohort and you did not obtain one before leaving India to study abroad, your FMGE registration may be rejected, or you may face additional procedural steps. The NMC does have mechanisms for considering cases on merit, but these are discretionary and not a substitute for obtaining the certificate through the proper process.
The Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 specify minimum standards for the duration of the foreign medical programme and the clinical internship period. The intent is to ensure that a foreign graduate's training is broadly equivalent in depth to an Indian MBBS in terms of time spent and clinical exposure.
Why the figures are not stated as exact numbers here: the prescribed minimum durations — the total programme length, the clinical training component, and the internship — are set in the regulations and in NMC notifications, but they are also subject to cohort-specific interpretation and regulatory updates. Quoting a specific number of months or years without referencing the most current NMC notification risks being wrong for your cohort. Verify the exact figures in force for your enrolment year on the NMC portal or in the NBEMS information bulletin for the session you are targeting.
Internship: completed abroad or completed in India? Candidates who completed their prescribed internship at the foreign institution generally satisfy the internship norm; some cohorts may be required to complete a bridge internship in India after passing FMGE before obtaining permanent registration. Whether a bridge internship applies to you depends on your enrolment year and the conditions in force when your cohort was registered.
Practical check: before registering for FMGE, gather your transcripts, enrolment letter, and internship completion certificate, and compare your course duration against the NMC norms as stated in the official regulation text. This is a verification step you should complete yourself before NBEMS does — catching a gap at the application stage is less disruptive than a rejection.
Document checklist for FMGE registration
NBEMS releases an official information bulletin for each session that contains the definitive list of documents required for registration. The list below covers what is typically required, but always cross-check against the current bulletin for the session you intend to sit — document requirements can be updated.
Document
Notes
Foreign primary medical degree and marksheets
From the recognised foreign institution; translated copies may be needed if not in English
Proof of citizenship
Valid Indian passport (Indian citizens) or valid OCI card + passport (OCI)
NMC Eligibility Certificate
Required for most post-2021 cohorts; check your enrolment year
Internship completion certificate
From the foreign institution or the competent authority
Proof of enrolment / course duration
Letter from institution or transcripts showing start and end dates
Passport-size photographs
Per NBEMS specifications
Category certificate
If claiming SC/ST/OBC reservation benefits — issued by the competent authority
Any other documents specified in the information bulletin
Varies by session — always check
Important: ensure all documents are in order before the registration window opens. NBEMS typically does not allow document substitution after submission. Any discrepancy between your submitted documents and the eligibility conditions — even a minor one — can delay or reject your registration.
After you pass FMGE: registration and the path to practice
Clearing FMGE is not the final step — it is the gateway to the next administrative process. Here is the typical post-FMGE sequence, though the exact steps depend on your cohort's conditions:
Step 1 — Provisional registration. After receiving your FMGE result, you apply for provisional registration with the National Medical Commission or the relevant State Medical Council. Provisional registration allows supervised medical practice.
Step 2 — Bridge internship (if applicable). Some cohorts are required to complete a defined internship period in India after passing FMGE, under the supervision of a recognised Indian medical institution, before becoming eligible for permanent registration. Whether this applies to you depends on your enrolment year and the conditions in force. Verify this on the NMC portal before planning post-FMGE timelines.
Step 3 — Permanent registration. Once any required internship is complete and all conditions are satisfied, you apply for permanent registration with the State Medical Council of the state where you intend to practise, or with the NMC. Permanent registration is what enables independent lawful medical practice in India.
Step 4 — Postgraduate study, if planned. If you intend to pursue postgraduate specialisation in India after clearing FMGE, you will need to appear in NEET PG (once you hold valid Indian registration) to compete for MD/MS seats. FMGE and NEET PG share a syllabus but reward different preparation intensities — clearing FMGE first and then shifting to a rank-focused NEET PG mode is the practical sequence. For a detailed look at how the two exams compare, see our FMGE vs NEET PG comparison guide.
The FMGE-to-NExT transition: what you need to know
The National Exit Test (NExT) is a proposed unified exit examination that would apply to both Indian medical graduates and foreign medical graduates, eventually replacing FMGE and the current NEET PG structure. The intent is a single standard licensing exam for all doctors qualifying in or entering the Indian medical system.
Current position (as of mid-2026): NExT has been proposed and is in various stages of planning, but it has not been officially implemented with a confirmed examination schedule. Until the NMC issues a final implementation notification and a confirmed NExT timeline, FMGE remains the operative screening test for foreign medical graduates. Do not defer your FMGE preparation or registration on the expectation that NExT will replace it before you are ready. Monitor official NMC announcements; if and when NExT launches, transition rules for candidates already in the FMGE pipeline will be specified by the NMC.
How NEETPGAI supports your FMGE journey
Once your eligibility is confirmed and you are cleared to sit FMGE, the preparation question takes over. NEETPGAI is built around exactly the kind of high-volume, pattern-focused MCQ drilling that FMGE rewards — and it mirrors the real exam format so your practice transfers directly to test day.
A free 31,000+ MCQ bank with full explanations, available to every registered user at no cost — the breadth-first foundation work and high-volume drilling both run on the same verified question pool.
FMGE-pattern mock tests — 300 questions with no negative marking and a pass/fail verdict against the 150/300 line, so your timed practice replicates the two-paper structure and the exact marking scheme.
Pass-probability analytics that track accuracy, retention, and per-subject mastery, so you always know whether you sit comfortably above the 50% line before exam day.
A basics-first AI tutor that, in FMGE mode, frames answers around must-pass fundamentals rather than niche depth — useful for clearing up concepts in your foundation phase and for generating endless practice vignettes.
The full question bank, mock tests, revision, and analytics are free for every registered user. The AI tutor and a few advanced tools are part of the Pro plan, which covers FMGE, NEET PG, and INI-CET together. For the complete preparation strategy once eligibility is confirmed, see our FMGE preparation complete guide and the FMGE exam pattern and marking scheme breakdown.
Confirm your eligibility, gather your documents, and begin drilling well before the session opens. The earlier you start, the more time you have to cover the breadth that a 50% qualifying exam demands.
Indian citizens and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) who hold, or are about to complete, a primary medical qualification from a recognised foreign medical institution are eligible to appear in FMGE. The foreign institution must be recognised by the NMC, and the course and internship must satisfy duration and clinical-training norms set under the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021. Verify your specific cohort's requirements on the official NMC and NBEMS portals before applying.
Is the NMC Eligibility Certificate mandatory for FMGE?
An NMC Eligibility Certificate (EC) — also referred to as the Eligibility Certificate for Foreign Medical Studies — is required for most candidates planning to pursue a primary medical qualification abroad. It must be obtained before or during the course of study. However, exemptions and specific conditions apply to certain cohorts, particularly those who enrolled before the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 took effect. Always verify whether you need an EC and its status on the NMC portal.
What qualifies as a recognised foreign medical institution for FMGE?
The foreign medical institution must appear on a list of recognised institutions maintained by the National Medical Commission. Recognition criteria include defined course duration, clinical training facilities, and the institution's standing in the host country. Institutions not on the NMC list are not accepted, and a degree from an unrecognised institution makes the candidate ineligible for FMGE. Check the NMC's current list of recognised institutions before enrolling or before registering for the exam.
What are the minimum course and internship duration requirements for FMGE eligibility?
The Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 specify minimum requirements for the duration of the foreign medical course and the clinical internship. These figures are subject to NMC notification and may depend on your enrolment year, so rely on the official NMC regulations or a current NBEMS information bulletin rather than third-party summaries. Candidates who completed their course before the 2021 regulations may face different norms.
Can OCI cardholders appear in FMGE?
Yes. Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders are explicitly covered under the FMGE eligibility framework alongside Indian citizens. Both groups must satisfy the same eligibility conditions — a primary medical qualification from a recognised foreign institution, the NMC Eligibility Certificate (where required), completed course and internship norms, and Indian/OCI citizenship. Check the current NBEMS notification to confirm any documentation requirements specific to OCI applicants.
Are there age or attempt limits for FMGE?
As of 2026, there is no upper-age limit or cap on the number of FMGE attempts — the earlier attempt limit was removed. Eligibility is tied to your qualification and cohort rules, not to age or the number of sittings taken. Verify the current position on the NMC/NBEMS portals, as regulatory conditions can change between sessions.
What documents are typically required to apply for FMGE?
Documents commonly required include your foreign primary medical degree and transcripts, proof of Indian citizenship or OCI status, the NMC Eligibility Certificate (if applicable to your cohort), a certificate of internship completion or proof of enrolment, passport-size photographs, and a category certificate if claiming reservation benefits. NBEMS releases an official information bulletin for each session with the definitive document checklist — always cross-check against that bulletin before submitting your application.
What happens after I pass FMGE — how do I register to practise in India?
After clearing FMGE, you must apply for provisional registration with a State Medical Council or the National Medical Commission, complete any outstanding internship or bridge internship as required under your cohort's conditions, and then apply for permanent registration. The exact sequence depends on whether you completed your internship abroad or need to do it in India. Verify the current post-FMGE registration pathway on the NMC portal, as steps can vary by cohort.
Will FMGE be replaced by NExT?
The National Exit Test (NExT) is proposed to eventually replace both FMGE (for foreign graduates) and the current NEET PG system (for Indian graduates). However, until NExT is officially implemented by the NMC with a confirmed schedule, FMGE remains the operative screening test for foreign medical graduates. Frame your planning around FMGE as the current requirement and monitor official NMC announcements for any confirmed NExT implementation timeline.
What is the difference between FMGE eligibility and FMGE registration?
FMGE eligibility refers to meeting the qualification and documentation criteria that allow you to sit the exam — having a recognised foreign degree, the NMC Eligibility Certificate (where required), completed course and internship norms, and Indian/OCI citizenship. FMGE registration is the administrative process of applying for a specific exam session through NBEMS, within the application window, and paying the prescribed fee. Both steps must be completed correctly; eligible candidates who miss the registration window cannot sit that session.
What if my foreign institution is not on the NMC recognised list?
If your institution is not on the NMC's current list of recognised foreign medical institutions, you are not eligible for FMGE under the standard pathway. There is no general appeals mechanism for unrecognised institutions at the individual candidate level. Before you enrol in any foreign medical programme — or if you have already enrolled and are unsure — check the NMC's recognised institutions list and seek formal clarification from the NMC directly. Graduating from an unrecognised institution is a disqualifying condition that no amount of preparation can overcome.
How does FMGE eligibility differ from NEET PG eligibility?
NEET PG eligibility requires an MBBS degree and permanent registration with the NMC or a State Medical Council — it is for graduates of Indian medical colleges. FMGE eligibility requires a foreign primary medical qualification, Indian or OCI citizenship, and compliance with the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 — it is specifically for those who studied abroad. You cannot sit NEET PG until you have an Indian registration, and you cannot get an Indian registration without first clearing FMGE if you graduated from a foreign institution.
Eligibility is the step before preparation — get it confirmed, gather your documents, and then focus entirely on clearing the 50% bar. Start your free FMGE practice today → or explore the Pro plan for full-length mock tests, analytics, and the AI tutor.
Written by: NEETPGAI Editorial Team
Reviewed by: NEETPGAI Medical Advisory Board
Last reviewed: June 2026
Eligibility rules, the NMC Eligibility Certificate requirement, course-duration norms, and post-FMGE registration steps are summarised from the National Medical Commission (NMC) Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 and National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) guidance; regulatory conditions are subject to change and some requirements depend on your enrolment cohort. Always verify your specific eligibility conditions on the official NMC portal (nmc.org.in) and in the NBEMS information bulletin for the session you intend to sit before applying. This article is reviewed for accuracy and exam relevance. For corrections or updates, contact the editorial team.
