All You Need to Know About FMGE | MCI Exam

If you think, getting your MBBS degree from abroad means that you’re automatically eligible to practice medicine in India, think AGAIN! Completing MBBS from abroad is just half the battle won. Upon returning to India, as a foreign medical graduate, you have to appear for the licensing exam known as the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE) or the MCI exam. The MCI exam is conducted by the National Board of Examinations (NBE) to award medical licenses to those who clear the test. 

Let’s look at some of the frequently asked questions about the FMGE –

1. Is it mandatory?
• Yes, appearing for the MCI Screening Test is mandatory for all foreign medical graduates seeking a medical practitioner’s license in India.
2. When was it first introduced?
• FMGE was first introduced in the year 2002.
3. Can anyone with an MBBS degree from abroad sit for the exam?
• Only those with medical degrees from MCI-recognized universities across the world are eligible to sit for the FMGE.
4. What is the mode of examination?
• FMGE is an online examination to be taken on the computer.
5. What is the exam pattern of the MCI exam?
• The MCI Screening Test exam pattern includes Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) with only one correct answer.
6. When is FMG Exam 2019?
• The first session of the FMGE or MCI screening test was in June 2019, while the second one is on 20th December 2019.
7. What are the eligibility criteria for FMG Exam 2019?
• The eligibility criteria for the MCI Screening Test as per the Medical Council of India are –
1. The candidate must be a citizen of India or an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)
2. The candidate must have an Eligibility Certificate under the ‘Eligibility Requirement for taking admission in an undergraduate medical course in a Foreign Medical Institution Regulations, 2002.’
8. What is the passing percentage requirement to clear FMGE?
• A candidate must score 50% marks to be considered as ‘passed’ for the examination.
9. Are there any restrictions on the number of attempts for the MCI exam?
• According to an amendment from the year 2003 (Clause 10), there is no longer a limitation on the number of times a candidate can appear for the MCI Screening Test.

If you are wondering about the importance of this examination and how to prepare for it, then the following pointers may come to use –

1. Follow the ENTIRE syllabus – you can’t become a doctor with only half the knowledge!
2. Understand your OWN study pattern instead of following someone else’s – no one knows what works for you better than yourself.
3. Master your STRONG points and analyze your WEAK points – find out your weak points and work on them to ensure that you complete point #1 above!
4. Take guidance from the best MCI exam coaching centres to help with mock tests, and test and discussion series – cracking the MCI exam is the goal!
5. Most importantly, take a breather – regular breaks or ‘intermissions’ help keep the brain active and focused!