The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has declared the result of the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) for the October 2026 session, and only about one in four-and-a-half candidates cleared it. According to an analysis of the result document published by EdexLive and a report by Careers360, 9,354 candidates qualified, 31,539 did not, and the overall pass percentage works out to 22.87%.

What the numbers say

The computer-based test was held on 31 October 2026 and the result came on 10 November, just ten days later. The result PDF lists 42,113 candidate entries. Of these, 1,190 were marked absent and the results of 30 candidates were withheld. The pass percentage is calculated on the 40,893 candidates whose outcome was declared as pass or fail.

To qualify, a candidate needs at least 150 marks out of 300. The most striking figure in the analysis is how many fell just short: 5,365 candidates scored between 140 and 149 marks, missing the cut-off by one to ten marks. That is roughly 17% of everyone who failed. The analysis does not say why so many bunched just under the line, and we have not tried to guess.

Marks for faulty questions

In its notice dated 10 November, NBEMS said subject experts reviewed every question after the exam for technical accuracy. Marks have been given to all candidates who appeared for questions found to be technically incorrect. Where a question had two correct answers, either option is accepted. The board has not said how many questions were affected, so candidates cannot yet work out how much this changed their score.

The result is only pass or fail. As reported by Careers360, there is no re-evaluation, rechecking, re-totalling or grace marks.

Scorecards and the pass certificate

Although the result PDF is out, individual scorecards can be downloaded only from 20 November 2026, using the user ID and password on the NBEMS website, natboard.edu.in. Scorecards stay available for six months from the date of issue.

Passing the test is not the end of the paperwork. Qualified candidates must go through in-person identity and document verification to receive the FMGE pass certificate. NBEMS has said the online scorecard cannot be submitted to a State Medical Council in place of that certificate when applying for registration. All declared results remain provisional until eligibility and credentials are verified.

Why it matters

The FMGE is the screening test that Indian citizens with a medical degree from abroad must pass before they can practise in India. Every session, thousands of students who studied in countries such as Russia, Ukraine, China, Georgia or Kyrgyzstan sit it, and the low pass rate keeps the debate alive about the cost and quality of overseas medical education. For families in Kanpur, Lucknow and other UP cities who send children abroad for MBBS, the number is a reminder to check a foreign college's track record on this exam before paying fees.

It also affects the next step: candidates who passed can apply for internship and registration, while those who missed by a few marks will look to the next session. Reports from other outlets had earlier said the result was expected by 30 November, so the early release came as a surprise to many.

What candidates should do next

  • Keep your user ID and password ready and check natboard.edu.in from 20 November for the scorecard.
  • If you passed, watch the NBEMS website for the schedule of in-person document verification.
  • If you did not, note that the board has not announced any re-check window; plan for the next session instead and follow only official notices.
  • Do not pay agents or "coaching guarantee" offers claiming to change a result; the board says results are final.

What next

NBEMS is expected to publish the verification schedule for the pass certificate along with the next exam dates on its website. Candidates are advised to rely only on natboard.edu.in and to ignore social media messages promising score changes.