'Either I clear FMGE or leave the country'

After spending lakhs on MBBS degrees abroad, thousands spend years trying to clear the FMGE. That is the only option for Indian graduates of foreign medical colleges to build a career in India

- Sanjay

Alakh Singh completed his MBBS from a medical university in China in August, 2020. Starting from Decem ber that year, he has written the Foreign Medical Graduate Exam (FMGE) six times. In his sixth attempt, the December 2023 session, he scored 144 out of 300 six marks short of clearing the examination.

"In my first attempt, I scored 133. After that I scored more than 140, but could not clear the FMGE. The question papers in my first two attempts were easy and simple. But, now the questions are pretty tough and it is not easy to understand the pattern either.

I think I am not able to clear the exam as I am focusing on the subjects that I am strong at, and not on my weaknesses. I think my approach is not right," Singh, from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, told Careers360.

The years of writing the exam have caused him immense stress. "I go to the gym in the evening to beat my stress and depression. My family thinks I should not go for physical FMGE coaching in Delhi's Gautam Nagar as it would push me towards isolation. I am staying at my home in Varanasi," he said.

The FMGE is a screening test for Indian graduates of foreign medical colleges. Indians who wish to return and study further or practise in India must qualify the exam. The problem is, most don't. The vast majority of the candidates find themselves in Singh's situation repeatedly attempting the exam for years together.

Singh is now taking online coaching from Cerebellum Academy after paying an annual fee of Rs 30,000.

"I am preparing for the FMGE June 2024 session. I study for eight-nine hours a day. My online live classes start at 5 pm, but don't end at a fixed time. On average, the classes end between 11:30 pm to 1 am. I am more disciplined now and hope to clear the exam this time," he said.

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