PMC NLE Exam | The National Licensing Exam (NLE) is a national examination for medical students who have graduated from Pakistan or another country and wish to get a national license for employment or practice. After January 2021, every Pakistani medical student who graduates after that date must take the NLE Exam.
MediUpdates has learned , The National Licensing Exam is an online test that will be administered at various locations around the country as well as internationally. It will be held at least twice a year, with the possibility of up to four times, and a minimum score of 70% will be necessary to pass.
PMC NLE Exam Pattern
The NLE Exam will consist of both MCQs and a clinical assessment. The MCQ-based Test will be administered first, and students who pass the MCQ-based Test will be able to participate in the Clinical Assessment.
The Pakistan Medical Commission has stated in its 6th Academic Council Meeting that national graduates may be granted a waiver to take just MCQ-based NLE Exams in 2021. However, from 2022 forward, the Clinical Assessment will be used.
The NLE Exam Details Pattern is also considered at the Academic Council Meeting. Table of requirements, number of questions from Basic and Clinical Subjects.
The National Licensing Exam will be based on undergraduate curriculum, with the weighting of each question determined by the amount of teaching hours spent on that topic.
Medical and dental grads will have their own NLE. PMC will release the pattern for NLE Medical and NLE Dental separately.
There are two parts to the PMC NLE Exam.
- Component 1: Theory
- Component 2: Clinical component based on skill (Also called Clinical Skilled Examination CSE)
1) Theory Component of PMC NLE Exam
Both Basic Sciences and Clinical Sciences will be included in the Theory Component. Basic Sciences will account for 30% of MCQs, whereas Clinical Sciences will account for 70%.
- Applied Basic Sciences
- Clinical Sciences
i) Applied Basic Sciences
The following topics make up the Applied Basic Sciences component of NLE 2021’s theory.
- Applied Anatomy
- Applied Physiology
- Applied Biochemistry
- Applied Pathology
- Clinical Pharmacology
- Community Medicine
- Forensic Medicine & Toxicology
ii) Clinical Sciences
The following sections/subjects make up Clinical Sciences.
- Medicine and allied
- Surgery and allied
- Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Pediatrics
- Ophthalmology (Eye)
- Otorhinolaryngology (ENT)
2) Clinical Skilled Examination CSE
The Clinical Skilled Examination (CSE) is the same as the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), and it has 20 stations, three of which are mandatory. The candidate must pass all three mandatory phases. If you fail one of the mandatory stations, you will fail the test.
The Clinical Skilled Examination will take 3 hours and 3 minutes to complete. The extra 30 minutes have been included specifically for the initial briefing of pupils. The passing percentage for CSE is similarly 70%. To pass the Clinical Skilled Examination Part of the NLE Exam, candidates must pass the three required stations as well as an overall CSE score of 70%.
Three of the twenty stations are required; failing one of the required stations will result in a failure of the CSE, which will result in a failure of the entire NLE Exam.
1 station from each of the following is required.
- Medicine and allied
- Surgery and allied
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Eligibility Criteria – Passing Criteria – Validity of PMC NLE Exam
Eligibility: All applicants who have successfully completed MBBS from PMC Recognized Medical College are eligible.
Passing Criteria: To pass the National Licensing Exam, you must get at least 70%. 70% in both the Theory and Clinical Skilled Examination components. Furthermore, three mandatory stations must be completed during the Clinical Skilled Examination.
Validity: The NLE’s Theory Component will be valid for five years. CSE must be passed within 5 years; otherwise, those who do not pass CSE within 5 years must retake the whole NLE Exam. The PMC website has a detailed syllabus for NLE 2021. It’s available for download here. Syllabus for the NLE Exam 2021
PMC NLE Exam 2021 for Foreign Graduates
Foreign graduates interested in working in Pakistan must pass the National Licensing Exam. They will be awarded a Provisional License and would be qualified for House Job in Pakistan after passing the NLE. They will be awarded a permanent license once they have completed their House Job.
Between the 10th and the 27th of July, the first test of the National Licensing Exam will be held. This is for those international grads who have been waiting for a long time.
PMC NLE Exam Registration 2021
NLE Registration for 2021 has already begun at PMC. Students interested in taking the NLE Exam in 2021 or later can register on the PMC website.
In 2021, the first NLE Exam will be held for international graduates alone, from August 20 to August 27. The second exam will be held in December 2021. NLE Exams will be held every three months, in June, September, December, and March.
