NLE Exam is National Licensing Exam for Medical Students graduated from Pakistan or Foreign, in order to get National License for Job or Practice. Every Pakistani Medical Student graduated after January 2021 have to appear in NLE Exam.
National Licensing Exam is online test to be conducted in different stations through out the country and abroad as well. It will be conducted at least 2 times and can be up to 4 times every year and minimum 70% marks will be required to qualify it.
Latest: Check NLE Result 2022
NLE Exam Pattern
NLE Exam will include MCQ’s as well Clinical Assessment. MCQ’s based Test will be conducted first, those students who qualify MCQ’s based Test, will be eligible to appear in Clinical Assessment.
Recently, It is said by Pakistan Medical Commission in its 6th Academic Council Meeting, that the waiver may be given to National graduates to have only MCQ’s based NLE Exam 2021. However, later in 2022 and onwards, the Clinical Assessment.
In Academic Council Meeting, NLE Exam detailed Pattern is discussed as well. Number of questions from Basic and Clinical Subjects, table of specifications.
National Licensing Exam will be based on undergraduate curriculum and the weightage given to each question will depend on the number of teaching hours of that subject.
There will be separate NLE for Medical and Dental graduates. PMC will publish the pattern separately for NLE Medical and NLE Dental.
NLE Exam consists of 2 components.
- Theory Component
- Skill Based Clinical Component (Also called Clinical Skilled Examination CSE)
Also read: Private Medical Colleges in KPK
1) Theory Component of NLE Exam
The Theory Component will have both Basic Sciences and Clinical Sciences. 30% of MCQ’s will be from Basic Sciences, while 70% from Clinical Sciences.
- Applied Basic Sciences
- Clinical Sciences
i) Applied Basic Sciences
Applied Basic Sciences part of theory of NLE 2021 includes the follow sections.
- Applied Anatomy
- Applied Physiology
- Applied Biochemistry
- Applied Pathology
- Clinical Pharmacology
- Community Medicine
- Forensic Medicine & Toxicology
Weightage of Applied Basic Sciences of NLE 2021
| Applied Basic Sciences (30% Weightage) | Number of MCQ’s |
| Applied Pathology | 16 |
| Applied Anatomy | 12 |
| Applied Physiology | 10 |
| Clinical Pharmacology | 8 |
| Applied Bio Chemistry | 6 |
| Community Medicine | 6 |
| Forensic Medicine & Toxicology | 2 |
| Total | 60 |
ii) Clinical Sciences
Clinical Sciences includes the follow sections/subjects.
- Medicine and allied
- Surgery and allied
- Obstetrics & Gynaecology
- Paediatrics
- Ophthalmology (Eye)
- Otorhinolaryngology (ENT)
Weightage of Clinical Sciences of NLE 2021
| Clinical Sciences Weightage 70% | Number of MCQs |
| Medicine and Allied | 52 |
| Surgery and Allied | 48 |
| Obstetrics and Gynaecology | 14 |
| Paediatrics | 14 |
| Ophthalmology (Eye) | 6 |
| Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) | 6 |
| Total | 140 |
2) Clinical Skilled Examination CSE
Clinical Skilled Examination is same as the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), it consists of 20 stations, out of which 3 stations are compulsory. Candidate has to pass all the 3 compulsory stages. Failing one compulsory station will results in failing examination.
Clinical Skilled Examination will last for 3 Hours and 3 Minutes. The 30 Minutes extra are specially added for initial briefing giving to students.
Passing percent for CSE is also 70%. Candidates have to pass the 3 mandatory stations as we well as overall 70% marks in CSE in order to clear Clinical Skilled Examination Part of NLE Exam.
Distribution of Stations in CSE of NLE Exam
| Discipline | Number of Stations |
| Medicine and Allied | 7 |
| Surgery and Allied | 7 |
| Obstetrics and Gynaecology | 2 |
| Paediatrics | 2 |
| Ophthalmology (Eye) | 1 |
| Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) | 1 |
| Total | 20 |
3 out of these 20 stations are mandatory, failing one of the mandatory station will result in failing CSE, which will result in failing whole NLE Exam.
Mandatory Stations are 1 stations each from the following
- Medicine and allied
- Surgery and allied
- Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Also Read: Best Medical Colleges in Islamabad
Eligibility Criteria – Passing Criteria – Validity of NLE Exam
Eligibility: All candidates who have successfully graduated from any PMC Recognized Medical College.
Passing Criteria: 70% marks are required to qualify National Licensing Exam. 70% in both Theory component as well Clinical Skilled Examination. Further more, in Clinical Skilled Examination 3 Mandatory stations are also required to clear.
Validity: Theory Component of NLE will be valid for 5 years. In 5 years CSE required to be clear, otherwise candidate failing to qualify CSE in 5 years, will required to clear whole NLE Exam again.
Detailed syllabus for NLE 2022 is published on PMC website. You can download it here. NLE Exam 2022 Syllabus.
National Licensing Exam 2022 for Foreign Graduates
Foreign graduates who are interested to work in Pakistan will require to qualify National Licensing Exam. After qualifying NLE, they will be given Provisional License and will be eligible for House Job in Pakistan. On completion of House Job, permanent License will be granted to them.
Registration for NLE STEP-2 for foreign graduates are already started. For Step-2 registration visit https://nle-medical.pmc.gov.pk/Account/NLEStepIILogin
NLE Registration 2022
Registration for NLE Step-1 started for both NLE Medical and NLE Dental. There are separate NLE for Medical and Dental, so registrations are separate.
For NLE-Medical Step-1 Registration visit https://nle-medical.pmc.gov.pk/Account/Login
For NLE-Dental Step-1 Registration visit https://nle-dental.pmc.gov.pk/Account/Login
Registration for NLE STEP-2 for foreign graduates are already started. For Step-2 registration visit https://nle-medical.pmc.gov.pk/Account/NLEStepIILogin
NLE Exam 2022 Dates
NLE Exams 2022 till Jan 2023 will be conducted on the following dates. (updated)
| Exam | Dates |
| NLE Step 2 (Medical CSE) NLE Step 2 (Dental CSE) | 19th July, 2022 to 28th July, 2022 |
| NEB-2 (Medical-5th standard & Dental- 4th Standard only) (CSE) | 27th-28th July, 2022 |
| NLE Step 1 (Medical & Dental) | 1st to 4th September, 2022 |
| NLE Step 2 (Medical CSE) | 11th to 20th October, 2022 |
| NLE Step 2 (Dental CSE) | 25th to 27th October, 2022 |
| NLE Step 1 (Medical & Dental) | 1st to 5th December, 2022 |
| NEB-1(Medical & Dental) | 1st to 5th December, 2022 |
| NEB-2 (Medical-5th standard & Dental- 4th Standard only)(CSE) | 21st December, 2022 |
| NLE Step 2 (Medical CSE) | 17th to 27th January, 2023 |
| NLE Step 2 (Dental CSE) | 31st January, 2023 |
Frequently Asked Questions
NLE is for every Medical graduate?
Yes, NLE is for every Medical and Dental graduate either from foreign or National. For National graduates only those who graduate after January 2021.
NLE for Medical and Dental graduates are same?
No, there will be separate NLE for Medicine and separate for Dental.
Is there any limit on NLE Exam?
There is no Limit on NLE Exam. Student can attempt multiple times.
How many NLE Exams Every Year?
4 time a year. i-e June, September, December and March.
Passing Marks for NLE Exam?
70% marks are required to in both Theory Component as well as Clinical Skilled Examination to qualify National Licensing Exam.
