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Free Practice Questions for PGIM MD Psychiatry

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Exam pass rate: Selection is strictly by order of merit; 30 Ministry of Health places were offered in the May/June 2026 sitting.
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Key Facts: PGIM MD Psychiatry Exam

60

MCQ paper questions

10

Structured essay questions

50%

Pass mark per component

Rs. 107k

Full fee (state sector)

The PGIM Selection Examination in MD (Psychiatry) is a two-paper written examination: a 2-hour, 60-question MCQ paper, then a 3-hour, 10-question structured essay paper for candidates who score 50% or more on the MCQ. A pass requires 50% in each component.

Sample PGIM MD Psychiatry Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the PGIM MD Psychiatry exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A 24-year-old man reports that while speaking, his thoughts suddenly vanish from his mind without warning, leaving his head completely empty. He firmly believes an external agency is extracting and stealing these thoughts from his head. What combination of psychopathological phenomena is present?
A.Circumstantiality and thought broadcasting
B.Thought blocking and thought withdrawal
C.Flight of ideas and thought insertion
D.Perseveration and delusions of reference
Explanation: Thought blocking (Sperrung) is the subjective experience of a sudden and unintended cessation in the train of thought. When the patient attributes this sudden loss to an outside force physically removing the thoughts from their mind, it constitutes thought withdrawal, a Schneiderian first-rank symptom.
2During a psychiatric interview, a 32-year-old patient speaks rapidly with increased volume. Her speech moves rapidly from one topic to another, but intelligible associative links, rhymes (clang associations), and reactions to environmental distractions can still be discerned by the clinician. What is the most accurate phenomenological descriptor for this speech pattern?
A.Derailment (Knight's move thinking)
B.Thought poverty (alogia)
C.Flight of ideas
D.Asyndesis
Explanation: Flight of ideas is characterized by rapid speech with continuous shifting between ideas, where understandable associations, clang associations, puns, or environmental cues connect consecutive statements. In contrast, derailment lacks discernible logical connections between clauses.
3According to Karl Jaspers' classical phenomenological classification, which feature fundamentally distinguishes a primary (true) delusion from a secondary delusion (delusion-like idea)?
A.Primary delusions are phenomenologically irreducible and cannot be derived from any antecedent affective state or abnormal perception
B.Primary delusions always lack subjective conviction compared to secondary delusions
C.Primary delusions are culturally sanctioned whereas secondary delusions are idiosyncratic
D.Primary delusions are exclusively mood-congruent whereas secondary delusions are mood-incongruent
Explanation: Karl Jaspers defined primary (autochthonous) delusions as psychologically un-understandable and irreducible, arising directly without being derivable from other psychic phenomena such as mood, hallucinations, or previous beliefs. Secondary delusions (delusion-like ideas), by contrast, are understandable derivations from an underlying affective state, sensory disturbance, or overwhelming stressor.
4A 28-year-old man observes a red traffic light turn green. At that precise instant, without any prior deliberation, he is struck by the sudden absolute certainty that he has been appointed by the United Nations as the secret ambassador to Mars. The perception of the traffic light was entirely normal. What psychopathological phenomenon does this represent?
A.Delusional mood (Wahnstimmung)
B.Delusional memory (retrospective delusion)
C.Somatosensory hallucination
D.Delusional perception (Wahnwahrnehmung)
Explanation: A delusional perception occurs when a normal sensory perception is linked, in a two-stage process, to a private, idiosyncratic, and non-understandable delusional meaning without any logical or emotional justification. It is considered a Schneiderian first-rank symptom of schizophrenia.
5According to Victor Kandinsky and Karl Jaspers, which defining characteristic most reliably distinguishes a pseudohallucination from a true hallucination?
A.Pseudohallucinations only occur in the visual modality, whereas true hallucinations are auditory
B.Pseudohallucinations are experienced in internal subjective space and lack the quality of concrete sensory reality
C.Pseudohallucinations cannot be dismissed by an act of will, whereas true hallucinations are easily controlled
D.Pseudohallucinations are pathognomonic of schizophrenia, whereas true hallucinations occur only in organic brain syndromes
Explanation: In classical psychopathology (Jaspers and Kandinsky), pseudohallucinations are vivid mental images perceived in internal subjective space (inner mind) that lack the objective sensory reality (substantiality) and external spatial localization of true hallucinations. True hallucinations are experienced in external objective space and possess full sensory richness indistinguishable from actual perceptions.
6A 26-year-old woman hears two distinct voices speaking about her in the third person. One voice states, 'She is too weak to finish cooking,' while the other replies, 'Yes, she always fails at everything.' What is the clinical significance of these hallucinations according to Kurt Schneider?
A.They are non-specific pseudohallucinations indicating an underlying borderline personality disorder
B.They represent hypnagogic phenomena with no diagnostic significance
C.They are first-rank symptoms (FRS) characteristic of schizophrenia in the absence of organic disease
D.They are pathognomonic of organic delirium tremens
Explanation: Auditory hallucinations where voices discuss or argue about the patient in the third person are classified by Kurt Schneider as first-rank symptoms (FRS) of schizophrenia. Schneider posited that in the absence of an identifiable organic brain condition, the presence of these symptoms points strongly toward a diagnosis of schizophrenia.
7A 35-year-old man reports that whenever he turns on the bathroom tap, he immediately hears a voice mocking him coming from the room. As soon as he turns off the tap and the sound of running water ceases, the voice immediately stops. What type of perceptual abnormality is this?
A.Functional hallucination
B.Reflex hallucination (synaesthesia)
C.Extracampine hallucination
D.Pareidolic illusion
Explanation: A functional hallucination occurs when an external stimulus in one sensory modality triggers a hallucination within that exact same sensory modality (e.g. real auditory sound of running water evoking an auditory hallucinatory voice), with both the real stimulus and the hallucination coexisting simultaneously.
8A patient states that while sitting in an armchair facing a blank wall, he vividly sees his own identical body sitting in a chair opposite him, looking back at him. He recognizes that the visual apparition is an exact replica of himself. What is the precise psychopathological term for this phenomenon?
A.Extracampine hallucination
B.Charles Bonnet syndrome
C.Autoscopy (heautoscopy)
D.Capgras syndrome
Explanation: Autoscopy (or heautoscopy) is the perception of one's own physical body projected into external visual space, appearing as a mirror double or phantom. It is observed in temporal lobe epilepsy, parietal lesions, and rarely in severe functional psychosis.
9A 29-year-old man reports that his sudden bouts of laughter are not his own, explaining: 'An evil organization is transmitting electricity into my brain and forcing feelings of hilarity into me against my will.' What passivity phenomenon is this patient describing?
A.Passivity of impulse ('made' impulse)
B.Passivity of affect ('made' affect)
C.Passivity of volition ('made' volition)
D.Somatic passivity
Explanation: Passivity of affect ('made' affect) is a Schneiderian first-rank symptom wherein the patient experiences emotions or feelings (such as grief, happiness, or anger) as being imposed upon them by an external agent rather than arising from themselves.
10In descriptive psychopathology, what core feature distinguishes true somatic passivity from a bizarre somatic hallucination?
A.Somatic passivity requires the delusional belief that the bodily sensation is being deliberately engineered and inflicted by an external agency
B.Somatic hallucinations only occur in neurological disease, whereas somatic passivity occurs only in functional psychosis
C.Somatic passivity is always pleasant, whereas somatic hallucinations are painful
D.Somatic passivity is accompanied by objective physical signs of nerve root irritation
Explanation: Somatic passivity is a Schneiderian first-rank symptom where bodily sensations are experienced as alien and actively imposed by an outside agent, combining a somatic perceptual abnormality with an intrinsic passivity experience. In contrast, an isolated somatic hallucination is a false bodily perception that may be distressing or bizarre but lacks the defining experience of alien control.

About the PGIM MD Psychiatry Exam

The Selection Examination in MD (Psychiatry) is conducted by the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo, to select medical officers for the MD (Psychiatry) training programme leading to board certification as a Consultant Psychiatrist in Sri Lanka. It is set and sat in English under the 2013 Psychiatry Prospectus and its amendments.

Exam sponsor: Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Component 1 is a 2-hour MCQ paper of 60 questions. Candidates scoring 50% or more proceed to Component 2, a 3-hour structured essay question (SEQ) paper of 10 questions held several weeks later. Both components are written; the selection examination has no clinical examination or viva voce.

Time Limit

MCQ paper 2 hours; structured essay paper 3 hours, held on a later date.

Passing Score

50% or more in the MCQ paper is required to sit the structured essay paper, and 50% or more in each component is required to pass.

Exam / Certification Fees

Rs. 107,000 for state-sector candidates (Rs. 17,500 registration + Rs. 9,500 application + Rs. 80,000 examination fees); Rs. 61,500 is payable with the application and the Rs. 45,500 balance only after passing the MCQ paper. Non-state-sector candidates pay 50% more.

Exam sponsor website

Reported exam pass rate: Selection is strictly by order of merit; 30 Ministry of Health places were offered in the May/June 2026 sitting.. The PGIM publishes merit lists and pass index numbers per sitting rather than percentage pass rates. This describes exam candidates, not OpenExamPrep users or results from using our resources. Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

MCQ and SEQ papers

Descriptive Psychopathology & Phenomenological Assessment

Form and content of symptoms, Schneiderian first-rank symptoms, catatonic signs, delusional and perceptual abnormalities, insight, and the mental state examination.

MCQ and SEQ papers

Mood, Psychotic & Stress-Related Disorders

Diagnostic criteria and course of depressive, bipolar, schizophrenia-spectrum and schizoaffective disorders, suicide risk assessment, and perinatal psychiatry.

MCQ and SEQ papers

Organic Psychiatry & Substance Use

Delirium, the dementias, alcohol and substance-related disorders and withdrawal states, and autoimmune and prion neuropsychiatric presentations.

MCQ and SEQ papers

Psychopharmacology, Somatic Therapies & Law

Antipsychotic, antidepressant and mood-stabiliser pharmacology and adverse effects, ECT, rapid tranquillisation, capacity, and the Mental Diseases Ordinance of Sri Lanka.

Preparing for the PGIM MD Psychiatry Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 50% or more in the MCQ paper is required to sit the structured essay paper, and 50% or more in each component is required to pass.
  • Assessment: Component 1 is a 2-hour MCQ paper of 60 questions. Candidates scoring 50% or more proceed to Component 2, a 3-hour structured essay question (SEQ) paper of 10 questions held several weeks later. Both components are written; the selection examination has no clinical examination or viva voce.
  • Time limit: MCQ paper 2 hours; structured essay paper 3 hours, held on a later date.
  • Exam / certification fees: Rs. 107,000 for state-sector candidates (Rs. 17,500 registration + Rs. 9,500 application + Rs. 80,000 examination fees); Rs. 61,500 is payable with the application and the Rs. 45,500 balance only after passing the MCQ paper. Non-state-sector candidates pay 50% more. Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

PGIM MD Psychiatry: Suggested Study Strategy

1Master the distinction between form and content of thought, including formal thought disorders (flight of ideas, loosening of associations, perseveration).
2Memorize Schneider's first-rank symptoms of schizophrenia and their phenomenological definitions.
3Understand lithium carbonate monitoring: therapeutic serum levels (0.6–1.0 mmol/L), toxicity signs, and thyroid/renal monitoring intervals.
4Review the diagnosis and emergency management of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) vs serotonin syndrome.
5Thoroughly review management protocols for alcohol withdrawal, including CIWA scoring and chlordiazepoxide dosing regimens.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the examination format for the PGIM MD Psychiatry selection exam?

Two written papers. Component 1 is a 2-hour MCQ paper of 60 questions; candidates scoring 50% or more then sit Component 2, a 3-hour structured essay paper of 10 questions. There is no clinical or viva component.

What passing score is required?

Candidates must score 50% or more in the MCQ paper to be allowed to sit the structured essay paper, and 50% or more in each of the two papers to pass the selection examination.

What prerequisites are needed to apply for the examination?

Applicants must hold a medical degree registered with the Sri Lanka Medical Council, have satisfactorily completed an SLMC-accepted internship, and have completed one year of post-internship medical practice in Sri Lanka acceptable to the PGIM by the closing date, together with any further requirements set by the Board of Study in Psychiatry.

What degree is awarded upon completion of the training pathway?

Completion of residency training leads to the MD in Psychiatry degree and eligibility for board certification as a Consultant Psychiatrist in Sri Lanka.

Are these official PGIM examination questions?

No. These are original practice questions prepared independently by OpenExamPrep to assist candidates preparing for the PGIM MD Psychiatry selection exam.

Does this practice bank simulate the official PGIM paper format?

No. The official selection examination is a 60-question MCQ paper plus a 10-question structured essay paper. This is an independent English-language, four-option MCQ study bank by OpenExamPrep covering the same knowledge base; it is not an official paper, a format simulation, or a substitute for practising structured essay writing.