Free Practice Questions for NHPC BMLT

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Key Facts: NHPC BMLT Exam

100

Four-option MCQs on the exam

50/100

Pass marks

None

Negative marking

NPR 3,000

Regular-window exam fee

NHPC's BMLT licensing exam is a computer-based test of 100 four-option MCQs with a pass mark of 50/100 and no negative marking. The 19th sitting (Asoj 2083) used 90-minute sessions. Microbiology, clinical biochemistry and hematology/blood banking each carry 20% of the syllabus.

Sample NHPC BMLT Practice Questions

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

1In the Gram staining procedure, which reagent is applied first as the primary stain?

A.Safranin

B.Gram's iodine

C.Crystal violet

D.Acetone-alcohol

Explanation: Crystal violet is the primary stain and colours every bacterial cell purple. Iodine then fixes it as a crystal violet-iodine complex, the decolorizer removes it from Gram-negative cells, and safranin counterstains those cells pink.

2A Giemsa-stained bone marrow aspirate from a patient with suspected kala-azar is examined. Which finding identifies Leishmania donovani (LD bodies)?

A.Free trypomastigotes with an undulating membrane lying in the plasma

B.Intracellular oval bodies with a nucleus and a rod-like kinetoplast

C.Banana-shaped gametocytes lying inside red cells

D.Large cysts containing many protoscolices and hooklets

Explanation: LD bodies are amastigotes about 2-4 µm long that live inside macrophages. Each shows a nucleus and a small rod-shaped kinetoplast lying at right angles to it, which separates them from fungi such as Histoplasma.

3Which plating medium is both selective and differential for recovering Salmonella and Shigella from a stool culture?

A.Nutrient agar slope

B.Sabouraud dextrose agar with chloramphenicol

C.Lowenstein-Jensen egg medium

D.Xylose lysine deoxycholate (XLD) agar

Explanation: XLD agar uses deoxycholate to suppress Gram-positive flora, sugar fermentation with phenol red to separate fermenters, and thiosulfate with ferric ammonium citrate to show H2S. Salmonella typically gives red colonies with black centres; Shigella gives red colonies without black centres.

4In Ziehl-Neelsen staining of sputum for acid-fast bacilli, what is the decolorizing step designed to remove?

A.Carbol fuchsin from cells that are not acid-fast

B.Methylene blue from the background

C.Crystal violet from Gram-negative cells

D.Iodine from the cell walls of mycobacteria

Explanation: After hot carbol fuchsin, an acid decolorizer (3% acid-alcohol, or 25% sulfuric acid in many TB programmes) strips the red dye from everything except acid-fast bacilli, whose mycolic-acid-rich walls hold it. Methylene blue is then applied as the counterstain.

5A catalase-positive, Gram-positive coccus in clusters is isolated from a wound. Which test best separates Staphylococcus aureus from coagulase-negative staphylococci?

A.Oxidase test

B.Bile solubility test

C.Tube coagulase test

D.Urease test

Explanation: S. aureus produces free coagulase, which clots plasma in the tube coagulase test, while coagulase-negative staphylococci such as S. epidermidis do not. Catalase has already shown the organism is a staphylococcus rather than a streptococcus.

6Which combination of forms is usually seen in a thin peripheral blood film from a patient with Plasmodium falciparum malaria?

A.Mature schizonts in almost every field and no ring forms

B.Small ring forms, often several per cell, with crescent gametocytes

C.Enlarged red cells with Schuffner's dots and amoeboid trophozoites

D.Band-form trophozoites stretched across normal-sized red cells

Explanation: In falciparum malaria the peripheral film typically shows small rings, multiple infections of one red cell and banana-shaped gametocytes. Later stages sequester in deep capillaries, so schizonts are rarely seen except in severe infection.

7A gravity-displacement autoclave is run at about 15 psi (103 kPa) above atmospheric pressure. What standard holding temperature and time does this give?

A.100°C for 60 minutes

B.160°C for 2 hours

C.134°C for 30 seconds

D.121°C for 15 minutes

Explanation: Saturated steam at about 15 psi reaches 121°C, and a 15-minute holding time at that temperature kills vegetative organisms and bacterial spores. Larger or denser loads need longer cycles.

8Which biological indicator is used to check the efficacy of an ethylene oxide sterilization cycle?

A.Spores of Bacillus atrophaeus

B.Spores of Geobacillus stearothermophilus

C.Vegetative cells of Escherichia coli

D.Spores of Clostridium perfringens

Explanation: Bacillus atrophaeus spores are the standard challenge organism for ethylene oxide and dry heat. Geobacillus stearothermophilus is used for steam and hydrogen peroxide processes because its spores are highly resistant to moist heat.

9A saline wet mount of stool shows barrel-shaped eggs about 50 µm long with a clear plug at each end. Which parasite is present?

A.Taenia species

B.Schistosoma haematobium

C.Trichuris trichiura

D.Fasciola hepatica

Explanation: Trichuris trichiura (whipworm) eggs are barrel- or lemon-shaped, brown and have prominent bipolar mucoid plugs. They measure roughly 50-55 by 20-25 µm.

10A patient has joint pain and fever three weeks after a sore throat. Which serological test supports a recent Streptococcus pyogenes infection?

A.Widal tube agglutination test

B.Anti-streptolysin O (ASO) titre

C.VDRL flocculation test

D.Weil-Felix agglutination test

Explanation: The ASO test measures antibodies against streptolysin O, a haemolysin made by group A streptococci. A raised or rising titre supports recent infection, which is relevant in rheumatic fever and post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis.

About the NHPC BMLT Exam

The NHPC BMLT Licensing Examination is the Nepal Health Professional Council's Name Registration Certificate Examination for B.Sc. MLT / BMLT graduates; passing it is required for registration to practise in Nepal. This free practice bank follows the nine areas and weights of the official NHPC licensing syllabus.

Exam sponsor: Nepal Health Professional Council. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Computer-based exam of 100 four-option MCQs (full marks 100, pass marks 50) with no negative marking. Questions follow the 2021 NHPC B.Sc. MLT/BMLT licensing syllabus weights: microbiology 20%, clinical biochemistry 20%, hematology and blood banking 20%, histocytopathology 15%, anatomy and physiology 10%, health policy 5%, research and biostatistics 5%, clinical pharmacology 3%, NHPC and ethics 2%.

Time Limit

90-minute sessions in the 19th examination timetable (2083); an earlier NHPC rules notice lists 2 hours.

Passing Score

50 out of 100 marks

Exam / Certification Fees

NPR 3,000 within the regular window; NPR 6,000 (double fee) in the late window (19th examination notice, 2083).

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.

20%

Medical Microbiology

Biosafety and waste disposal, sterilization, culture media, staining, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, bacteriology, parasitology, virology, mycology and immunology.

20%

Clinical Biochemistry

Laboratory glassware and instrumentation, analytical methods, organ function tests, metabolic disorders, electrolytes and quality control.

20%

Hematology & Blood Banking

Blood cell counts and morphology, anemias and leukemias, hemostasis tests, blood grouping, compatibility testing and transfusion safety.

15%

Histocytopathology

Fixation, tissue processing, microtomy, routine and special stains, immunohistochemistry and cytology techniques.

10%

Human Anatomy and Physiology

Structure and function of the body systems that underpin laboratory medicine.

Health Policy & Health System of Nepal

National health policy, the structure of Nepal's health system and laboratory services.

Research Methodology and Biostatistics

Study designs, sampling, descriptive statistics and test-performance measures.

Clinical Pharmacology

Drug actions and drug effects relevant to laboratory testing.

NHPC and Code of Ethics

The role of the Nepal Health Professional Council and professional conduct.

Preparing for the NHPC BMLT Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 50 out of 100 marks
Assessment: Computer-based exam of 100 four-option MCQs (full marks 100, pass marks 50) with no negative marking. Questions follow the 2021 NHPC B.Sc. MLT/BMLT licensing syllabus weights: microbiology 20%, clinical biochemistry 20%, hematology and blood banking 20%, histocytopathology 15%, anatomy and physiology 10%, health policy 5%, research and biostatistics 5%, clinical pharmacology 3%, NHPC and ethics 2%.
Time limit: 90-minute sessions in the 19th examination timetable (2083); an earlier NHPC rules notice lists 2 hours.
Exam / certification fees: NPR 3,000 within the regular window; NPR 6,000 (double fee) in the late window (19th examination notice, 2083). 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

NHPC BMLT: Suggested Study Strategy

1Use the NHPC syllabus weights to plan your time: microbiology, clinical biochemistry and hematology/blood banking together make up 60% of the marks.

2Practise interpreting Gram, Ziehl-Neelsen and peripheral blood film findings rather than just memorising stain recipes.

3Review quality control (Levey-Jennings charts and Westgard rules), reference ranges and common calculations such as the Friedewald LDL estimate.

4Do not skip the small sections on health policy, research methods, clinical pharmacology and NHPC ethics; together they carry 15 marks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the passing score for the NHPC BMLT licensing examination?

NHPC's computer-based exam rules set full marks at 100 and the pass mark at 50.

Is there negative marking in the NHPC BMLT exam?

No. NHPC's rules state that wrong answers carry no negative marks. Each question has four options and you mark one.

How long is the exam?

The 19th Name Registration Certificate Examination (Asoj 2083) timetable scheduled 90-minute sessions. An earlier NHPC rules notice lists 2 hours, so always check your admit card and the current timetable.

How much does the exam cost?

For the 19th examination, the fee was NPR 3,000 within the regular application window and NPR 6,000 (double fee) in the late window.