No, the MRCGP AKT is a linear, fixed-form exam, not computer-adaptive. This is worth stating clearly because the AKT now uses Item Response Theory in its analysis, and people sometimes assume IRT means adaptive. It does not: the AKT is a fixed paper, and IRT is used to maintain its standard, not to adapt the questions to you.
What the AKT format actually is
From October 2025 the MRCGP AKT is 160 single-best-answer questions in 160 minutes, a fixed paper delivered at a test centre. There is one mark per correct answer and no negative marking. It is fixed-form, so everyone sitting a paper faces the same questions in the same order, unlike an adaptive test.
How the pass mark is really set
The AKT uses Angoff standard-setting, and since February 2025 uses Item Response Theory as its primary statistical analysis of item performance and standard maintenance. IRT places item difficulty and candidate ability on a common scale so results can be equated across papers, but the exam itself remains linear. Results are reported as scaled scores where zero is the pass mark. For more, see how medical exam pass marks are set.
What would be different if it were adaptive
If the AKT were adaptive, it would choose each question based on your running ability, and difficulty would rise as you did well, with every candidate seeing a different paper, as in the AMC CAT. We cover the distinction in how computer-adaptive testing works. IRT scoring and adaptive delivery are separable, and the AKT is IRT-scored but not adaptive.
How to prepare given the linear format
With a fixed paper, put adaptivity in your practice. Chase mastery of your weak domains rather than a raw percentage, and space your revision to retain them. iatroX uses the same family of models to target your weakest topics, with free sample questions at iatroX.
Frequently asked questions
Is the MRCGP AKT adaptive? No. It is a linear, fixed-form exam of 160 single-best-answer questions. It is IRT-scored, but that is not the same as adaptive delivery.
Does IRT make the AKT adaptive? No. IRT is a way of calibrating items and maintaining the standard across papers. It can be used in a fixed-form exam like the AKT without any adaptivity.
How many questions is the AKT now? 160 questions in 160 minutes since October 2025, down from 200 in 190, with one mark per item and no negative marking.