September 30, 2022, New Delhi, NExT Examination: The Central Government has extended the National Exit Test (NExT) deadline for MBBS final-year students till September 2024.
Although there has been no official announcement that the NExT won’t take place in 2023, the Union Health Ministry’s gazette notification on September 23, 2022, invoking section 59 of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, states that the rules for holding the exam have not yet been set and that the development of an examination cell is in progress.
The NMC Act mandates that within three years of its implementation, the commission must conduct a common undergraduate medical examination (called NExT) for the final year MBBS students for them to secure admission to medical PG courses, and further, practise medicine in India. The NMC Act came into force in September 2020.
NExT will serve as a single final-year MBBS qualifying exam, a licensing exam to practise modern medicine, a merit-based postgraduate course entrance, and a screening exam for international medical graduates who wish to practise in India.
According to official sources, the NEET-PG exam takes place around April or May of every year, and as NExT is supposed to replace the former, the exam must be conducted in April or May as well.
The officials further added that conducting an exam includes preparations such as working out the logistics and determining the curriculum, type and format of the exam—such as whether it will be an analytical test or a multiple-choice test—as well as the number of tests and necessary regulations.
They also added that mock exams must be conducted, it must be decided which agency will administer the exam and that students must be given enough time to prepare for the new exam. For these reasons, NExT is to be conducted only when all the prior arrangements have been made.
As per the official sources, NExt is crucial because it will be the same for all MBBS students, whether they were trained in India or overseas. This will address the issue of foreign medical graduates (FMGs).
NExT Examination – Details
- The National Exit Test (NExT) will replace the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Post Postgraduate (NEET PG) in the coming years.
- The government has extended the NExT deadline till September 2024.
- It will also serve as a single final-year MBBS qualifying exam.
- In addition to this, it will also serve as a merit-based postgraduate course entrance and a screening exam for international medical graduates who wish to practise in India.
- According to official sources, the NEET-PG exam takes place around April or May of every year, and as NExT is supposed to replace the former, the exam has to be conducted in April or May likewise.
- The NExt is crucial because it will be the same for all MBBS students, whether they were trained in India or overseas. This will address the issue of foreign medical graduates (FMGs).
NExT Examination – Delay Reasons
- According to officials, conducting an exam requires prior preparations such as working out the logistics and determining the curriculum, type, and format of the exam. Mock exams must also be conducted, and it must be decided which agency will administer the exam. Furthermore, students must be given enough time to prepare for the new exam. The delay allows more time to set up all these prior arrangements.
- As per the Union Health Ministry’s official notification, the rules for holding the exam have not yet been set and the development of an examination cell is in progress.
NExT Examination – National Medical Commission (NMC) Act
- The National Medical Commission (NMC) Act legalises the existence of the National Exit Test (NExT) exam.
- The NMC Act came into existence in September 2020.
- The NMC Act mandates that within three years of its implementation, the commission must conduct a common undergraduate medical examination – called NExT – for the final year MBBS students for them to secure admission to medical PG courses, and further, practise medicine in the country. The NMC Act came into force in September 2020.
- Section 59 of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act states the rules and regulations for conducting the exam are yet to be formulated and the development of an examination cell is under process.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the full form of NExT?
The full form of NExT is the National Exit Test.
What is the NExT examination?
NExT is a proposed examination for all MBBS students in India. Clearing the exam is required for a student to pass the final year of the medical course and secure admission to medical postgraduate courses or obtain a licence to practise medicine in India. It is also expected to replace NEET in the coming years. Admissions to postgraduate courses will be based on the merit of a candidate in NExT.
What is the full form of the NEET PG?
The NEET PG exam stands for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Post (Postgraduate).
