NMC defers NExT for final year MBBS students of 2019 batch

The National Medical Commission (NMC) on Thursday (July 13) postponed the National Exit Test (NExT) for final year MBBS students of 2019 batch.

However, it was not announced whether the mock NExT, scheduled for July 28, will still be held.

“All the stakeholders are hereby informed that the National Exit Test (NEXT) examination is deferred on the advice of the Ministry, dated 11.07.2023, till further directions from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare,” the NMC said in a public notice.

Also read: One Nation, One Entrance: UGC proposes NEET-JEE merger with CUET

The mock test was to be conducted by AIIMS Delhi.

In a recently-released NExT regulations, NMC had said that the exam will be conducted in two phases with the NExT Step 1 and NExT Step 2 exams being held twice a year.

Qualifying exam to practise medicine in India

In a gazette notification, the NMC had said the NExT shall form the basis of certifying the eligibility of a medical graduate to register to practice the modern system of medicine in India and therefore serve as a licentiate examination.

It will also form the basis for determining the eligibility and ranking for the purpose of admission of those desirous of pursuing further postgraduate medical education in the country in broad medical specialities and therefore serve as an entrance examination for admission to courses of PG medical education.

After clearing the NExT Step 1, students are required to undergo an internship for one year and the same score of NExT Step 1 will be considered for their admission into postgraduate courses.

After internship, the medical students will have to clear NExT Step 2 to become eligible for obtaining licence and registration to practise modern medicine in India.

Foreign medical graduates who want to practise in India will have to appear in NExT Step 1 and do the internship and then clear NExT Step 2 to become eligible to practise in India.

The sample questions in the mock/practice test will only exemplify the pattern and format of NExT Step 1 examination, the NMC had said.

The NExT Step 1 examination will have six subject papers with respective weightage in items and time allocation.

Also read: The logic behind common entrance test for central universities

According to the NMC Act, the NExT will serve as a common qualifying final-year MBBS exam, a licentiate exam to practise modern medicine and for merit-based admission to postgraduate courses and a screening exam for foreign medical graduates who want to practise in India.
Last September, the government had invoked the provisions of the NMC Act by which the time limit for conducting the NExT exam for the final-year MBBS students was extended till September 2024.

According to the NMC Act, the commission has to conduct a common final year undergraduate medical examination, NExT, as specified by regulations, within three years of it coming into force. The Act came into force in September 2020.

(With inputs from agencies)