- By Ritesh Kumar
- Mon, 07 Aug 2023 09:51 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
The National Medical Commission (NMC) recently announced its academic calendar, which includes the introduction of the National Exit Test (NExT) starting from the MBBS batch of 2024. According to the Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) regulations of 2023, NExT step 1 is scheduled to take place in February 2028, while NExT step 2 is planned for February 2029.
The National Medical Commission (NMC) had initially announced that the MBBS batch of 2020 would be the first to take the National Exit Test (NExT). Moreover, AIIMS Delhi had planned to conduct a NExT mock test on July 28. However, the NMC later decided to cancel the mock test, and it further declared that the registration fee would be refunded to all the candidates who had enrolled for the test.
During the inauguration of various units, including an emergency department at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) Rae Bareli, Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya assured that the newly introduced National Exit Test (NExT) would not be tougher than the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test. He emphasised that students would receive their MBBS degrees from their respective colleges; however, to be eligible for a Post Graduate seat, they would need to successfully clear the NExT.
What Is NExT Exam?
According to the official notification by the National Medical Council (NMC), the National Exit Test (NExT) will be conducted for MBBS students who wish to practice modern medicine in India. NExT will serve as the Licentiate Examination to certify the eligibility of medical graduates for medical practice in the country. It will determine the eligibility and ranking for admission to Postgraduate Medical Education in various broad medical specialties, replacing NEET PG and FMGE (Foreign Medical Graduates Exam) as the entrance examination for these courses.