Fact Check: Beware of Fake NExT exam Alert that is viral on social media

New Delhi: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued a clarification on the fake notification that has been going viral on Twitter claiming that the National Exit Test (NExT) will be held in the second half of 2023 and Part I of the examination will be conducted by All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

While medical students in India and medical graduates from abroad are waiting with bated breath for any clarification regarding the National Exit Test (NExT), which will serve as a common exit and licentiate exam in the country, a viral NMC notification had earlier today set Twitter on fire.

The NMC clarification states: 

Meanwhile, addressing the speculations of the common exit cum licentiate examination being held in the later half of 2023 and the assumption that the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi will be in charge of conducting NEXT Part I, a member of the Apex medical commission informed Medical Dialogues that clarity in this regard is likely to come after the meeting. 

"Conjecture regarding the National Exit Test (NEXT) is most likely to come to an end next week in the meeting of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Advisory Board and the NMC Members," an NMC official confirmed to Medical Dialogues.

This comes after a viral document on social media claimed that NEXT will be held in the second half of 2023 and Part I of the examination will be conducted by AIIMS.

Even though there is no official announcement in this regard on the NMC website, the concerned notice is doing rounds on the internet and it has already become viral.

As per the viral notice, which seems to be interdepartmental by nature, the Director of UG Medical Education Board of NMC, Shambhu Sharan Kumar has written to the Director of Medical Education of all the States and Union Territories and informed about conducting NEXT in the second half of 2023.

The viral NMC communication mentioned, "As per notice D-11011/532/2023/AC dated 26.05.23, the meeting was held on the date of 07.06.23 and it is to be informed that the upcoming exam National Exit Test (NEXT), is finalised to be held in the second half of 2023. The detailed schedule along with its rules and regulations will be disclosed shortly."

"As per the conclusion of meeting it has been decided that commencement of exams will be immediately 30 days after the schedule is published. It is also to be informed the National Exit Test (NEXT) part I will be conducted by All India institute of medical sciences," it further added.

Also Read: NExT regulations to be placed before NMC next month: Report

Several members of the medical fraternity Tweeted about the fake NMC notice and some of them claimed it to be authentic. Meanwhile, sources in the Commission informed Medical Dialogues that this is a piece of fake news.

"The issue will be clarified further after the meetings scheduled on 14th June. Until then, I cannot comment where or not this is authentic/fake," another official associated with the Commission informed on the condition of anonymity.

This notice has doing rounds on the internet when recently senior officials in the medical education division of the Union Health Ministry recently informed a leading Daily that NMC has written to the Health Ministry asking for allowing AIIMS to organise this year's NEXT and the Commission is currently waiting for the approval from the Health Ministry.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that NExT, a common exit exam envisaged by the government to standardize medical education across the country, was proposed by NMC as a part of the bill passed in the year 2019.

Section 15 of the NMC Act provides for the conduct of a common final year undergraduate examination, to be known as the National Exit Test (NExT) which shall be the basis for Registration to practice medicine, admission to PG medical courses and Screening Test for foreign medical graduates to practice modern medicine.

The NExT was supposed to be operational within three years from the commencement of the NMC Act, 2019 and conducted through a designated authority and in such a manner as may be specified by regulations. The Act came into force in September 2020.

While NExT was set to be held in 2023, several decisions regarding the conduction of the test remained undecided. Amidst this, the National Board of Examinations (NBE) announced that it would conduct NEET PG for 2023. Last year, official sources informed the ANI that the exam would be conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi. However, there was no official confirmation in this regard.

Although NMC finally released the proposed draft regulations related to NExT and put an end to the speculations regarding the manner of exam and other details, it did not specify which body would conduct the test.

Medical Dialogues had last month reported that in a letter written to the Director of Medical Education of all States / UTs, Shambhu Sharan Kumar, Director of UG Medical Education Board of NMC stated, "The National Exit Test (NExT) Regulations are likely to be finalized shortly and would be placed before the NMC in the next meeting to be scheduled in June 2023. In order to finalize the date of the National Exit Test (NExT), the status regarding completion of the current batches of final MBBS professional course. is required... It is therefore, requested that the likely date of the completion of current batches of final MBBS course in the Medical Colleges of your respective States/UTs may be intimated to NMC on or before 31st May, 2023."