How will NExT be Conducted? NMC Invites Feedback from Stakeholders

New Delhi: Amidst the debate and uncertainty regarding the conduct of the National Exit Test (NExT), the National Medical Commission (NMC) has now made the issue open to all the stakeholders.

Through a recent notice, the Apex Medical Commission has asked the stakeholders to submit their feedback on the NMC National Exit Test Regulations, 2023, by 07.02.2024.

The feedback form, which can be accessed at the link mentioned in the notice attached below, asks the stakeholders including the students, faculty, institute, and others various questions on the proposed common exit cum licentiate examination.

They have been asked to submit their opinion on whether the NExT exam should replace the conventional MBBS final year exam, held separately in addition to the MBBS final year exam, or be conducted in any other manner. 

Stakeholders have been asked to share their opinions on various aspects such as the time manner of the NExT exam (retrospective/prospective/other).

They have also been asked what the NExT exam should comprise of- NExT 1 (MCQs), NExT 1 (Theory), NExT 2 (practical/clinical). Further, NMC has also asked their feedback on the pattern of the part 1 and part 2 of the exam. In respect of NExT 1, they have been asked whether the exam should be computer based comprising MCQs, or it should be essay based comprising of theory questions. Similarly, the feedback form also includes questions regarding the NExT 2- whether it should be a theory or practical/clinical-based test.

NMC has also invited the opinions of the stakeholders regarding the NExT syllabus. They have been asked whether the syllabus should only include Part 2 of the final year MBBS, or both Part 1 and Part 2 of the final year MBBS, or whether it should comprise all 4 years of the MBBS course.

Further, the feedback form also includes questions regarding the number of supplementary chances allowed for the exam (one/two/other), and the number of NExT exams and counselling conducted in an academic year etc.

NMC has also told the stakeholders to share their opinions on whether the NExT exam should serve as a qualifying exam for the MBBS final year exam, as a licentiate exam, or as an entrance examination for the PG course. The said form also contains an open-ended feedback field regarding the regulations. 

The apex medical regulator opened the NExT Regulations 2023 for comments based on the recommendations given by the Union Health Ministry committee. Referring to this, the Policy and Coordination Division of NMC mentioned in the notice dated 24.01.2024, "As per the recommendations of the Committee constituted by the approval of Honorable Minister of Health & Family Welfare to examine the implementation/preparation of conducting the National Exit Test (NExT) exam, the valuable feedback of all the stakeholders is invited by the NMC."

"In this regard the stakeholders are requested to go-through the NMC, National Exit Test Regulations, 2023, which can be accessed at https://www.nmc.org.in/rules-regulations/nmc-national-exit-test-regulations-2023," it further mentioned.

Inviting comments and feedback from the stakeholders, the Apex medical commission further asked All the concerned stakeholders are hereby  to submit their feedback by filling up the feedback form at the link latest by 07.02.2024. ( NOTE- A typo in the original notice mentions year date as 2023. This will be corrected to 2024 NMC officials informed Medical Dialogues team at the time of writing this story)

The issue of the NExT exam has been making waves in the medical fraternity ever since its first announcement. Although last year NMC released the NExT regulations and announced conducting the exam for the 2019 MBBS batch, it was ultimately put on hold for an indefinite time. 

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that NMC NExT Regulations, 2023, were published in the official Gazette on June 28, 2023. "These Regulations shall come into force at once from the date of their publication in the official Gazette," mentioned the apex medical commission.

In fact, a mock test for NExT exam was scheduled to be held on July 28 and it was decided that the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi would conduct the mock test.

However, opposing the decision to conduct the NExT exam for the 2019 batch, the students and doctors termed it to be a violation of the NMC Act, 2019. Referring to the 2019 Act, the doctors pointed out that the 2019 MBBS batch started on August 1, 2019, i.e. the batch started before the publication of the NMC Act 2019. Therefore, the doctors argued that conducting NExT for the 2019 batch would be a violation of the NMC Act 2019.

Even though NMC had announced that the NExT exam would be implemented from the 2019 MBBS batch, the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced at an event at AIIMS Raipur that there will be no NExT Exam for the 2019 MBBS Batch and the exam will not replace the final MBBS examinations.

Consequently, based on the directions and advice of the Union Health Ministry, NMC deferred the NExT examination until further notice from the Ministry.

Later, the NExT mock test scheduled to be held on July 28, 2023, was also cancelled and since then there has been no intimation from the side of the NMC regarding the issue of conducting NExT, the common exit cum licentiate examination.

Thereafter, the Union Health Ministry has constituted a seven-member committee to look into the preparedness of States and medical colleges for the implementation of the exam for the final year MBBS students of the 2020 batch.

Based on the recommendations of the Health Ministry committee, NMC has now sought feedback from the stakeholders regarding the manner of conducting the NExT examination. Stakeholders have been asked to submit their response by 07.02.2024.

To view the NMC notice, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/nmc-next-notice-230915.pdf

Also Read: NExT exam for 2020 MBBS batch: Health Ministry forms Committee to examine preparedness of medical colleges