Amid NEET Paper Leak Chaos, AYUSH Students Protest at Jantar Mantar Against NExT Exam

New Delhi: Amid the uproar and confusion regarding the paper leak in the National Eligibility-and-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2024 examination and the sudden postponement of the NEET-PG 2024 examination, the AYUSH students have started protesting against the implementation of the National Exit Test (NExT) exam. 

The videos of AYUSH students protesting against the NEXT exam have started circulating on social media platforms. Some of the users took to X (formerly Twitter) to opine that the NEXT exam should be implemented from the new session.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that NExT was made mandatory for AYUSH courses including BAMS in the newly introduced National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (National Examinations for Indian System of Medicine) Regulations, 2023, which were published in the Gazette notification dated 20.12.2023.

It had been clarified in the Gazette that the AYUSH NExT would be held for Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and SowaRigpa courses, and without passing the exam, any graduate of Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery or Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery or Bachelor of Siddha Medicine and Surgery or Bachelor of SowaRigpa Medicine and Surgery, would not be eligible for enrollment in the State Register or National Register. Similarly, the NExT exam implemented for BHMS students as well.

Also Read: NExT for BHMS! Mandatory for Students Joining Internship After November 29

However, the BAMS students had opposed the decision to implement the NExT exam for the 2019 batch of BAMS interns. Raising the issue, the AYUSH students under the National Integrated Medical Association Student Forum (NIMASF), Nagpur Branch had written to the AYUSH Minister urging him to defer the NExT exam for the 2019 batch of BAMS Interns.

In the letter directed to the AYUSH Minister, the students cited several reasons for postponing the exam. The students highlighted the implications of NEXT for BAMS interns across the nation. It also pointed out that the National Medical Commission (NMC) has already deferred the NExT exam for MBBS students until further orders from the Union Health Ministry.

"As you may be aware, the introduction of the National Exit Test (NEXT) has been a topic of considerable discussion within the medical fraternity; hence, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has already deferred further advice from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare," the association mentioned in the letter.

Explaining the reasons why NExT for BAMS students should be deferred, the association pointed out that the BAMS curriculum was recently changed for the 2021 batch, while the NEXT examination was introduced for the 2019 batch.

The videos of the AYUSH students protesting against implementing the NExT examination have started circulating on social media platforms. The students were seen holding banners saying "Why Discrimination with AYUSH Students". Pointing out that the NEXT exam was cancelled for old batches of MBBS exam, the students questioned why the same could not be done for BAMS, BUMS and BHMS students as well. Their banners highlighted their demands for "New Rules for New Batches".

Raising the issue, an X (formerly Twitter) user wrote, "The next exam should be implemented from the new session itself, as it is an additional burden for AYUSH doctors. When MBBS and pharmacy students can get exemption then why not AYUSH students?"

Also Read: NEXT now Mandatory after BAMS, BSMS, BUMS courses Regulations released

"Boycott NExT Exam For Previous Year Ayush Students, New Rules New Batch," wrote another student.

"Participated in the National Protest at janthar Mantar New Delhi against the NEET Paper leak,NEET PG Postponement & Discrimination With Ayush Students," wrote Sanjay Rajkumar, the State Secretary of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), Karnataka.

Commenting on the matter, Dr. Shubham Bobade, the Divisional Secretary of NIMA SF Maharashtra State told Medical Dialogues, "NIMA Student Forum extends support to the protest and will write a letter to the AYUSH Ministry regarding the same issue."

He informed that even though NIMA Maharashtra is not directly involved in the Delhi Protest, they are planning to meet Shri Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Ayush, who is from Maharashtra.

The protest against NEXT comes at a time when a nationwide uproar is going on against the NEET paper leak allegations and the sudden cancellation of the NEET PG 2024 examination.

This year's NEET UG 2024 examination was mired in controversies after an alleged paper leak scam came into light in Bihar. Police got involved, multiple pleas were filed before the Supreme Court and High Courts and now the investigation has been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Meanwhile, recently amid the NEET UG 2024 controversies, the Union Health Ministry postponed the NEET PG 2024 examination at the last minute, around 12 hours before the examination scheduled to take place on June 23rd, 2024.

Also Read: Losing faith in Indian Medical Education system! Doctors upset Over NEET PG 2024 Postponement