Direct NMC to Reconsider Proposal for NExT Exam, IMA Urges Central Govt

New Delhi: The proposal for the upcoming National Exit Test (NExT) examination is being opposed by the medical fraternity across the country. While some of the doctors are pointing out the problems of implementing the examination without a uniform standard of medical education in India, some of the doctors/students are worried over the implementation of the exam for the MBBS batch 2019-2020.

Opposing the implementation of the National Exit Test (NExT), the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has claimed that the NExT examination cannot be conducted until the National Medical Commission (NMC) makes sure that there is a uniform standard of medical education across the medical institutes in the country.

The association has appealed to the Central Government and sought its intervention. It has also prayed for directions upon the NMC for reconsidering the proposal for NExT.

IMA has opined that before the National Exit Test (NExT) gets implemented for Indian medical college students, it is necessary for the authorities to hold detailed discussions with the stakeholders and address all the concerns in this regard.

Meanwhile, the Students' Central Association ( SCA) 2023-24, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Kangra at Tanda condemned the NMC decision of conducting NExT Step-1 examination for MBBS Batch 2019-20.

The NMC last week issued the NExT (National Exit Test) Regulations 2023, stating that the exam will be held in two phases, with the NExT Step 1 and NExT Step 2 exams being held twice a year.

In a gazette notification, the NMC said that NExT shall form the basis of certifying the eligibility of a medical graduate to register to practise 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.

Objection from IMA: 

In a statement, the IMA said nearly 50 per cent of the total medical colleges in India were started just 10-15 years and the standards of such colleges cannot be compared to those with well-trained teachers and established systems.

“That too AIIMS conducting NExT will be detrimental to the students of newly started medical colleges. A minimum common standard of education should be ensured prior to uniform examination by periodic assessment and upgradation,” it added.

The IMA further said creating an exit test for a medical licence for Indian medical graduates is “mocking at our own system”. The doctors’ body said it is certainly required for foreign medical graduates since the NMC has no control over their standard of education, it stated.

Further, the association pointed out that a licensing exam and a PG entrance exam can never be the same as their purposes are entirely different. A licensing exam should assess the lowest minimum standard while an entrance exam would assess the best merit among students, it said.

“If at all a central exam is being conducted for licensing, the set of questions should be different from that for PG entrance,” the IMA said.

“It is mentioned that the testing will be based on high-quality MCQs. This is an injustice to the underprivileged sections of society especially in rural areas of the country who wouldn’t be able to practise medicine in spite of getting entry into MBBS courses, following the norms set up by the state and undergoing courses in colleges approved by the NMC. MCQ testing would not be the ideal method of testing the skills and acumen of the students,” it stated.

Apart from this, the association also pointed out that India witnessed a surge of new medical colleges due to the central government’s willpower and commitment and in the last six-seven years, more than 300 new medical colleges have started. A national exit test for a licence to practise will defuse the entire effort of the central government of opening up all these new medical colleges, it said.

The NExT for licence will lead to frustrated medical students on the verge of becoming doctors but denied a practice, which would discourage aspiring students from joining medical colleges over uncertainty, the doctors’ body said.

Ultimately, all new medical colleges would be deprived of students and forced to close because without establishing a uniform medical education standard, a common national exit exam for licensing had been forced upon the students, it added.

The statement said the IMA and its medical students’ network are deeply concerned about NExT being inflicted unilaterally on the nation. “The whole exercise of NExT has been a grossly one-sided affair without listening to the legitimate concerns of the medical students and the profession. IMA rejects NExT in toto for its anti-students content,” the association said.

“Under these circumstances, we appeal to the central government to intervene and instruct NMC to reconsider the proposal for NExT,” the statement said.

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