MCI In-principle nod to draft document on NEXT exam

New Delhi: The National Exit Test (NEXT), a common exit exam envisaged by the government to standardise medical education across the country, is one step closer to reality as the current apex medical regulator,  Board of Governors in Supersession of Medical Council of India (MCI BOG) has given its in-principle nod to the draft document on the exam.

While much details related to the exam are not available in the meeting reports, the minutes of the meeting of the MCI Board of Governors held in March 2020, clearly stated that "The Draft document for conducting the NEXT exam was approved in principle by the Board of Governors with advice to incorporate the suggestions made by the members during the discussion." 

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported in detail about the planned NEXT exam after MBBS, that would not only serve as a licentiate exam for those who have done MBBS in India as well as abroad but would also serve as a gateway to admission to the postgraduate broad- speciality medical education in the country. 

NEXT was proposed as a part of major reforms to the medical education sector put forward by the government as a part of its National Medical Commission Bill that seeks to replace the erstwhile scam-tainted MCI with a new body, National Medical Commission. The bill was cleared by both the houses of the parliament last year and the government was working on setting up of the commission when the country was struck with the current coronavirus pandemic which brought the entire functioning of the economy to an almost standstill

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The National Medical Commission act has a provision that deals with National Exit Test, that would be a common final year undergraduate medical examination, to be known as the National Exit Test, and shall be held for granting a licence to practice medicine as medical practitioners and for enrolment in the State Register or the National Register, as the case may be. As per the act the Commission shall conduct the National Exit Test through such designated authority and in such manner as may be specified by regulations.

" Any person with a foreign medical qualification shall have to qualify National Exit Test for the purpose of obtaining a licence to practice medicine as a medical practitioner and for enrolment in the State Register or the National Register, as the case may be, in such manner as may be specified by regulations," it is further added 

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NEXT would be further a gateway to the PG medical admissions in the country 

"The National Exit Test shall be the basis for admission to the postgraduate broad- speciality medical education in medical institutions which are governed under the provisions of this Act or under any other law for the time being in force and shall be done in such manner as may be specified by regulations.

It may be assumed that the policies now decided by the MCI BOG and the documents so prepared would form the basis of the scheme that would be adopted by the National Medical Commission when it comes to existence. As per the NMC act, the NEXT will come to play within three years of the introduction of the Act

" The National Exit Test shall become operational on such date, within three years from the date of commencement of this Act, as may be appointed by the Central Government, by notification," Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan had last announced in the parliament

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