Breaking News: NMC finally defers NExT exam
New Delhi: The National Exit Test (NExT) examination has now been deferred till further notice from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
Confirmation in this regard has been issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC) in a public notice issued today. NMC informed in the notice that the NExT examination has been deferred on the advice of the Ministry.
"All the stakeholders are hereby informed that the National Exit Test (NExT) examination is deferred on the advice of the Ministry, dated 11.07.2023, till further directions from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare," stated the letter issued by NMC Secretary Dr. Pulkesh Kumar.
The NMC notice was shared by Dr. Yogender Malik, a member of the NMC Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB).
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that medical students across the country were confused over the implementation of the NExT examination. While previously it was announced that the exam will be implemented from the 2019 MBBS batch, the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced at a recent 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.
During an event held at AIIMS Raipur, the Health Minister addressed the query raised by a doctor/student regarding the upcoming NExT examination and replied, "There is no need for students to take any stress. I am not bringing 2019 batch under the criteria of NExT. I will be bringing 2020 batch under the ambit of NExT. Therefore, there will be no NExT this year."
"Further, final exam will not be replaced with NExT, rather the NEET PG exam will be replaced with NExT and this will be linked to medical registration. So, doctors will get their degree but to practice they will have to clear NExT. Both the Government and the NMC will not take any decision that will cause confusion among the students," the Minister further added.
Despite the announcement from the Health Minister, there was no official announcement from the National Medical Commission (NMC) and students were seeking clarity regarding the examination.
Protest against NExT examination:
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.
However, opposing the decision of conducting the NExT exam for the 2019 batch, the students and doctors termed it to be a violation of the NMC Act, 2019. Students had been protesting across the country against the implementation of the examination for the 2019 batch.
According to Section 49 of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, "(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, any student who was studying for a degree, diploma or certificate in any medical institution immediately before the commencement of this Act shall continue to so study and complete his course for such degree, diploma or certificate, and such institution shall continue to provide instructions and examination for such student in accordance with the syllabus and studies as existed before such commencement, and such student shall be deemed to have completed his course of study under this Act and shall be awarded degree, diploma or certificate under this Act."
Referring to this, 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. The doctors argued that conducting NExT for the 2019 batch would be violation of the NMC Act 2019.
Following the announcement from the Health Minister that there will be no NExT exam for the 2019 MBBS batch, the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) wrote to the Health Minister. Seeking official statement in this regard, FORDA said, "...we greatly appreciate the recent social media video in which you Honnurahle Minister mentioned excluding the 2019 batch of medical students from the NExT While this announcement brings some relief, we emphasize the importance of issuing an official written statement on behalf of the NMC. A written communication from the NMC would provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the affected students. enabling them to plan their academic and professional trajectories with confidence."
Last Monday, seeking clarity regarding the implementation of the NExT examination for the 2019 MBBS batch, a social and political activist filed a Right to Information (RTI) application.
Referring to the announcement made by the Health Minister regarding the NExT examination, activist Dr. Vivek Pandey filed an RTI application and demanded clarity and official information in this context.
"Please provide the official information on above quoted statement of health minister that MBBS 2019 batch is not going to give upcoming Next examination," he stated in the RTI application.
Earlier, Dr. Pandey also expressed his grievance to the Union Health Ministry regarding the matter and sought one time relaxation for the MBBS 2019 batch for the upcoming NExT examination.
Previously, opposing the implementation of NExT examination, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) claimed that the NExT examination cannot be conducted until NMC makes sure that there is a uniform standard of medical education across the medical institutes in the country.
The association also appealed to the Central Government and sought its intervention. It has also prayed for directions upon the NMC for reconsidering the proposal for NExT.
With the NMC Notice, the NExT examination has now been deferred until further orders from the Health Ministry. However, there is still no clarity regarding the future of NExT examination, which was announced back in the year 2019.
To view the NMC notice on NExT, click on the link below:
https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/nmc-public-notice-on-next-214162.pdf
