NMC Extends Deadline for Submitting Comments on National Exit Test Regulations 2023
New Delhi: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has extended the deadline for submitting feedback on the NMC National Exit Test Regulations, 2023 by 10 days.
Earlier the Apex Medical Commission had asked the stakeholders to submit their comments/suggestions/feedback on the rules for conducting the proposed National Exit Test (NExT) by 07.02.2024. However, now the Commission has extended the deadline till 17.02.2024.
Issuing a public notice in this regard on 08.02.2024, the Commission mentioned, "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 was invited by the NMC with the last date of feedback submission being 07.02.2024."
Announcing its decision to extend the deadline, NMC further mentioned in the notice, "In this regard as per the stakeholders requests the last date of submission stands revised with extension of 10 more days."
NMC has asked all the concerned stakeholders to submit their feedback by filling up the feedback form at the link latest by 17.02.2024.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that amidst the debate and uncertainty regarding the conduct of NExT exam, NMC made the issue open to all the stakeholders. Recently, issuing a notice, the Apex Medical Commission asked the stakeholders to submit their feedback on the NMC National Exit Test Regulations, 2023, by 07.02.2024.
The feedback form asks the stakeholders including the students, faculty, institute, and others various questions on the proposed common exit cum licentiate examination.
Also Read: How will NExT be Conducted? NMC Invites Feedback from Stakeholders
They were 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, pattern, method of the exam including the question time, and syllabus, 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 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.
Meanwhile, recently, submitting its feedback on the NEXT examination, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has opposed the Commission's plans for conducting the exam as it opined that since the standards of medical education across all academic institutions vary, testing the entire country with one test would not be "feasible".
In a letter addressed to the Chairman of NMC, Dr B.N.Gangadhar, the association highlighted that the medical colleges across the country are facing inadequate technical infrastructure, and faculty training and support. Therefore, IMA stated that NMC should not proceed with NExT until these prerequisites are duly satisfied.
To view the NMC notice, click on the link below:
https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/nmc-feedback-231900.pdf
Also Read: Reconsider implementation of National Exit Test: IMA to NMC
