NEXT or NO NEXT? Union Health Ministry to oppose Exit Exam after MBBS, says report
New Delhi: The controversial Exit Exam after MBBS may not find its place in the upcoming medical policy as the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has decided to reject the proposal to have a common centralised exit exam (NEXT) for MBBS students, reports the New Indian Express.
Medical Dialogues had reported about the recently released draft of the National Education Policy that was submitted to the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development. The HRD ministry then forwarded the draft to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to seek its views on the recommendations made by the draft
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Amongst various suggestions on the reform of medical education in the country, the draft recommended Centralised exit examination for MBBS education stating
While analysing the various recommendation, sources in the health ministry informed the New Indian Express that the ministry will oppose the NEXT recommendation.
“We have received the communiqué and deliberations are on about various suggestions related to medical education but we have decided to oppose the clause related to a single exit examination,” a senior official in the medical education section of Health Ministry informed the New Indian Express.
Finally, the government agreeing to demands of students to scrap an additional exam recommended that
Read Also: National Exit Exam to be Merged With Final year MBBS Exam: Rajya Sabha Committee Decision
Medical Dialogues had reported about the recently released draft of the National Education Policy that was submitted to the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development. The HRD ministry then forwarded the draft to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to seek its views on the recommendations made by the draft
Read Also: CPS PG Diplomas should be promoted to meet specialist shortfall: National Education Policy
Amongst various suggestions on the reform of medical education in the country, the draft recommended Centralised exit examination for MBBS education stating
Just as the NEET has been introduced as a common entrance examination for the MBBS, a common exit examination for the MBBS will be introduced (as has been suggested in the National Medical Commission Bill) that will play a dual role as also the entrance examination for admission into postgraduate programmes. This exit examination will be administered at the end of the fourth year of the MBBS so that students are relieved of the burden of studying for a separate, competitive entrance examinations at the end of their residency period. With the entrance examination out of the way, they can spend their residency period acquiring valuable skills and competence. Similar common exit examinations can also be conducted for dental education and other disciplines as needed.
While analysing the various recommendation, sources in the health ministry informed the New Indian Express that the ministry will oppose the NEXT recommendation.
“We have received the communiqué and deliberations are on about various suggestions related to medical education but we have decided to oppose the clause related to a single exit examination,” a senior official in the medical education section of Health Ministry informed the New Indian Express.
Controversial NEXT
The Proposal to have a common exit exam after MBBS has been a matter of debate ever since it was first proposed by the National Medical Commission Bill in 2016, when it was proposed as an additional licentiate exam after MBBS.
The clause became a bone of contention between the medical fraternity and the government, with thousands of young doctors taking to streets opposing an additional exam as a license to practice. The government on the other hand had justified the clause as bringing uniformity in the quality of medical education in the country.
Finally, the government agreeing to demands of students to scrap an additional exam recommended that
Having considered the common demand by the students not to subject them to an additional licentiate exam for the purpose of getting license to practice, the Cabinet has approved that thefinal MBBS examination would be held as a common exam throughout the country and wouldserve as an exit test to be called the National Exit Test (NEXT). Thus, the students would not have to appear in a separate exam after MBBS to get license to practice. NEXT would also serveas the screening test for doctors with foreign medical qualifications in order to practice in India.
Read Also: National Exit Exam to be Merged With Final year MBBS Exam: Rajya Sabha Committee Decision
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