NMC Releases NExT Exam Guidelines, MBBS Students/Teachers Raised Concerns About Pattern, Conduct

NExt Exam: A number of medical students, teachers, and leaders of medical organisations have expressed concerns about the structure, goals, and implementation of the National Exit Test (NExT) in the days since the National Medical Commission (NMC) requested comments on the proposed draft regulations related to NExT.

Additionally, they questioned the timing of the restrictions while asserting that the proposed regulations will cause the medical coaching industry to experience a boom.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued draft guidelines for the NExT. The exam will be held in two steps, one in December and the other in March. It will replace the National Eligibility Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET PG).

NExT Step 1

Last-year medical students can take the NExT Step 1 online multiple-choice exam. It will have six papers that cover third- and fourth-year MBBS subjects.

Internships are available to students who pass both the internship exam and the university’s final practical or clinical exam.

According to experts, the MCQ structure of the Step 1 questions would lead to reducing students to enrol in clinical subjects.

According to the NMC draft, the MCQ questions will cover more advanced subject areas related to the competencies anticipated of a graduate practising a modern system of medicine or an Indian medical graduate.

6 Papers in 5 days

Students must complete six exams over the course of five days, with two sessions every day. It is a biassed and unsuitable attitude, according to Dr. Shankul Dwivedi, a member of the standing committee of the junior physicians’ network of the InTodian Medical Association (IMA).

Which MBBS Batch to Take NExT

The NMC has not yet specified which batch of MBBS students will take the NExT exam first. The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences will conduct the NEET PG 2023 exam on March 5.

Students who have completed their MBBS programmes and internships will take the exam. The central government extended the window for launching the NExT exam till 2024 in September 2022.