New Delhi: The National Exit Test (NEXT) draft guidelines have been released with National Medical Commission (NMC) releasing the same on December 28 and inviting suggestions from stakeholders.
With regard to the minimal common requirements of education and training for a medical graduate, the regulations aim to bring uniformity to the summative evaluation throughout India. The National Medical Commission National Exit Test Regulations, 2022, will be known as such and go into effect on the day they are published in the official gazette.
What is the National Exit Test?
National Exit Test will be applicable to undergraduate medical students pursuing MBBS degrees from colleges approved by the Undergraduate Medical Education Board and the Medical Assessment and Rating Board on behalf of the National Medical Commission.
NExT will be applicable to all foreign medical graduates approved by the NMC, who wish to obtain a license as a registered medical practitioner in India.
"However, if for previous batches the existing examinations are applicable as may be decided by the Commission Central Government, State Government, Universities, applicable laws, and rulings, then the existing examinations shall continue for such time as may be appropriate with the understanding that the NExT shall be eventually replacing the corresponding equivalent existing examinations," read the draft by NMC.
NExT exam will phase out other examinations, including MBBS and NEET PG papers.
National Exit Test: Key things to keep in mind
NExT is set to be conducted, first as a theory exam in Computer based test (CBT) mode/ online mode, with step two focusing on practical/clinical and viva examination which will cover seven subjects.
Who is Eligible? The only candidates qualified to take the exam are those who have successfully finished the III MBBS/Final MBBS programme at a medical school accredited by NMC.
NExT scores- The marks in NExT Step 1 must be calculated as a whole number, which will serve as the Raw Scores with the proper decimals. If necessary, equivalent Percentages [marks out of a maximum of 100] with the proper decimals may also be calculated. Results for the NExT 2 Exams will only be reported as Pass/Fail depending on the attainment of the necessary competence that is being evaluated.
Within 30 days of the draft's release date, the invited comments and ideas must be sent to the email address comments.regulations@nmc.org.in in machine-readable PDF or MS Word (.docx) format. The tagline "Comments on draught regulations relating National Exit Test (NExT)" should appear in the email subject line. One can refer to the official website of NMC for further information.
