Just a few days after the National Medical Commission, also known as NMC, announced that a mock test will be scheduled for medical candidates before the much anticipated NExT exam 2023, it has been clarified that it stands cancelled.
"Dear Students #NExT Mock will be cancelled and fee refunded," said the tweet by Dr. Yogender Malik, an official with the NMC.
The candidates will now receive a refund of their registration fees. Students belonging to the general category or OBC had to pay an application fee of Rs 2,000, while candidates in SC, ST, EWS categories paid Rs 1000 to appear for the NExT mock test. Many candidates had criticised the NMC's move to collect fees on mock tests.
On the suggestion of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the NExT exam had previously been postponed by NMC until further notice on July 13.
The NExT exam will be conducted in two steps for the students, with the first being a computer based test and the second test being a practical/clinical exam.
NExT will replace NEET PG for admission to postgraduate programmes and for the practising medicine in India. NExT will start with the 2024 graduating class and be required of all MBBS undergraduate students after that.
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