NExT exam: Health ministry asks NMC to waive fees for mock test to be held on July 28

NEW DELHI: Deliberations have begun at the National Medical Commission (NMC) after the Union health ministry asked it to consider waiving the fees for the mock National Exit Test (NExT) to be held on July 28 for the 2019 batch of final-year MBBS students across the country. The NExT, scheduled for July 28, will be conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi.

According to a notification issued by the premier medical institute last week, "General" category and OBC candidates will have to pay Rs 2,000 each to appear in the mock test, while an SC, ST or EWS applicant will have to pay Rs 1,000. Persons with benchmark disabilities will not have to pay any fee to appear in the examination. The AIIMS, Delhi has been entrusted with the job of conducting the mock test. It will be a computer-based examination consisting of multiple-choice questions, sources said.

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The aim of conducting the mock test is to familiarise the prospective candidates with the computer-based test, software interface and process flow at the examination centres. The NExT will be held in two phases next year for the 2019 batch of final-year MBBS students. The NMC issued the NExT (National Exit Test) Regulations, 2023 on Friday, stating that the exam will be held in two phases, with the NExT Step 1 and NExT Step 2 exams being held twice a year.

In a gazette notification, the NMC said the NExT shall form the basis of certifying the eligibility of a medical graduate to register to practise the modern system of medicine in India and therefore, serve as a licentiate examination. It will also form the basis for determining the eligibility and ranking for the purpose of admission of those desirous of pursuing further postgraduate medical education in the country in broad medical specialities and therefore, serve as an entrance examination for admission to courses of PG medical education.

After clearing NExT Step 1, they will be doing an internship for a year and their NExT Step 1 score will be considered for admission into postgraduate courses. After the internship, the medical students will have to clear NExT Step 2 to become eligible for getting the licence and registration to practise modern medicine in India. Foreign medical graduates who want to practise in India will have to appear in NExT Step 1, do the internship and then, clear NExT Step 2 to become eligible for the same. The sample questions in the mock or practice test will only exemplify the pattern and format of NExT Step 1. NExT Step 1 will have six subject papers with respective weightage in items and time allocation.

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According to the NMC Act, NExT will serve as a common qualifying final-year MBBS exam, a licentiate exam to practise modern medicine and for merit-based admission to postgraduate courses and a screening exam for foreign medical graduates who want to practise in India. The government, in September last year, invoked the provisions of the NMC Act by which the time limit for conducting the NExT for final-year MBBS students was extended till September 2024.

According to the NMC Act, the commission has to conduct a common final-year undergraduate medical examination, NExT as specified by regulations within three years of it coming into force. The Act came into force in September 2020.