Medical students can take National Exit Test step 1 multiple times to improve score

NEW DELHI: Medical students can appear in the National Exit Test Step 1 multiple times to improve their scores provided they have passed NExT Step 2 and complete the entire process within 10 years of MBBS admission, according to the regulations issued by the National Medical Commission on Friday. However, the score obtained in the last attempt in NExT Step-1 will be considered for determination of the rank for admission in postgraduate courses in broad specialties, it stated.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) on Friday issued the National Exit Test Regulations 2023 and stated it will be held in two phases with NExT Step 1 and NExT Step 2 being held twice a year starting next year. According to the NMC Act, the National Exit Test 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. After clearing NExT Step 1, medical students will be doing an internship for one year. After internship, they will have to clear NExT Step 2 to become eligible for getting licence and registration to practice modern medicine in India and pursue postgraduate degrees for which their score in NExT Step 1 will be considered, officials have said.

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"The NMC has requested the students and all stakeholders to go through it (guidelines) patiently and assured the students that it will do hand-holding as and when required," Dr Yogender Malik, member of the NMC's Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB), explained. 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 PG courses. The commission shall specify, from time to time, the applicable manner of utilizing the results of NExT for the purpose of admission to postgraduate courses through mechanisms such as common counselling by designated authority.

"It is implied that whenever the NExT is in force, the corresponding equivalent existing examinations shall be phased out/cease to be applicable for the purpose for which the NExT shall be appropriate," the NMC notification stated. However, if for previous batches the existing examinations are applicable as may be decided by the commission, then the existing examinations shall continue for such time as deemed appropriate to the commission with the understanding that the NExT shall eventually replace the corresponding equivalent existing examinations.

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NExT Step 2 examination results shall be declared as only "Pass/Fail", while the marks from NExT Step 1 will be considered to prepare a merit list for admission into broad speciality PG seats. The minimum marks for passing NExT Step 2 shall be 50 per cent (50 out of 100) or half of the maximum possible raw scores for NExT Step-1. All those students who have completed III MBBS /Final MBBS course from a medical college approved or recognised by the commission shall be eligible to appear in the examination, the notification stated. "There shall be regular NExT Step 1 examinations held twice a year in the months of May and November or any other time as may be notified by the Commission," it stated. "There is no restriction to the number of attempts to appear in NExT Step 1 provided the candidate has passed both NExT Step 1 and NExT Step 2 examination within 10 years of joining the MBBS course," it said.

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There is no restriction to the number of attempts to appear in the NExT Step 1 examination to improve scores provided these examinations for improvement of scores are taken after completion of NExT Step 2. Candidates are not entitled to appear in NExT step I for improvement of score till completion of NExT 2, the notification said. "For determining merit for admission to broad -specialty postgraduate course the NExT Step 1 scores shall remain valid for five years. However, if candidate is appeared in NExT exam cycle of NExT step-1 then previous NExT Step 1 score would be invalid for determination of rank for admission into Postgraduate courses in broad specialties and only last attempt NExT Step 1 score would be considered for determination of the rank," the regulations said. There shall be a regular NExT Step 2 examination twice a year, the NMC said.