NeXT to be conducted for 2021-22 batch; commissions asked to take priority action

The Ministry of AYUSH has sent a formal letter to the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) and the National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH). The letter requests the commission to take necessary action on priority to implement the National Exit Test (NeXT) for the 2021-22 batch.

The order follows a public announcement by the Union Minister of State for AYUSH in September 2024, which stated that NeXT would apply to students admitted from the 2021-22 academic year. Students in this batch are now in their final year or completing an internship and will be required to clear NeXT for professional registration.

“In reference to the subject mentioned above, it has been decided with the approval of the Competent authority that the National Exit Test (NeXT) to be conducted by the NCISM and NCH shall be applicable for the students admitted from the Academic Year 2021-22 onwards. In this regard, NCISM and NCH are requested to take necessary action on a priority basis,” the official letter said.

NeXT 2025: Key exit test for AYUSH students

NeXT is a mandatory exit exam conducted to grant a license to practice in the respective discipline of Indian systems of medicine and to allow enrollment as a registered medical practitioner after completion of a one-year internship.

The exam evaluates clinical competence, practical skills, and knowledge of medical ethics. Students who pass NeXT before completing the internship will be eligible for registration only after finishing the one-year internship.

The NCISM regulates practitioners in Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Sowa-Rigpa. NCH oversees homoeopathy education and practice. Both Commissions are mandated under the NCISM Act, 2020 and NCH Act, 2020, to conduct NeXT within three years of enforcement.

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NeXT 2025: Eligibility, exam pattern

According to an earlier official notification from the NCISM, interns who have completed at least 270 days of internship by the closing date are eligible to appear for the NExT exam. This applies to graduates of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Sowa-Rigpa who have completed the one-year compulsory internship requirement.

The official notification also specifies the NExT exam pattern. The test will have 120 multiple-choice questions carrying a total of 480 marks. The duration of the exam is 180 minutes, with one mark awarded for each correct answer and negative marking applied for incorrect responses.