NExT Exam: Doctors, MBBS students ask NMC to relax passing criteria, revise guidelines

NEW DELHI: With the introduction of the newly National Medical Commission (NMC)’s National Exit Test Regulations 2023 for the NExT exam, doctors and MBBS students have been requesting the medical commission to revisit the guidelines, reduce passing criteria and change several points.

NExT will replace the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) PG for admission to postgraduate programmes and for practicing medicine in the country. NExT will begin with the batch passing in 2024 and will have to be taken by all undergraduate MBBS students. NExT exam is a two-step exam. While step 1 can be taken multiple times to improve the score, NExT step 2 can be taken after completion of their internship

Also Read | NExT Step 1, 2 twice a year; NMC shares pattern, schedule of medical exit exam

Terming the 50% passing criteria as disastrous, a Twitter user said: “#NEXT 50% passing criteria is disastrous. How ? Considering #NEXTEXAM Step 1 paper is set as per level of #NEETPG 23, only 19k/75k of 2019 batch would be able to pass. These figures are alarming. Request @NMC_IND to reduce the passing %age.”

#NEXT 50% passing criteria is disastrous. How ? Considering #NEXTEXAM Step 1 paper is set as per level of #NEETPG 23, only 19k/75k of 2019 batch would be able to pass. These figures are alarming. Request @NMC_IND to reduce the passing %age ,Correct me if I m wrong !#MedTwitter pic.twitter.com/VkVqjjYGzg

— MD SELIM SHEIKH (@mdselim2k19) July 3, 2023

Another tweet seeking clarity on the normalisation of marks, reducing pass percentage and several other points, said that the NExT exam could have been welcomed if those points were considered as well.

3. #NExT Step 1 exam percentage be rationalised instead of 50%
4. Clarity on normalisation of #NExT score for admission into PG
5. #NExT mock test be made affordable, accessible & feasible

Request @NMC_IND to plz consider !#MedTwitter #NEXTEXAM #NONEXT2019BATCH #NEETPG

— Dr Prashant Kumar Singh ?? (@Whytcoatsoldier) July 2, 2023

While another Twitter user saying that the 10-year rule does not make sense added: “The 10 year rule doesnt make sense! If @NMC still wants to go ahead with it, My appeal would be to launch it with the new 2023 batch and noone else. Terms and conditions should be cleared from the day 1.”

The 10 year rule doesnt make sense!
If @NMC still wants to go ahead with it,
My appeal would be to launch it with the new 2023 batch and noone else. Terms and conditions should be cleared from the day 1.#next#nmc#mbbs#doctors

— Nachiket Bhatia (@bhatia_nachiket) July 2, 2023

Imposing NeXT on 2019 batch is violation of clause 49 (1) of NMC act because 2019 batch started on 1st Aug 2019 while NMC act was published on 08/08/2019.
★खुद के नियम की ही धज्जियां उड़ा रही एनएमसी ?@NMC_IND #NEXTEXAM #NEXT@MoHFW_INDIA @narendramodi #NONEXTFOR19BATCH pic.twitter.com/aqD5H8yg3s

— MD SELIM SHEIKH (@mdselim2k19) July 2, 2023