NExT: Katihar Medical College students suspended, evicted from hostels for protesting against exam

NEW DELHI: The students of Katihar Medical College, Bihar got suspended recently for protesting against the NeXT exam. The students who gave the press briefing got debarred from attending all academic and clinical classes and activities from July 11 for a period of 30 days. However, other students of the batch are debarred from attending academic and clinical classes for a period of 15 days.

Further, students were directed to leave the college hostel premises within 24 hrs from the receipt of the order and were asked not to visit the college during the period of their suspension.

Also Read | Medical college in every UP district, 49 new nursing institutions soon: Top medical education officer

The Katihar Medical College official notice reads: "Further to this office notice no. KMC/Disc/1060/23 dated 08-07-2023, the students have submitted their reply. On scrutiny of the reply, it is observed that all of them have copied the reply of each other rather than writing in their own language. The reply has been found unsatisfactory".

"Your such group activity, procession, shouting slogans, media briefing without permission has been viewed seriously and considered a serious misconduct. Such irresponsible act is not at all expected from a medical student who is going to be a doctor to serve humanity in future. In such a situation it is fully justified to impose stringent punishments. However, considering it as first offence of such nature, your career and presuming that you will not act in any way prejudicial to the interest of discipline in future, the following punishment is here by awarded with effect from 11.07.2023", the notice further added.

Also Read | National Exit Test to be applicable from 2020 MBBS batch: health minister Mansukh Mandaviya

Recently, students of Dr Radha Krishnana Medical College also conducted a week-long silent protest against the NExT exam stating that there was not enough time to prepare for the exam. The protest got over after the union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the 2019 MBBS batch will not be covered under it. However, the students said the test should not be conducted for any batch and that they would move the court against it.

Under the National Medical Commission Act, the NExT exam will have multiple purposes, including serving as a final-year MBBS exam, a licentiate exam for practising modern medicine, a merit-based admission test for postgraduate courses, and a screening exam for foreign medical graduates wishing to practice in India. The NExT exam for the 2019 batch will be conducted in two phases next year: NExT Step 1 in May and NExT Step 2 in November.