The National Medical Commission (NMC) conducted a webinar on the National Exit Test (NExT) today, June 27, addressing final-year MBBS students and medical colleges to discuss the details of the proposed examination.

All medical colleges were instructed to participate in the webinar, with only one login window permitted per college. Final-year MBBS students were also requested to join the commission’s webinar.

Various details about NExT were revealed at the webinar today, including its phases, the mock test date, the papers, exam schedule, and more.

To ensure a smooth webinar experience, the NMC had also organised a mock webinar on June 26, allowing medical colleges to address any technical glitches and make suitable arrangements in their lecture halls.

BASIC NExT STRUCTURE WHICH WOULD REPLACE NEET PG

• The National Exit Test (NExT) will replace the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Postgraduate (NEET PG).
• For final-year MBBS students, NExT will serve as a qualifying and screening test.
• The exam will be conducted in two stages, with NExT Step 1 concentrating on theory exams and NExT Step 2 focusing on practical, oral, and clinical assessments.
• The results of NExT Steps 1 and 2 will be considered for the qualifying MBBS test, obtaining a license to practice medicine in India, and the merit-based distribution of postgraduate (PG) seats.
• The exam aims to create a level playing field for all candidates, including foreign medical graduates (FMGs), simplifying the issue of mutual recognition.

NExT 2023 HIGHLIGHTS

Here are the highlights from the webinar on NExT and details about the subjects, objectives, and the NExT mock test as per information posted on Twitter by Dr. Dhruv Chauhan, National Zonal Coordinator of Indian Medical Association Medical Students Network (IMA MSN):

• NExT will be conducted for the 2019 batch
• NExT will be conducted in two phases — one in May and another in November
• NExT 1 will be a computer-based MCQ exam
• NExT 2 will be a practical exam
• NExT for batches prior to 2019 batch (interns and post interns) might have an option for NEET PG exam

OBJECTIVE OF NExT STEP 1

The NEXT Step 1 will be a comprehensive computer-based examination based on high-quality Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) ensuring objectivity and following nation-wide delivery and conduction with robust fidelity in a secure manner.

The MCQ items would address higher domains of knowledge aligned to competencies expected of an Indian medical graduate or a graduate practicing a modern system of medicine, especially in India.

NExT STEP 1 SUBJECTS AND PAPER DISTRIBUTION

The NExT Step 1 exam will have six subject papers with respective weightage in items and time allocation.

Applied aspects of all other subjects of MBBS Including Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (FMT) and Community Medicine will be mainstreamed into the relevant clinical subjects.