National Exit Test (NeXT)

Why in news?

• The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has urged the National Medical Commission (NMC) to reconsider its proposed National Exit Test (NeXT) for all MBBS students in India, which will now be the licentiate exam and post graduate selection exam.

About National Exit Test:

• The NExT is a medical licensing exam that is designed to assess the competency of medical graduates.
• Students who received their medical degrees from NMC approved medical institutions and overseas students also will have to qualify the National Exit Test.
• To register for medical practice in India, they must pass the NExT test.
• This centralized common exam will be conducted by a body formed by the commission for this purpose.
• National Medical commission (Amendment) Bill, 2022, proposes an autonomous board, ‘Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences’, which, when comes to effect, will be responsible for holding the NExT exam.
• Currently, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) is responsible for holding exams like NEET PG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Postgraduate), Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE).

Objective of the Regulation:

• To provide consistency across the nation in the summative evaluation with regard to the minimum common standards of education and training for a medical graduate.
• The objective of the NExT is to improve the quality of healthcare in India by ensuring that all doctors have a minimum level of competency and knowledge before they begin practicing medicine.

PRACTICE QUESTION

With reference to ‘National Exit Test’, consider the following statements:

1. It is a medical licensing exam that is designed to assess the competency of medical graduates

2. It serve the purpose of screening test for foreign medical graduates

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer