NExT Exam for MBBS

Are you planning to pursue a medical career in India? If so, you must have heard of examinations like the National Eligibility Entrance Test- Postgraduate (NEET PG) and Foreign Medical Graduate Exam (FMGE), which have now been replaced by the National Exit Test (NExT), set to be implemented from 2024 onwards. Implementing the NExT exam is a part of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act 2019 to maintain common standards of education and training for medical graduates. The NExT exam for MBBS tests the skills and qualifications of recent medical graduates and their eligibility to obtain a medical license. The prestigious AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) is expected to administer this examination. Keep reading this article to explore its implementation, structure, dates, pattern, and more!

NExT Exam Highlights 

The highlights of the NExt examination are listed below: 

NExT Exam Dates

The tentative dates for the NExT exam are scheduled as follows: 

Credits: Official sources

NExT Exam Process 

The NeXT MBBS exam will be held in two parts. The first part or NExT one, and the second part NExT 2:

1. Part 1 (NExT 1)- It will be a centralized common all-India examination comprising MCQ-type questions. It is conducted for the final year MBBS students before the internship period. To proceed with the internship, it is mandatory to qualify for the part 1 exam. It is an objective type of exam, and the marks acquired on paper 1 will be taken into consideration for PG ranking in counseling as well. 
2. Part 2 (NExT 2) - It is a fail-or-pass clinical cum practical examination along with viva, covering seven clinical subjects/disciplines. The exam is taken after the internship period to test the practical knowledge of the candidate before granting the medical license.

NExT Exam Eligibility Criteria 

All students in the final year of MBBS, including those who study MBBS outside India and wish to get a license to practice in India, may appear in the NExT exam. However, there are other eligibility criteria as well which are as follows :

• Any individual with a medical degree for a purpose, such as pursuing an academic course, i.e., MBBS, with a minimum of 50%. 
• Students must note that after passing NExT paper 1, they must do a 12-month clinical internship to be eligible for paper 2.
• All foreign medical graduates approved by NMC (National Medical Council) to obtain a license to practice medicine as a registered medical practitioner in India or as the case may be, in such a manner as specified by regulations.

NExT Application Form

The NExT exam application form is likely to be released online. The candidates will have to register themselves before filling up the form. The complete application process includes registration, filling out forms, uploading documents, digital signatures, uploading images, and paying registration fees. The candidates must refer to the eligibility criteria before applying for the exam. AIIMS is expected to make an official announcement on the release of the application form, information brochure, exam pattern, marking scheme, etc. 

NExT Exam Syllabus

NExT exam syllabus consists of six key subjects, covering pre and para-clinical areas. While NExT 2 tests the practical abilities of a candidate, NExT 1 assesses the theoretical knowledge of the students.

• Medicine and allied disciplines 
• Surgery and allied disciplines 
• Obstetrics and Gynaecology 
• Pediatrics
• Otorhinolaryngology
• Ophthalmology
•  Applied aspects of all subjects covered under I MBBS and II MBBS.
• Applied aspects of all subjects covered under III MBBS /Final MBBS Part 1.

The questions are divided into three main parts - Comprehension, recall, and problem-solving, and analytical skills. 

• NExT step 2 will be a practical/clinical and viva voce examination covering seven subjects;
  • Medicine and allied disciplines
  • Surgery and allied disciplines
  • Obstetrics and Gynaecology
  • Pediatrics
  • Otorhinolaryngology
  • Ophthalmology
  • Orthopaedics and PMR (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation). 

To qualify for the NExT 2 exam, the practice skills candidate will be analyzed to check their practical efficiencies. This test will be conducted by the respective college/university. 

NExT Exam Pattern

The NExT Exam Pattern is as follows:

Source: nmc.org.in

NExt Exam Cut-Offs

The candidates can proceed with the internship only after passing the NExT 1 exam. The qualifying cut-off for the NExT-1 exam will be 50%, and the score obtained in this paper will also be used to allow PG seats in government and private medical colleges in India. After completing the internship, the candidate has to appear for the final exam, the NExT-2 exam, which is a pass-or-fail test, unlike NExT-1. The NExT-2 exam does not carry any cut-off mark since it is just a qualifying exam. Thus, the first goal must be to pass the NExT-1 exam with good scores. 

Conclusion 

The NMC (National Medical Council) introduced a bill in 2019 to replace the older NEET PG exam. In 2020, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare proposed a single window/ unified examination for both Indian and foreign medical graduates wishing to practice medicine in India. The NExT exam for MBBS will serve as the new qualifying exam for MBBS students to set standards in medical education and bring transparency to the licensing process. The NExT exam will be the most competitive and predominant examination for medical professionals in the upcoming years. If you want to ace it, start preparing yourself and maximize your chances of success in the future in the healthcare sector.