The National Medical Commission (NMC) has formally decided to conduct the National Exit Test (NExT) from the current academic year.
The NExT will replace the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) conducted for admissions to postgraduate medical courses across the country. The NExT will also serve as the licentiate exam for outgoing MBBS students.
According to sources, final-year MBBS students will be eligible to write NExT. The decision was taken at a meeting of NMC last week.
"The NExT will conducted in two parts - one at the stage when students are in the final year and another soon after the completion of internship. This will be the final year examination for undergraduate medical courses, which will also act as common entrance test for PG courses," a senior NMC member said.
Ends marks disparity
NExT will put an end to the disparity in marks between students of state universities and those who enrolled at deemed-to-be universities, it is said.
"When one looks at marks, deemed-to-be universities are liberal compared with state universities. Now, everyone has to write NExT and it will be the qualifying examination for PG admissions," the member explained.
Must for foreign students
Clearing NExT will be mandatory for those who wish to practise in India. It will be applicable even for students who studied medicine abroad.
"NExT will be a standardised and unified exit-cum-licensing exam for medical graduates, both within and outside the country," the member said.
With the introduction of NExT, the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) conducted for licensing of those who studied in foreign universities will be scrapped.
NMC is expected to make an official announcement on NExT soon.