Draft policy suggests common exit test for MBBS

Making a host of suggestions to revamp Medical education, K Kasturirangan committee in its draft national education policy has recommended the introduction of a common exit test for all MBBS students at the end of the fourth year of their programme.

The “centralised” exit examination for MBBS students will play a dual role as also the entrance examination for admission into postgraduate medical programmes, the panel underlined.

Similar common exit examinations can also be conducted for dental education and other disciplines “as needed.”

“This exit examination will be administered at the end of the fourth year of the MBBS so that students are relieved of the burden of studying for a separate competitive entrance examinations at the end of their residency period,” the panel added.

The draft policy has also suggested for allowing lateral entry of nursing, dental and other medical discipline graduates into the MBBS course, calling for increasing the MBBS seats through upgradation of at least 600 district hospitals into teaching hospitals “at the earliest.”

It has recommended for redesigning of the MBBS course, calling for development of a medical education qualification framework “in conjunction with” the medical education regulator.

“The first year or two of the MBBS course will be designed as a common period for all science graduates after which they can take up MBBS, BDS, Nursing or other specialisations. Common foundational courses based on medical pluralism will be followed by core courses focused on specific systems, and electives that encourage bridging across systems,” the draft policy stipulates.

The education policy drafting committee has laid a special emphasis on mainstreaming of the Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) taking note of the “pluralistic health care legacy” of the country

“Better access to AYUSH treatment will be provided through co-location in public facilities,” the panel stipulated.

The panel took note of “a shortfall” in the number of seats in postgraduate courses in many disciplines, particularly in medical education, suggesting that new medical colleges and hospitals that have an adequate number of patients and well trained teaching faculty should be allowed to start postgraduate courses.

“These will be increased as quickly as the available infrastructure in hospitals around the country allows,” the panel added.