NExT (National Exit Test) will be another milestone in the history of medical education. This is going to be a reality from 2022 (speculations), its apex body National Medical Council (NMC) is planning to conduct it for final year MBBS students so that they can validate their degree to practice in India.
This exam is currently known as FMGE (Foreign Medical Graduate Exam) which is mandatory for only those medical graduates who have completed their MBBS course from abroad and willing to practice in India. With the implementation of the NExT exam, all medical graduates whether they have studied MBBS from Indian or Abroad will have to qualify for the NExT exam.
What is NEXT?
NMC (National Medical Council) has introduced the bill in 2019 with an aim to replace NEET PG and the professor exam in the university. After that, the Ministry of health and family welfare also brought a draft in 2020. Now the scenario is, there will be a single-window examination for both Indian medical graduates and Foreign medical graduates.
NExT will replace existing FMGE and NEET PG and it will count as the qualifying final exam for MBBS students. It will be licensing test for student who wants to practice medicine in India as well as it will be a gateway to post-graduation.
The main objective of the NExT is to meet the following needs:
- Providing licenses to MBBS graduates for practicing in India</li><li>Candidates can apply for PG medical programs such as MS, MD, etc
- Now students do not require to qualify for FMGE & NEET PG separately. NEXT will be a common exam for both
NExT is not an entrance exam, it is an exit test which means it’s a Pass and Fails exam in which candidates have to score 50% marks only
Process of Getting a Medical License
New Process for Getting a Medical License
Note1:
- PG seats will be allotted to the students according to the marks obtained in NExT 1 only
- NExT 2 is a pass-fail exam, the candidate will get the license after clearing NExT 2
Subject wise marks distribution and exam pattern for NEXT 1
As per the detail available on NMC official website, the exam pattern, subject-wise number of questions are given below.
NExT 1 is a 3 days exam that is further categorized into 2 parts, 3 hours exam in Pre-lunch and 1.5 hours in Post lunch period.
| Day | Schedule | Time | Subjects | No. of questions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pre-lunch | 3 hrs | Medical Allied | 120 |
| 1 | Post-lunch | 1.5 hrs | Pediatrics | 60 |
| 2 | Pre-lunch | 3 hrs | Allied | 120 |
| 2 | Post-lunch | 1.5 hrs | ENT | 60 |
| 3 | Pre-lunch | 3 hrs | Obstetrics & Gynecology | 120 |
| 3 | Pst-lunch | 1.5 hrs | Opthalmology | 60 |
| TOTAL | 13.5 hrs | 540 |
Weightage for questions asked in NEXT 1
| Question | Weightage |
|---|---|
| Problem Solving questions | 60% |
| Comprehension and analysis | 30% |
| Recall | 10% |
| Applied Basics Sciences | 10% |
| Preventive and Public Health | 10% |
NEXT 2
It is fully based on clinical knowledge based on your internship. It is mandatory to get a medical license. Students can appear in NExT 2 after completing 12 months internship.
Purpose of introducing NEXT Exam
- The main objective of this exam is to create more skillful medical practitioners in India to strengthen the health system.
- This exam will increase the standard of education in the country as well as equalize the process of getting a medical license in India. Now both the graduates who have done MBBS from Indian private/Government college and Abroad, all will have to undergo the same process.
- The NExT exam will be valid for a minimum of 3 years
- This exam will make the students more confident about their medical skills.
- This exam will bring transparency and uniformity in the process of getting a license. This exam will set a standard to show up the equivalence in the studies of doctors.
Which batch will have to appear for the NEXT exam?
NExT is an exam proposed by the national commission of Indian (NMC) for final year MBBS students. According to section 49, there will be no change in the study pattern for acquiring a medical degree from medical universities.
The amendment passed in 2019 shows that the students who have taken admission in 2017 will have to appear in the First NExT Exam in the year 2020. The syllabus will be the same as Prof IV.
Tips to prepare for NEXT Exam
All MBBS students will become eligible for the NExT in their third year of MBBS. Here are some tips which should be followed by students from the first year of MBBS, so that they can easily crack the NExT after completing their degree.
Make your basics strong
As we have seen in the exam pattern above, the majority of the questions will be based on problem-solving abilities and real-time situations. The updated exam procedure will reduce rote learning which is used by the candidates for just passing the examination without understanding the concept.
This exam will integrate the questions based on pre-clinical and para-clinical learnings. Now it will be difficult to clear the exam for those students who don’t pay attention in the classes especially in practical sessions.
Focus on critical concepts
Again, paying more attention to protocols will increase the chance of your qualifying NExT or getting the PG seat. Because the major difference between NEET PG and NExT is the ratio of clinically based questions. All the questions will judge what you have learned in practice rather than what you have read.
Never skip any important subject
There are rumors that Next would be easy in comparison to NEET PG and it may have a smaller syllabus, but it is not completely true. Yes, these kinds of speculations are there but it is also speculated that the NEET PG syllabus will overlap the syllabus of NExT. so skipping any important subject may put you in trouble.
Practice previous years’ NEET PG papers
Last year’s exam pattern was focused more on clinical knowledge rather than theoretical. It was a hint for the medical students that how will be the NExT Exam. There is a possibility that long situation questionable will be there in majority.
Start preparation early
Earlier, students are suggested to start preparation before 8 to 12 months before NEET PG but with the introduction of NExT, these months will not be available because the NExT-1 Exam will be held before undergoing the internship, so students will face the NExT just after the final year.
Hence students are suggested to start preparation from the beginning of their MBBS studies means from the first year. It means just paying more attention in the clinical sessions/practicals and trying to grasp all the knowledge deeply.
We have tie-ups with various institutes which provide FMGE/NExT classes. Based on this collaboration we ensure our students that they can start preparing for the NExT Exam from their first semester.
We provide an e-learning platform and crush course facilities to our students. They will get all the study material, strategy, and tips, video lectures on each subject on a single digital platform.
In our crash course, students can attend physical classes during semester break when they come home for vacations. In this way, students can study in a strategic and planned way with proper utilization of their time. This method enhances the probability of passing the NExT exam on the first attempt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Who is Eligible for the NEXT Exam?
Final year MBBS students studying either in Indian or Abroad, students who are pursuing their internship, students who wish to enroll themselves in post-graduation, all these students are eligible to appear in NEET Exam.
Q2. How many attempts for the NEXT exam?
There is no restriction for NExT Attempts, MBBS aspirants can appear for the exam multiple times but it is mandatory to undergo the internship and NExT 2 exam.
Q3. Is NExT and FMGE exam are same?
No, both are different but NExT will replace FMGE and Prof exam held in the university. From 2022, only the NExT exam will be required to get the medical license and seat in the PG course. All this means the NExT exam will replace, FMGE/MCI screening test and NEET PG Exam.
Q4. What will the impact of NExT on MBBS education?
- It will create uniformity through a single exam.
- Unnecessary documentation work will be removed, especially for foreign students.
- Illegal practices done by unqualified and noncertified doctors will be stopped.
- Its clinical and application-based approach will produce more qualified medical professionals
Q5. Is there any disadvantage of NExT over NEET PG?
There is no significant disadvantage of NExT over NEET PG. However, the pattern of NExT is prepared to produce the more skillful doctors. As we have already discussed that the focus will be more on practical, their application, and clinical approach.
Q6. Which is the best platform for NExT preparation?
Though students can prefer any medium or platform for NExT preparation, Shiksha View provides a one-stop solution by collaborating with various educational institutes. We offer short crash courses for the students who can take benefit of it when they come for semester break or winter vacations. We also have online study material which can be accessed from anywhere from any country.
Conclusion
Introducing the NExT exam will be a milestone for the entire medical talent selection procedure, but it is still in consideration and may become reality from 2022 or 2023. Therefore, predicting anything about NExT is not possible. The intentions of the National Medical Council are good but whether it will be a good decision or not. Besides all the arguments and debates, NMC always tries to remove existing flaws from the system by introducing new policies, rules, and regulations.
