The NExT Exam Has Been Postponed Until Further Notice, According To The Ministry Of Health

According to a message sent to all stakeholders by the apex medical education body, the new National Exit Test (NExT), which the current final year MBBS batch is scheduled to take, has been "deferred on advice of the (health) ministry... until further directions." The examination, mandated by the National Medical Commission Act, was to replace the MBBS final exam, serve as a licentiate exam for granting registration to practise medicine and serve as a basis for admission to PG programmes rather than the NEET PG test.

The test was designed to ensure that all medical students receive the same level of practical training and instruction. Students graduating this year, on the other hand, have demanded that the examination be postponed, claiming that they did not have enough time to prepare for a new style of assessment. The health minister announced earlier this month that the next batch of MBBS graduates would be subject to the new examination.

If the exam is not conducted in the current year, the government will need to notify it in the gazette. The test was required to be conducted within three years of the National Medical Commission Act coming into force in 2020. The deadline was extended by a year to 2024 by a gazette notification.

If the exam is not held this year, the government must publish a notice in the gazette. The test was to be completed within three years of the National Medical Commission Act taking effect in 2020. A gazette notification extended the deadline by a year to 2024.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is holding a mock exam. The event in Delhi is still scheduled for July 28. According to officials familiar with the situation, there has been no request from the health ministry or the NMC to cancel the mock test for the time being, and preparations are in full flow.