New Delhi: The regulations for the National Exit Test (NExT) may be released soon, Dr. Yogendra Malik, a member of the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC), confirmed to Medical Dialogues.

Earlier this year, the National Medical Commission (NMC) opened the matter of the National Exit Test (NExT) examination to all stakeholders. The Commission requested feedback on the NMC National Exit Test Regulations, 2023, by February 7, 2024. Subsequently, the deadline was extended to February 17, 2024, by the Commission. Dr. Yogender Malik informed Medical Dialogues, "A committee is working on it. Following this, it will come to the NMC. Meetings are ongoing."

The NXT exam has been a topic of discussion in the medical community since its initial announcement. Although the NMC released the NExT regulations last year and announced the exam for the 2019 MBBS batch, it was eventually postponed indefinitely. The NMC NExT Regulations, 2023, were published in the official Gazette on June 28, 2023, and a mock test for the NExT exam was scheduled for July 28, 2023, by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.

However, students and doctors opposed the decision to conduct the NExT exam for the 2019 batch, citing it as a violation of the NMC Act, 2019. They argued that since the 2019 MBBS batch began before the publication of the NMC Act 2019, conducting the NExT for this batch would contravene the Act.

Subsequently, the Union Health Ministry intervened, and the NMC deferred the NExT examination until further notice. The Union Health Ministry then formed a seven-member committee to assess the readiness of states and medical colleges for implementing the exam for final-year MBBS students in the 2020 batch.

Amidst the ongoing debate and uncertainty surrounding the NExT exam, the NMC invited input from stakeholders on various aspects, such as whether the NExT exam should be conducted separately in addition to the MBBS final year exam or in any other manner, including the timing, exam pattern, conduct, and syllabus of NExT.

Dr. Yogender Malik, speaking to Careers360, emphasized the NMC's commitment to enhancing the quality of medical education through public feedback. He assured that decisions regarding the National Exit Test (NExT) would prioritize the interests of medical stakeholders, students, and faculty. Dr. Malik indicated that the NMC would address NExT guidelines in the upcoming NMC meeting, emphasizing clarity and implementation of regulations once they are finalized.

Regarding the potential confusion surrounding NExT regulations, Dr. Malik affirmed that the NMC would implement them upon release. He assured students of ample preparation time and comprehensive information for the exam. Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has expressed concerns about the feasibility of a single nationwide test due to variations in medical education standards among academic institutions. In a letter to NMC Chairman Dr. B.N. Gangadhar, the IMA highlighted issues such as inadequate technical infrastructure and faculty support in medical colleges. The association suggested that NMC should address these concerns before proceeding with NExT.