Goodbye NEET PG, FMGE! NExT Exam to Determine the Future of MBBS Students
Starting from 2024, the NExT – National Exit Test will replace the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test – Postgraduate (NEET PG) and Foreign Medical Graduates Exam (FMGE) and become the final qualifying exam for MBBS students in India to obtain licensure in modern medicine. The first batch to appear for the NExT 2024 exam will be the MBBS batch of 2019. This NExt exam will bring a revolutionary change to the Indian healthcare system, as it focuses on practical and clinical skills, alongside theoretical knowledge, which are crucial for medical students.
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NExT Exam Mock Test Registration
AIIMS has opened the NExT Step 1 Mock test registrations for final year MBBS students from June 28. The exam will be conducted on July 28, 2023, and the last date to apply is July 10, 2023. You can register for the mock test on the website – aiimsexams.ac.in. This mock test will provide an idea about the exam and alleviate any stress and ambiguity surrounding it for MBBS students.
Timeline of the NExT exam
Following is the tentative timeline of the NExT exam.
| Events | Dates (Tentative) |
|---|---|
| NExT Step 1 Exam | May/November |
| NExT Step 1 Exam Result | June/ December |
| Internship | January/July |
| NExT Step 2 Exam | June/December |
| NExT Step 2 Exam Result | June/December |
| NExT Step 2 (Supplementary) Exam | September/March |
| NExT Step 2 (Supplementary) Exam Result | 3rd week of July/January |
| PG Admissions | To Be Announced |
| PG Course Commencement | To Be Announced |
NExT Exam Pattern
The NExT exam will be conducted in two steps. Step 1 will happen in 2024 for the 2019 batch of MBBS students, and Step 2 will take place after qualifying Step 1 and completing your internship. By qualifying both Step 1 and Step 2, you, as an MBBS graduate, will obtain the license to practice medicine and be eligible for admission to PG courses based on merit. There is no limit on no. of attempts to appear in NExT to improve your scores given you have already qualified for both the exam but in case of failure to pass the Step 1 and Step 2 examinations, candidates have to pass the exams within 10 years of joining the MBBS course to get the license to practice medicine.
NExT Step 1
The NExT Step 1 exam will act as the qualifying exam for Step 2 and will be possibly conducted twice a year by AIIMS, Delhi. The exam will take place over a span of 5 days, with a total of 6 subjects and a break on the 2nd and 4th day. The exam will be conducted in two shifts: Shift 1 will be 3 hours long, while Shift 2 will be 1.5 hours long, with a two-hour break in between. Each paper will contain 10% of questions based on applied elements to test critical thinking and clinical knowledge. Here is the tentative exam pattern for the NExT Step 1 exam.
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NExT Step 2
After qualifying for NExT Step 1 and completing the 1-year internship, candidates will be eligible to appear for Step 2 of the NExT exam, which will be held in person once a year. Step 2 exam will primarily focus on clinical skills and may include viva and practical components. This step is crucial as it evaluates the clinical and practical competencies of MBBS students. The NExT Step 2 exam will cover the following 7 clinical subjects:
- Medicine and allied disciplines
- Surgery and allied disciplines
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Pediatrics
- Otorhinolaryngology
- Ophthalmology
- Orthopedics and PMR (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation)
The latest NExT exam introduces a much-needed upgrade in the medical education system of India. By replacing multiple exams with one comprehensive exam, it increases efficiency for students and provides a standardized license to practice medicine, reducing the chances of bias. Overall, this exam is an innovative step for the future of the Indian medical system.
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