National Exit Test 

General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

Recently, the National Medical Commission (NMC) issued the proposed draft regulations related to the National Exit Test (NExT).

What is the Objective of the Regulation?

• To provide consistency across the nation in the summative evaluation with regard to the minimum common standards of education and training for a medical graduate.
• The objective of the NExT is to improve the quality of healthcare in India by ensuring that all doctors have a minimum level of competency and knowledge before they begin practicing medicine.

What is National Exit Test?

• The NExT is a medical licensing exam that is designed to assess the competency of medical graduates.
• Students who received their medical degrees from NMC approved medical institutions and overseas students also will have to qualify the National Exit Test.
• To register for medical practice in India, they must pass the NExT
• This centralized common exam will be conducted by a body formed by the commission for this purpose.
  • National Medical commission (Amendment) Bill,2022,proposes an autonomous board, ‘Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences’, which, when comes to effect, will be responsible for holding the NExT exam.
  • Currently, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS)is responsible for holding exams like NEET PG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Postgraduate), Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE).
• NExT will take the place of tests like FMGE and NEET PG.
• The NExT will comprise two separate exams called ‘Steps’.

Who is Eligible to Appear in the NExT?

• All the students who have completed the final MBBS course from a Commission-recognised medical college would be eligible to appear in the exam.
• There is no restriction in the number of attempts provided that the candidate passes both the steps within 10 years of joining
• Just by clearing the NExT exam the foreign medical graduates will get licentiate to become practicing doctors.

What is the National Medical Commission?

• About:
  • The National Medical Commission (NMC)is a statutory body in India that was established in 2019 by the Indian government to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI).
  • The NMC has been constituted by an act of Parliament known as National Medical Commission Act, 2019
  • The NMC is a regulatory body for the medical education sector in India.
• Mission and Vision:
  • The Aim of the National Medical Commission are to
    • Improve access to quality and affordable medical education.
    • Ensure availability of adequate and high quality medical professionals in all parts of the country.
    • Promote equitable and universal healthcare that encourages community health perspective and makes services of medical professionals accessible to all the citizens.
    • Encourages medical professionals to adopt the latest medical research in their work and to contribute to research.
    • Objectively assess medical institutions periodically in a transparent manner.
    • Maintain a medical register for India.
    • Enforce high ethical standards in all aspects of medical services.
    • Have an effective grievance redressal mechanism.
    • It also has the authority to regulate fees for medical courses and to conduct inspections of medical colleges to ensure that they meet the necessary standards.