Multiple attempts allowed, but must Clear all 6 papers in one go to get PG: NMC NExT regulations

Multiple attempts allowed, but must Clear all 6 papers in one go to get PG: NMC NExT regulations

New Delhi: Students will get multiple attempts to clear Step 1 and Step 2 of the National Exit Test (NExT), the National Medical Commission (NMC) specified in the recently released NMC National Exit Test Regulations, 2023. However, in order to get PG seats, the students will have to clear the 6 papers of Step 1 exam in one go.

The regulations stated that the candidates need to pass both Step 1 and Step 2 of NExT examination within 10 years of joining the MBBS course. NExT exam will soon replace the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET-PG) examination as well.

In order to get admitted to PG medical courses, the students will need to clear NExT Step 1 examination and all six papers of the exam by scoring a minimum of 50% or half of the maximum possible Raw Scores.

The six papers for NExT Step 1 will cover the subjects of III MBBS/Final MBBS (both Part 1 and Part 2) and they will include Medicine and Allied Disciples, Surgery and Allied Disciplines, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Otorhinolaryngology, and Ophthalmology.

Explaining the validity of NExT Step 1 Scores for admission to PG broad-specialty medical courses, the new guidelines mentioned that the scores shall remain valid for five years.

However, if the candidate opts for improvement of scores, then the previous NExT Step 1 score would be invalid for determination of rank. Only last attempt NExT Step-1 would be considered for determination of the rank.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that NMC on December 28, 2022 had released the draft regulations related to National Exit Test (NExT) clearly specifying that it will serve as both a licentiate exam for the purpose of practice of modern medicine for both Indian Medicos and Foreign Medical Graduates and also as a gateway entrance Examination for admission to courses Postgraduate Medical Education.

Releasing the Draft, NMC had invited comments from stakeholders on the proposed Regulations. Now, the final NMC National Exit Test Regulations, 2023 have been notified in the Official Gazette on June 28, 2023. This comes after recently NMC organised an webinar to address the concerns and doubts of medical students regarding the National Exit Test. Meanwhile, NMC has also released the Information Brochure for the exam, announcing that All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi will be in charge of conducting the examination.

These newly notified NMC, National Exit Test Regulations, 2023 include different topics including the purpose of NExT, who can appear in the examination, etc. Apart from these, NMC in these Regulations have discussed about broad outline and general features of the NExT, details about NExT Step 1, NExT Step 2, and different factors regarding NExT score such as the nature of Scoring, Minimum Scores to pass, Calculation of NExT step 1 scores, Utility of NExT scores etc.