NExT Exam for MBBS: Eligibility, Application, Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Mock Test Registration
Content Curator | Updated On - Jul 21, 2023
NExT exam will be implemented from December 2023, for the batch passing out in 2024. NExT Exam will be mandatory for all passing out MBBS students.
NExT exam will be a single gateway to getting a license and practising medicine in India as well as admission to PG medical courses. It will be replacing existing NEET PG and FMGE exams from 2024 onwards.
The exam is categorized into two sessions- Step 1 and Step 2. Candidates in their MBBS/ Final year MBBS can appear for NExT Step 1 exam, followed by 12 months of internship. Post which Step 2 exam will be conducted which is a practical test.
What is NExT?
NExT or National Exit Test is a medical entrance exam that will be conducted for admission to post-graduate medical courses. In addition to a standardized counselling process for admissions to PG medical degrees in India, NExT would be a licentiate and screening test. In a word, this will be a licensure exam for students wishing to practice medicine in India, as well as a doorway to postgraduate studies. AIIMS New Delhi will conduct National Exit Test twice in a year.
NExT was proposed in the National Medical Commission Bill 2019, to replace FMGE Test and other PG medical entrance exams in India for admission into PG courses for the 2024-25 batch onwards. One of the fundamental reasons behind conducting NExT is to have a standard and reliable national-level qualifying exam across the country and eliminate the need for multiple tests.
NExT Exam Highlights
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam name | National Exit Test or NExT |
| Conducting body | AIIMS New Delhi (most likely) |
| Exam level | Postgraduate exam at National level |
| Objective | Medical License PG Entrance Exam |
| Session commencement | 2024-25 |
| Eligible candidates | Final year MBBS students, Foreign Medical Graduates |
| Exam mode | Online |
| Number of Paper | Paper 1 and 2 |
| Question Type | MCQs LAQs SAQs |
| Number of attempts | No restriction |
NExT Eligibility Criteria
The NExT eligibility criteria are as follows:
- All undergraduate medical students pursuing MBBS from NMC-approved medical colleges.
- All Foreign Medical Graduates approved by NMC for the purpose of obtaining a licence to practice medicine as a registered medical practitioner in India.
- Any other person with a medical degree for purposes such as pursuing an academic course, observership or anything else that NMC may specify and authorize.
NExT Application Form
Although the exam conducting body has not made any public announcements about the application procedure, it is anticipated that National Medical Commission (NMC) will release an online application form for the NExT 2024.
Application dates for NExT 2024 will be released on the official website. Candidates will have to register online to submit the NExT application form for 2024. NExT 2024 registration most likely will begin in the last week of October 2024. The application process comprises registration, filling application form, uploading images, and paying the registration fee.
NExT Exam Pattern
NExT exam will be divided into two parts: NExT 1 and NExT 2. Following their final year examinations, students will be entitled to sit for NEXT 1. Students must pass this test to be considered for the provisional internship. Students will be able to attend NExT 2 only after finishing their internship properly. NExT 1 paper score will be valid for the next two to three years to appear for NExT 2 paper.
NExT 1 Exam Pattern
- NExT 1 will be an online exam consisting of 540 multiple-choice questions (MCQs).
- It will comprise six papers covering subjects of the third year - final year MBBS course, Part 1 and Part 2.
- Candidates will have to score 50% marks to qualify for NExT 1. Students must pass this test to be considered for the provisional internship.
- Supplementary exams of NExT 1 will be held once a year and candidates who failed in one or more of the six papers can appear in the same.
- There is no limit on the number of attempts in NExT exam. The only condition is candidates should have passed NExT 1 exam within 10 years of joining MBBS.
- This test has a validity period of two to three years.
NExT 2 Exam Pattern
- NExT 2 will be a Practical and Viva-based exam. Students will be able to attend NExT 2 only after finishing their internship properly.
- Candidates will have to clear both NExT 1 and NExT 2 to get admission into PG Medical courses.
- National Exit Test 2 will be held in person by the respective state Medical Colleges/ Universities. It will comprise seven clinical subjects/disciplines.
- NExT 2 will be clinical case-based, simulated cases/patients aimed at evaluating practical skills, clinical decision-making and communication skills.
NExT Syllabus and Question Pattern
NExT 1 comprises 540 Multiple Choice Questions. The theory-based exam will be held in three days comprising six papers. Out of 540 MCQ-based questions in NExT 1, 60 will be based on problem-solving and analytical skills, 30 % on comprehension type and 10% will be recall, applied basic sciences, preventive and public health questions. The table given below comprises the tentative pattern of NExT 1.
| Days | Subjects | Number of Questions | Allotted Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Medicine & allied subjects | 120 | 180 minutes |
| Paediatrics | 60 | 90 minutes | |
| Day 2 | Surgery & Allied | 120 | 180 minutes |
| ENT | 60 | 90 minutes | |
| Day 3 | Obstetrics & Gynaecology | 120 | 180 minutes |
| Ophthalmology | 60 | 90 minutes | |
| Total | - | 540 | 810 minutes |
NExT Exam Marking Scheme
Candidates will have to score a minimum of 50% marks to qualify for the exam. The marks in NExT 1 shall be calculated as a whole number, which will serve as the raw scores with the relevant decimals. If necessary, corresponding percentages with the appropriate decimals may then be calculated.
Results for the NExT 2 will only be declared as Pass or Fail based on the evaluation of the candidate's attainment of the necessary competence.
NExT Mock Test
Online registration for the NExT mock test has began on June 28. The last date to submit the application for NExT is July 10. The NExT mock test that was scheduled for July 28 now stands cancelled. Firther dates will be notified by the authorities.
| Events | Dates |
|---|---|
| Registration and Application Form fill up | June 28, 2023 - July 10, 2023 (till 5 pm) |
| Status of basic registration and correction of rejected images | July 11, 2023 - July 12, 2023 (till 5 pm) |
| Final status of registration and acceptance of basic candidate information | July 13, 2023 (till 5 pm) |
| Generation of Exam Unique Code (EUC) | June 28, 2023 - July 14, 2023 |
| Completion of application | June 28, 2023 - July 14, 2023 |
| Admit card download | July 21, 2023 |
| NExT mock exam | July 28, 2023 (Cancelled) |
NExT FAQs
Ques. What is the eligibility for NExT exam?
Ans. Final year MBBS students who have pursued medical degree either from Indian University or abroad or those who seek admission for Postgraduation medical courses are eligible for NExT exam.
Ques. Who will conduct NExT exam?
Ans. All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) will be conducting National Exit Test (NExT) most likely from May 2024.
Ques. Will medical graduates have to sit for any other exam to get a license for medical practice in India?
Ans. No, the medical graduates will have to qualify only NExT to get a license for medical practice in India.
Ques. When will the National Exit Test (NEXT) be implemented?
Ans. There is a high possibility that NEXT will be implemented in 2024. NExT will be replacing existing NEET PG and FMGE exams for postgraduates medical courses.
Ques. When will the application form for NExT 2024 be released?
Ans. The application form for NExT 2024 exam is most likely in October 2023. An official information brochure for National Exit Test will be released soon, comprising application dates and other details.
Ques. What is the exam pattern for NExT exam?
Ans. National Exit Test will be held in two steps, NExT 1 and NExT 2. While paper 1 is a theory-based online exam, paper 2 will be an offline practical exam. Candidates who qualify for NExT 1 will be eligible for the NExT 2 exam.
Ques. How many questions will be there in NExT 1?
Ans. There will be 540 multiple-choice questions in NExT 1. It will comprise 6 papers covering clinical, pre and para-clinical areas.
Ques. How many attempts do I get for the NExT exam?
Ans. There is no limit on the number of attempts in NExT exam. The only condition is candidates should have passed NExT 1 exam within 10 years of joining MBBS course.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.