Context: Recently, the Union Minister of State for Ayush (Independent Charge) announced that the National Exit Test (NExT) for Ayush will be effective from 2021-2022 batch onwards. 

• The test is mandatory for licensing and enrollment in State or National Registers after completing a one-year internship.

Key highlights for Ayush

• The NExT is a key examination introduced by the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) under the NCISM Act, 2020.

• It is designed to assess the clinical competency, understanding of medical ethics, and ability to handle medico-legal cases for Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Sowa-Rigpa graduates.

• The test is mandatory for licensing and enrollment in State or National Registers after completing a one-year internship, and the structure is a problem-based examination featuring clinical case scenarios, images, and videos to evaluate practical skills.

• Those interns who have not completed their internship but qualified in the National Exit Test (Next) shall be eligible to register in the State or National registration board only after completing a one-year internship.

• In today’s Press Conference Minister also introduced a major nationwide campaign “Desh Ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyan” focused on the health and wellbeing of all citizens. He also added that the campaign to be led by the Ministry of Ayush and the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM).

• This initiative aims to promote health through natural practices. This campaign will engage over 4.5 lakh participants, including 1,35,000 students, 20,000 postgraduate students, 18,000 teachers, and 3 lakh practitioners. The goal is to enhance public interest in Ayurveda and boost the economic growth.

About 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 test.

• 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 MBBS.

• Just by clearing the NExT exam the foreign medical graduates will get licentiate to become practicing doctors.