The much-anticipated National Exit Test (NExT) — meant to serve as a common final MBBS exam and postgraduate entrance test — has faced yet another delay, further extending the uncertainty for medical students across India.
Initially proposed under the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act of 2019, NExT was designed to replace NEET-PG and the final MBBS examination, streamlining medical licensing and postgraduate admissions. However, the rollout has been continuously postponed due to administrative and logistical hurdles.
Timeline of Postponements
📅 2019:
The NMC Act formally introduced the idea of the National Exit Test as a unified assessment for MBBS graduates.
📅 2020–2021:
The pandemic and curriculum disruptions delayed initial preparations. The exam was deferred indefinitely.
📅 2022:
The NMC began consultations with medical institutions to develop a framework for NExT, but concerns over question design and evaluation consistency delayed progress.
📅 2023:
AIIMS Delhi conducted a mock test, which received mixed responses. Many students raised concerns about transparency, syllabus alignment, and scoring patterns.
📅 2024:
The official NExT implementation was postponed to 2025, with NMC citing “technical readiness and feedback review” as key reasons.
📅 2025:
In October, the NMC announced that the NExT will not be held this academic year. A new schedule will be released after further consultations, pushing the likely implementation to 2026.
What This Means for Medical Students
The postponement means NEET-PG will continue as the gateway for postgraduate medical admissions for at least one more year.
Final-year MBBS students will also continue to appear for university-based examinations until NExT is officially rolled out.
Students have expressed frustration over the repeated delays, citing uncertainty in exam preparation, career timelines, and licensing clarity.
NMC’s Clarification
The National Medical Commission has stated that the delay aims to ensure uniform implementation and fairness across all medical colleges.
Officials added that the testing infrastructure must be strengthened before a national rollout to prevent “avoidable disruptions.”
FAQs
1. What is NExT?
The National Exit Test — a single exam to replace NEET-PG and final MBBS exams for licensing and PG admission.
2. Why is it postponed again?
Due to administrative, infrastructure, and academic readiness issues.
3. Will NEET-PG 2026 happen?
Yes, until NExT becomes official, NEET-PG will continue.
4. Who conducts the NExT exam?
AIIMS Delhi, under NMC’s supervision.
5. When is it likely to happen?
Tentatively in 2026, pending official confirmation.
Published on : 30th October
Published by : SMITA
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