No NExT: NEET PG for entrance into postgraduate medical education

NExT will be a common examination for completing MBBS, grant of medical licences and entering PG courses as a way to ensure uniform quality of medical education across the country with a focus on practical training.

Written by Anonna Dutt

New Delhi | Updated: November 11, 2023 09:25 AM IST

3 min read

NEET-PG examination, NEET PG, National Exit Test (NExT), Indian express news, current affairs

It will be conducted in two parts -- the multiple choice part I will be conducted after MBBS course has been completed and the practical part II, after the students have completed their mandatory one-year internship.

Listen to this article

Your browser does not support the audio element.

Students who want to pursue post graduate medical education next year will have to qualify the NEET-PG examination and not the new National Exit Test (NExT) that has been in the works, according to a tentative schedule released by the National Board of Examination on Thursday. NEET-PG 2024 will take place on March 3, the schedule said.

This might come as a relief to many students who have been dreading the new format of the examination.

Also Read | NEET PG 2024 on March 3, FMGE December on January 20; check full NBE calendar

It will be conducted in two parts — the multiple choice part I will be conducted after MBBS course has been completed and the practical part II, after the students have completed their mandatory one-year internship.

While NExT is mandated under the National Medical Commission Act, the government deferred it “till further directions” earlier this year. However, there were indications from the health minister and the union health ministry that the examination may likely happen in 2024.

In fact, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences had also prepared to conduct a mock test to prepare students in the new format. Sources said the new format is likely to come into force only after the current general elections.

Also Read | NEET PG: Check the eligibility criteria/ tests for PG in medicine in foreign countries

“There was a need to defer the new examination. This is because there are several issues that remain like, who will conduct the examination, what kinds of questions will they ask, what happens if someone doesn’t pass the second test, what happens if a person does not get a seat of their choice with their marks and would people be allowed to re-appear in the test,” said Dr Rohan Krishnan, chairman, Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA).

Story continues below this ad

Vacant seats

While the current format of examinations may continue, the NMC is looking at ways to streamline the counselling process and reduce seat vacancies. Over 1,400 post graduation medical seats remain vacant even after four rounds of PG counselling. The vacancy hasn’t gone down drastically even though the qualifying percentile has been reduced to zero for the current session.

There were 4,614 vacant PG seats in 2019-20 after counselling was completed, 1,425 in 2020-21, and 3,744 in 2021-22.

Anonna Dutt

Anonna Dutt is a Principal Correspondent who writes primarily on health at the Indian Express. She reports on myriad topics ranging from the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to the problems with pervasive infectious conditions. She reported on the government’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination programme. Her stories have resulted in the city government investing in high-end tests for the poor and acknowledging errors in their official reports. Dutt also takes a keen interest in the country’s space programme and has written on key missions like Chandrayaan 2 and 3, Aditya L1, and Gaganyaan. She was among the first batch of eleven media fellows with RBM Partnership to End Malaria. She was also selected to participate in the short-term programme on early childhood reporting at Columbia University’s Dart Centre. Dutt has a Bachelor’s Degree from the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune and a PG Diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She started her reporting career with the Hindustan Times. When not at work, she tries to appease the Duolingo owl with her French skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor. ... Read More

Tags:

NEET PG