NExT 2024: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has announced that National Exit Test (NExT) will be held from 2024. As per the information shared, NExT will replace final-year MBBS examinations and the National Eligibility Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) entrance exam. It will act as a qualifying test for granting registration to doctors as well as the basis for postgraduate seat allocation.
Earlier it was presumed that the National Medical Commission will conduct NExT. However, as per the latest updates, it has been confirmed that AIIMS Delhi will conduct the exam to test both the clinical and practical learning of the students. The dates and other important details for NExT exam will be released shortly on the official website.
NExT 2024: What are the important highlights
Those who will be appearing for NExT 2024 can check below the important highlights related to the exam:
- NEET PG 2024 to be held between January and March, will be the last entrance exam for PG Medical Courses. Eligibility is limited to batches prior to 2019
- NExT - 1 will be conducted in May 2024 for Batch 2019
- For batches prior to 2019, they have the option to take NExT - 1 in May 2024. However, the counselling process for PG courses will be held after one year, in June 2025, following the completion of NExT - 2 for the 2019 batch. The batches prior to 2019 are not required to appear for NExT - 2
- NExT - 1 will be conducted twice in a year like INICET (May and November). So, from June 2025 onwards, 2 PG batches will come in 1 year.
NExT 2024: About the Exam
National Exit Test (NExT) will be conducted for admission to postgraduate medical courses. It is a licentiate exam mandatory for undergraduate medical students to practice in India. Candidates who qualified for MBBS from India or abroad will have to clear the exam to register with the Medical Council of India. The exam will be held in computer-based mode twice a year: May and November.
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The 2019 MBBS students are going to be the first batch who will be eligible for NMC NExT exam. The exam will be held in two steps - Steps 1 and 2. A total of 6 subjects will be there in steps 1 and 7 in step 2 for NExT MBBS. No clarity was provided regarding the exam commencement. The exam conducting body is expected to release an official notification regarding NExT dates soon.
NExT Mock Test and Exam Pattern
As per information shared by NMC, a mock test will be available on July 28. The registration for NExT mock/practice test will begin on July 28. The objective of the mock test is to familiarize candidates with computer-based test (CBT). They will have an idea of how the software interface works and process flow in the examination centre.
According to the NExT exam pattern, there will be 6 subjects in step 1 and 7 in step 2. Candidates have to clear step 1 and serve a mandatory internship to become eligible for step 2. NExT step 1 will be a theoretical exam which will test deep understanding of a particular subject while step2 will be a practical exam.
Who can apply for NExT 2024?
Those who wish to apply for the NExT exam can check the eligibility criteria:
- All undergraduate medical students enrolled in MBBS programmes in Medical Colleges approved by the National Medical Commission (NMC). These approvals are granted through the Medical Assessment and Rating Board as well as the Undergraduate Medical Education Board.
- All Foreign Medical Graduates who have been approved by the NMC. This approval is necessary to get a license to practice medicine as a registered medical practitioner in India and for enrollment in either the state register or the national register. The specific manner for this process will be specified by regulations.
- Those holding a Medical Degree who wish to pursue an academic course, observership or any other purposes as approved and specified by the NMC through notifications or regulations from time to time.
NExT 2024: How many MD/MS Seats and Colleges are there?
As per Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, there has been a surge of 105% increase in PG seats from 2014 to 2022. There were 31,185 PG seats in 2014, which increased to 64,059 in 2022. The government is having a target of 80,000 PG medical seats by 2024. Check below course-wise number if seats and colleges below:
MD General Medicine
| Type of Seats | Number of Seats | No. of colleges |
| Government Seats | 2,211 | 145 |
| Private Seats (Including seats of Deemed Universities) | 1,315 | 147 |
MS General Surgery
| Type of Seats | Number of seat | No. of colleges |
| Government Seats | 2081 | 141 |
| Private Seats (Including seats of Deemed Universities) | 1119 | 147 |
MD Dermatology
| Type of Seats | Number of Seats | No of colleges |
| Government Seats | 452 | 105 |
| Private Seats (Including seats of Deemed Universities) | 399 | 133 |
MD/MS Obstetrics & Gynaecology
| Type of Seats | Number of Seats | No of colleges |
| Government Seats | 1,675 | 144 |
| Private Seats (Including seats of Deemed Universities) | 866 | 142 |
NExT 2024: Most Preferred NEET PG Programmes
To take admission to PG medical courses such as Masters of Surgery (MS ) and Doctor of Medicine (MD), candidates have to qualify in the medical entrance exam - NExT. They can check below some of the most preferred NEET PG programmes below:
- Medicine
- Radiology
- Anatomy
- Forensic Medicine
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology
- Paediatrics
- Orthopaedics
Also Read: NEET PG Counselling 2023 Expected to Begin on July 15, Schedule Soon at mcc
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