NEXT(National Exit Test) PG Exam

NEXT or the National Exit Test is a common exit exam to promote meritorious medical students to practice medicine in the respective fields or to further pursue higher education. NEXT PG exam is a common gateway across India where you can practice medicine in India. Also NEXT is a one-step process among many to remove complications of procedures and ensure improvement in the industry.

NEXT Objectives

• The main objective of NEXT is to combine both the MBBS licentiate exam and MBBS exit exam which is highly helpful for the MBBS graduates in obtaining a license to practice medicine.
• It replaces NEET – PG exams in further days as well by making it easy for the students to develop their skills with a deeper understanding of concepts in solving the problems.
• Aspirants who have qualified for their graduation in MBBS from abroad can replace the FMGE, Foreign Medical Graduate Exam, and can also practice medicine in India by taking NEXT PG exam seriously.
• NEXT will have a standardized test that includes a common entrance test, licentiate, and screening test with a common counseling process for admission to MBBS or PG medical courses across India.
• NEXT has also proposed that MBBS graduates who clear the exam will be required to work for a period of three years in a rural or tribal area in the specialization chosen by them.

NEXT Exam Pattern

NEXT will be conducted in two parts.

NEXT Part 1

• It is an Online MCQ Exam
• The exam will take place after the final year.
• It cannot be taken after the internship period.

NEXT Part 2

• It is a Practical Exam
• It can be taken after the internship period mostly in April.

Important Points to note:

An aspirant will not be eligible to pursue an internship if he/she doesn’t clear or pass NEXT 1. In case, if he/she fails to qualify any of the two parts of NEXT MBBS Exam, he/she will not be eligible to practice medicine in India. 

NEXT syllabus

NEXT -1

• Number of questions: 540
• Total hours of exam: 14.5 hours (i.e) Pre-lunch – 3 hours and Post Lunch – 1.5 hours
• The total duration of exam – 3 days

Day 1

Timing (Pre – lunch)	Timing (Post – lunch)
Duration: 3 hours	Duration: 1.5 hours
Subject: (Medical & Allied)	Subject: (Paediatrics)
Number of questions: 120	Number of questions: 60

Day 2

Timing (Pre – lunch)	Timing (Post – lunch)
Duration: 3 hours	Duration: 1.5 hours
Subject: (Surgery & Allied)	Subject: (ENT)
Number of questions: 120	Number of questions: 60

Day 3

Timing (Pre – lunch)	Timing (Post – lunch)
Duration: 3 hours	Duration: 1.5 hours
Subject: (Obstetrics and Gynaecology)	Subject: (Ophthalmology)
Number of questions: 120	Number of questions: 60

Content:

• Problem-solving:60%
• Comprehension and Analysis:30%
• Recall:10%

Highlights-NExT exam

Advantages of NEXT PG exam

• It Increases the number of skilled and qualified MBBS graduates in regulating the quality of the MBBS aspirants.
• It is a common entrance test that brings uniformity across India.
• It improves the conditions of the remote settings to enhance the health care facilities for Indian citizens
• It helps the foreign students to replace unnecessary paper works.
• It builds International recognition in following the medical regulations and advancements as seen in the international countries.

Guidelines to follow:

• In NEXT 1,10 % of questions are based on basic sciences and 10% will be focussed on Preventive & Public Health 
• NEXT 2 will be a practical exam conducted in a reputed college/university. Here aspirants should have knowledge of basic practical skills.
• The scores grabbed in NEXT 1 will be valid for a period of 2-3 years only.
• NEXT PG exam will focus on producing skillful doctors and it helps to judge the analytical and problem-solving skills with the conceptual understanding of MBBS students. 

Read also Best Coaching for NEXT Exam.