NExT: Why are students demanding proposal roll back?
The mock NExTwill be conducted by the AIIMS), Delhi on July 28. Students from all over India are going for a week-long protest demanding the withdrawal of their proposal.
By Sri Lakshmi Muttevi Published on 6 July 2023 4:47 AM GMT
Hyderabad: Medical students across the country have started protests demanding the roll back of the National Exit Test (NExT).
The mock NExTwill be conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi on July 28.
NExT, a comprehensive single-window exit exam, will replace multiple existing examinations, including NEET-PG, INI-CET (AIIMS, PGI, JIPMER, NIMHANS), and the MCI Screening Exam (FMGE: Foreign Medical Graduate Examination). The 2019 batch of final-year MBBS students are the first ones to write the exam in two phases.
NExT Step 1 is likely to be held in February 2024. Students will undertake NExT-1 after completing their final year. A pass in NExT-1 (cut off at 50%) will make them eligible to start their internship.
Why are the students protesting?
Students from all over India are going for a week-long protest from July 1-7 demanding the withdrawal of their proposal. According to the medical students, the NExT will be affecting them in four ways.
Speaking to News Meter, National Zonal coordinator of the Indian Medical Association Medical Students Network (IMA MSN ) Dr. Dhruv Chauhan said: "The 2019 batch students are in mid-session and they have half preparation for theory exams. Now they need to get prepared for NExT which is confusing to them. There has been no clarity on the exam schedule."
According to the medico, the 50% cut-off mark for the NExT-1 is way more than earlier passing criteria in NEET PG. Adding to this, six subject papers with respective weightage in items and time allocation in one go passing criteria makes it tough for clearing and getting into PG.
If the exam happens in May 2024, the medicos have no more than 10 months for the examination. "The syllabus for NExT-1 comprises all 19 subjects in the new Indian MBBS curriculum, incorporating preclinical, paraclinical, and clinical subjects taught from the first to final years. How can we cover such a vast syllabus in such a short time?" asked a medical student from Andhra Medical College.
A medical student of Srikakulam government college said, "Covid-19 pandemic has already given us a tough time for us. Now we have to write our final exams around November and then prepare for NExT. This becomes stressful for us to compete with. We students decided not to pay the fee for the mock test which is our way of protesting."
Waiving of fee:
Meanwhile, the Union Health and Family Welfare ministry has asked the National Medical Commission (NMC) to consider waiving the fees for the mock National Exit Test (NExT).
According to a notification issued by the premier medical institute last week, the āGeneralā category and OBC candidates will have to pay Rs 2,000 each to appear in the mock test, while an SC, ST, or EWS applicant will have to pay Rs 1,000.
Persons with benchmark disabilities will not have to pay any fee to appear in the examination.
Why a mock test?
AIIMS, Delhi has been entrusted with the job of conducting the mock test. It will be a computer-based examination consisting of multiple-choice questions.
The aim of conducting the mock test is to familiarise the prospective candidates with the computer-based test, software interface, and process flow at the examination centers.
The sample questions in the mock or practice test will only exemplify the pattern and format of NExT Step 1.
