It is the test that will decide one’s medical license, and also their PG admission.
What is the NExT Exam?
The National Exit Test is a standardized test introduced by the National Medical Commission. It officially replaces the NEET-PG Exam and FMGE Exam. So instead of writing 2 separate tests for PG and licensing, students will now write 1 single test. And that is a good thing, because the NExT Exam aims to create a fair, uniform assessment system for every MBBS graduate in India. As of now, the official NExT Exam 2026 update for MBBS abroad students 2026 has been announced by the National Medical Commission. The National Medical Commission has officially confirmed that the much-discussed National Exit Test will be postponed for a minimum of 3 to 4 years.
According to the NMC Chairman, Dr Abhijat Sheth, the commission will organize mock NExT Exams, fully sponsored by the National Medical Commission, before the actual rollout.
Why has the NExT Exam been postponed by the NMC?
The NExT Exam was originally scheduled for August 2025, but it was postponed for three to four years due to several difficulties with its implementation, including logistical, legal, and infrastructure issues.
Several medical colleges will host trial NExT exams, and both the colleges and the students will provide feedback. They then intend to introduce new policies based on the responses and survey findings.
Students' Response to the NExT Exam Delay!
There appears to be strong opposition to the immediate rollout, according to a joint survey conducted by the Federation of All India Medical Association and the medical colleges. The abrupt postponement of the NExT Exam by three to four years undoubtedly affects MBBS students in India. Currently, the NEET-PG entrance exam for postgraduate admissions is taken by all Indian students in the same year. It was previously announced that starting in August 2025, the FMGE Exam would be replaced by the NExT Exam. However, the FMGE Exam (for foreign graduates) will remain a licensing test in India until the NExT Exam is operational due to the abrupt clarification that the NExT Exam is postponed for three to four years.
The National Medical Commission may decide to hold the first official NExT mock test as a trial in medical schools in 2026 or 2027. The National Medical Commission will provide free mock exams in order to get input on the NExT model. In the National Medical Commission Bill 2019, the Indian central government introduced the test. According to the National Medical Commission’s draft, all graduates who finished their MBBS program overseas must also pass the National Exit Test within two years of graduation.
The NMC Bill is considered a huge milestone that shall be a significant step towards enhancing the MBBS education system of the country, and overall, the Indian healthcare system. The objective of the new bill is to begin a single window exit test for final year MBBS students.
Once the government implements the bill, there will be only one test for medical practice licenses and medical PG entrance exams.
According to the Ministry of Health, the primary objective of the NExT Exam is to enhance the country’s healthcare system and produce more successful doctors. This is also the first step towards the government’s mission to ensure its “One Nation, One Exam” plan for all the students of the country. In fact, even foreign MBBS graduates from other countries have to pass this exam to be eligible to register themselves to work in India. According to some media reports, the National Board of Examinations will organize the test across the country.
The motive behind this is that the National Board of Examinations organizes FMGE and NEET PG tests.
Benefits of NExT Exam
Every state will be required to administer this pan-Indian test, which will also require MBBS students to follow the same curriculum. Students have to solve multiple-choice questions as well as short-answer and long-answer questions in the NExT Exam. The internship program will only be open to those who meet the requirements for NExT Paper I. Scores for this paper are valid for a total of 2 to 3 years.
The NExT Paper II is an entirely practical test. As per the recent updates, this paper will be image-based. It is only after qualifying for this test that applicants will have the choice to either pursue a PG in MBBS education or practice medicine in India. The exam will be organized into two sections: NExT I and NExT II. There will be 540 multiple-choice questions in the NExT I Paper. The NExT II Paper will be conducted after completing an internship. Paper II of the NExT Exam will be a practical test. However, the students must know that in case a candidate fails the NExT Paper II, they have to wait for one whole year, as the exam will be conducted once a year.
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