Until now, NEET has determined admissions to MBBS and BDS courses in medical colleges. Now, according to the NMC, medical education will be integrated into a single exam going forward, starting with the NEXT exam.

A major change is soon to take place in India's medical education. The National Medical Commission has clarified that preparations are underway to implement a National Exit Test for medical graduates in the country. This exam will replace the existing NEET PG and transform the entire process of becoming a doctor. However, NExT will not be implemented immediately. So, let us explain how NEET will be replaced by NExT and how the entire process of becoming a doctor will change.

A single exam for doctors, from licensing to PG admissions

Until now, NEET has determined admissions to MBBS and BDS courses in medical colleges. Now, according to the NMC, the NEXT exam will integrate the process of becoming a doctor, obtaining a license to practice medicine, and postgraduate admissions into a single exam. According to the NMC, NEXT is designed as a uniform exam to evaluate students from all medical colleges in the country at the same level. This is expected to improve the quality of medical education and the qualifications of doctors.

NEXT will not be implemented for now

According to the NMC Chairman, the NEXT exam was planned to be implemented in August 2025, but it was postponed. According to the NMC Chairman, the exam will not be implemented immediately; instead, work will be done on its preparation, structure, and feedback. Following a meeting with the Federation of All India Medical Associations, the NMC announced that mock tests will be conducted over the next three to four years. These trial exams will assess the feasibility of implementing NEXT. The NMC will bear the entire cost of the test.

Students and doctors had protested

Students and several doctor organizations had previously protested against the NEXT exam. In 2019, the NMC had planned to conduct the NEXT exam in 2023 for the 2019 batch, but it was postponed indefinitely after student protests. Students argued that the exam was against the provisions of the NMC Act 2019 and would increase study pressure.

NMC to replace NEET-PG

If NEXT is implemented, the NEET-PG, FMGE, and MBBS final-year exams will be eliminated. In fact, if NEXT is implemented, MBBS students will have to take NEXT instead of the final-year exam. Admission to postgraduate programs will be based solely on merit obtained in NEXT. Furthermore, foreign MBBS students will no longer need to take the FMGE separately and will be able to participate in NEXT alongside Indian students.