NExT Exam for MBBS (Postponed for two to three year): NMC Latest News, Dates, Syllabus, Pattern

NExT exam has been delayed by two to three years, confirmed by NMC. The exam was to be held in August 2025. NMC NExT The test will be replacing NEET PG, FMGE exams for admission to postgraduate courses. Read to know more about NEXT for MBBS. The objective of the exit test is to implement a common gateway exam for admission at post-graduation level.

National Exit Test (NEXT) Exam Postponed

National Medical Counselling has postponed the NExT exam for two to three years. Earlier, the NExT exam was to be implemented from August 2025. In a meeting with FAIMS delegation, NMC Dr Abhijat Sheth said that NExT mock exam will be held for a few years before the actual implementation. "The NEXT (National Exit Test) will not be implemented immediately. For the next three to four years, NMC plans to conduct mock tests," Sheth was quoted as saying. Currently, there is no official news on the NExT exam.

National Exit Test will be replacing NEET PG and will also serve as a licentiate exam for undergraduate medical students to practice in India. AIIMS Delhi shall be the conducting authority. 

Also Read: NExT Exam Deferred: Why Doctors Say Postponement of 3-4 Years is Both Relief and Setback

What is NExT?

NExT exam or National Exit Test will be conducted for providing admission to post graduate courses. It is a licentiate exam mandatory for undergraduate medical students to practice in India. Candidates who qualified MBBS from India or abroad will have to clear the exam to register with the Medical Council of India. National Exit Test will be conducted by AIIMS Delhi. Earlier, it was presumed that National Medical commission will be the conducting body. But the latest official release has confirmed AIIMS will held the exam twice a year. Dates and other crucial details for NExT exam will be released shortly on the official website. 

NMC NExT Exam Highlights

Some of the highlights of NExT MBBS exam are enlisted in the table below:

NExT Mock Exam

AIIMS Delhi will release the notification regarding NExT mock test online. Candidates will have to register for NExT exam according to the schedule. The application process will start with registration and basic candidate information, generation of Exam Unique Code (EUC) and completion of application form. The student will have to apply for NExT exam before the last date.  Dates and schedule for NExT mock exam will be updated below:

NExT Exam (National Exit Test ) Process

National Exit Test will be held in two steps, NExT 1 and NExT 2. NExT 1 will be a theoretical exam while NExT 2 paper will be a practical exam. Candidates who qualify for Step 1 will be eligible for an internship and later Step 2 practical exam. NMC will release the information brochure, explaining the application process and other crucial details regarding NExT PG exam.

NExT Step 1

NExT Step 1 will be held in a computer-based mode where a total of 540 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) will be asked. The paper will comprise six papers covering subjects of the third year/final MBBS course, Part 1 and Part 2. Candidates who completed the third year/Final MBBS course from a recognised medical college shall be eligible to appear in the examination. NExT MBBS will be held once a year prior to University Practical Examination for the III MBBS (Part2)/Final MBBS preceding Compulsory Rotating Internship. NMC NExT Step 1 supplementary examinations will be held once a year and candidates who failed in one or more of the 6 subjects can appear in the same. There is no restriction on the number of attempts in NExT exam. The only condition is candidates should have passed NExT Step 1 exam within 10 years of joining MBBS.

Also Read

• INI CET: Dates, Registration, Syllabus pattern
• NEET PG: Counselling, Result, Cut off, Syllabus, Pattern

NExT Step 2

NExT Step 2 will be a Practical /Clinical and Viva-based exam. National Exit Test 2 will be held in person /live by the respective state Health Universities / Institutions. Paper 2 will comprise seven clinical subjects/disciplines. NExT paper 2 will be clinical case-based, simulated cases/patients aimed at evaluating practical /clinical skills, clinical decision-making and communication skills.

NExT Exam Eligibility Criteria

The National Exit Test will be valid for undergraduate medical students. Some of the eligibility criteria for NExT exam or National Exit Test as mentioned in the draft guidelines are as follows:

• All undergraduate medical students pursuing MBBS from medical colleges approved by NMC

• All Foreign Medical Graduates approved by NMC for the purpose of obtaining a licence to practice medicine as a registered medical practitioner in India

• Any other person who has a medical degree for purpose such as pursuing an academic course, observership or any other purposes as may be specified and approved by NMC

Also read

• NMC seeks stakeholders' comments on draft regulations related to NExT
• Will NEXT be implemented from 2023?

NExT Application Form

Though the exam conducting body has not released any official notification regarding the application process, it is believed that NMC will be releasing an online application form for the NExT exam. Application dates for NExT will be released on the official website. Candidates will have to register online to submit the application form for NExT. The application process comprises registration, filling application form, uploading images, and paying the registration fee. Candidates are advised to check the eligibility criteria before applying for NExT PG exam. 

NExT Exam Syllabus

NExT Syllabus comprises six subjects, covering clinical, pre and para clinical areas. NExT 1 tests the theoretical knowledge of students in above subjects. Subjects of NExT 1 Syllabus are as follows:

• Medicine & allied subjects

• Paediatrics

• Surgery & allied subjects

• Otorhinolaryngology

• Obstetrics & Gynaecology

• Ophthalmology

NExT Exam Pattern

NMC NExT exam pattern comprises exam mode, medium total number of questions its type and other details. NExT 1, theory exam will be held in online mode while NExT 2, practical or viva will be in offline mode. There will be 540 MCQs question in NExT 1. Those who will clear National exit Test paper 1 will be eligible for internship programme. Candidates will have to score 50% marks to qualify for NeXT paper 1. Candidates will have to clear both NExT 1 and NExT 2 to get admission into PG courses.

NExT Exam Pattern Important points

• The exam will comprise two parts, NExT 1 and NExT 2

• NExT 1 that is theory based will be held in online mode.

• Total 540 MCQ based questions will be asked from 19 subjects in NExT 1

• NExT 2 will be conducted only after the internship

• NExT 2 or paper 2 will be practical exam which will be held by respective state colleges/universities

• Score of paper 1 will be valid for 2 years to qualify Paper-2 practical exam

NExT Exam Marking Scheme

Candidates will have to score minimum marks to qualify for the exam. The marks in NExT 1 shall be calculated as whole number which shall serve as the Raw Scores with appropriate decimals and subsequently corresponding Percentages (marks out of a maximum of 100) with appropriate decimals may be calculated if required. NExT 2 Exam results shall be declared as only Pass / Fail based on the acquisition of appropriate competence that is being evaluated.

NExT Exam Question Pattern

NExT 1 paper will be divided into three parts. The theory based exam will be held in 3-days comprising 6 papers. Out of 540 MCQ based questions in NExT 1, 65% will be based on problem solving and analytical skill, 25 % comprehension type and rest 10% will be recall based. The table given below comprises schedule of NExT 1. It must be noted the schedule given below is tentative, subject to feasibility and logistics.

NExT Cut Off

Candidates will have to score the minimum cut off marks to qualify for NExT PG exam. Qualifying criteria is different for both NExT 1 and 2. For NExT 1, the minimum marks for passing shall be 50% or half of the maximum possible raw for NExT Step 1.The criteria for passing NExT Step 2 shall be satisfactory demonstration of competencies which will be evaluated and declared as a Pass /Fail result.