NExT Exam 2025
NExT exam Step 1 is likely to be implemented from August 1, 2025. NExT Step 2 will be held in February 2026. Officially, no date has been provided yet for NExT exam MBBS. Earlier, some reports had said that the National Exit Test for final year MBBS students of 2024 batch will be implemented from February 2028. On July 13, the NMC NEXT exam for the 2019 MBBS batch was postponed. Later it was announced that NMC NEXT exam will be valid for MBBS students of 2020 batch.
NMC Next MBBS exam will be conducted twice a year in May and November. The National Exit Test (NExT) will probably be conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi. The examination will be held in two phases, theory and practical. Registration for NExT mock exams started online on June 28. Candidates could register for the NExT Stage 1 mock exam on the official website aiimsexams.ac.in. The last date to submit NExT mock application form was 10th July. The last date to generate the Examination Unique Code (EUC) and complete the application form was July 14. Later, NMC canceled the NExT mock exams.
According to an official release, Step 1 will be a theory-based exam while Step 2 will test the practical knowledge of candidates seeking admission to postgraduate medical courses. NMC NExT exam will be the single gateway to obtain licensure and practice medicine in India. It will replace the existing NEET PG and FMGE examinations from 2025. For the 2023-24 session, the NEET PG exam will likely be held on March 3, 2024.
On December 28, 2022, NMC released draft guidelines related to the National Exit Test, providing details about eligibility, exam pattern and marking scheme. The NMC, in its draft guidelines, said the objective of the National Exit Test is to bring uniformity in summative assessment across the country in terms of minimum common standards of education and training of medical graduates. Application dates and details for NExT PG exam are likely to be released in November 2024 along with the official information brochure.
What is NExT?
NExT examination or National Exit Test will be conducted to provide admission into postgraduate courses. A licensure examination is mandatory for graduate medical students to practice in India. Candidates who have passed MBBS from India or abroad must qualify the examination to register with the Medical Council of India. National Exit Test will be conducted by AIIMS Delhi. Earlier it was envisaged that the National Medical Commission would be the governing body. But the latest official release has confirmed that AIIMS will conduct the examination twice a year. NExT exam dates and other important details will be released soon on the official website.
NMC NExT Exam 2025 Highlights
Some of the highlights of NExT MBBS exam are enlisted in the table below:
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam name | National Exit Test or NExT |
| Conducting body | National Medical Commission (NMC) most likely |
| Exam date | August 2025 |
| Exam level | Postgraduate exam at National level |
| Objective | Medical License |
| Eligible candidates | Final year MBBS students, Foreign Medical Graduates |
| Exam mode | Online |
| Number of Paper | Paper 1 and 2 |
| Question Type | MCQs LAQs SAQs |
| How many attempt | No restriction |
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
The next step 1 will be conducted in computer-based mode where a total of 540 multiple choice questions (MCQs) will be asked. The paper will consist of six papers covering the topics of 3rd year/final MBBS course, Part 1 and Part 2. Candidates who have completed 3rd year/final MBBS course from a recognized medical college will be eligible to appear for the examination. NEXT MBBS will be conducted once a year before the University Practical Examination for III MBBS (Part 2)/NEXT MBBS before the compulsory rotational internship. NMC Next step 1 supplementary exam will be conducted once a year and candidates who have failed in one or more of the 6 subjects can appear in it. There is no restriction on the number of attempts in the NExT exam. The only condition is that the candidates must have passed the NEXT Step 1 examination within 10 years of joining MBBS.
NExT Step 2
The next step 2 will be a Practical/Clinical and Viva-based examination. National Exit Test 2 will be conducted in person/live by the respective State Health Universities/Institutions. Paper 2 will consist of seven clinical subjects/subjects. NExT Paper 2 will be clinical case-based, based on simulated cases/patients aimed at assessing 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
NExT 2025 Application Form
Although the exam conducting body has not released any official notification regarding the application process, it is believed that NMC will release an online application form for the NExT 2025 exam. Application dates for NExT 2025 will be released on the official website. NExT 2025 registration will probably start in the last week of November 2024. Candidates have to register online to submit the application form for NExT 2025. The application process includes registration, filling the application form, uploading images and paying the registration fee. Candidates are advised to check the eligibility criteria before applying for NExT PG examination.
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 includes exam mode, moderate total number of questions, its types and other details. NExT 1, Theory exam will be conducted in online mode while NExT 2, Practical or Viva will be conducted in offline mode. NExT 1 will have 540 MCQ questions. Those who pass the National Exit Test Paper 1 will be eligible for the internship programme. Candidates must score 50% marks to qualify for Next Paper 1. To get admission in PG courses, candidates have to clear both NET 1 and NET 2.
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 have to obtain minimum marks to qualify the examination. In NExT 1 the marks will be calculated as whole numbers which will serve as raw score with appropriate decimals and later the corresponding percentage (out of maximum marks 100) can be calculated with appropriate decimals if required Is. NExT 2 test results will be declared pass/fail only based on the acquisition of the appropriate qualification being assessed.
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.
| Days | Subjects | Number of Questions | Allotted Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Medicine & allied subjects | 120 | 180 minutes |
| Paediatrics | 60 | 90 minutes | |
| Day 2 | Surgery & Allied | 120 | 180 minutes |
| ENT | 60 | 90 minutes | |
| Day 3 | Obstetrics & Gynaecology | 120 | 180 minutes |
| Opthalomology | 60 | 90 minutes | |
| Total | 540 | 810 minutes |
NExT Cut Off
Candidates have to obtain minimum cut off marks to qualify NExT PG exam. The eligibility criteria for both NExT 1 and 2 are different. For NExT 1, the minimum marks to pass will be 50% or half of the maximum possible raw score for NExT Step 1. The criteria for passing NExT Step 2 will be satisfactory demonstration of the competencies which will be assessed and a pass/fail result declared.
