NExT Exam: Docs opine medical education must improve before implementing it

Shiksha spoke with some of the stakeholders of the National Exit Test (NExT). Read here to know about their opinions.

The last date to send the feedback on the National Exit Test is February 7, 2024. Meanwhile, Shiksha spoke to a few stakeholders and here is what they have to say-

Docs appreciate inviting stakeholders' comments before implementing NExT

FAIMA National Chairman Dr Rohan Krishnan said, “I think it is a good initiative that NMC has asked for stakeholders' opinion and the members of the Committee also personally informed us that we need to send them our inputs as well. So, FAIMA will also be sending inputs after gathering various information regarding this topic from different stakeholders. We will be sending our representation. I think it is a good measure started by NMC.”

One of the Google Form questions is whether the NExT exam should replace the conventional MBBS final-year exam. While talking on this Dr RishiRaj Sinha, All India General Secretary of FAIMA and member of IMA and DMA said, “NExT exam is a good pattern, I totally accept it but it should be totally on the Indian academic pattern. NMC is trying to create NExT on USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) pattern. But the thing is that whether all the medical colleges in India are ready for the USMLE pattern.

My most simple question is that whether the education quality level of AIIMS Delhi and a normal Indian government medical college or private medical college is same? So, we first need to create the same level for all the medical colleges by changing the academic pattern. In NExT exam, all medical students are going to sit for the exam it is not exclusive to any one type of medical college. So, to implement NExT exam, all medical colleges including government and private medical colleges must follow the same academic pattern, he added.

Medical colleges should have better infrastructure before NExT implementation

There are many medical colleges in India which lack the basic equipment, and laboratories. Government first need to improve the basic infrastructure of medical colleges. There are various medical colleges where there are no faculties. Now, imagine a student entering a medical college by taking a highly competitive examination to fulfil his/her dream of becoming a doctor and finding that the faculties are not available in the medical college.

Then, what these students are going to learn? In AIIMS Delhi there are top-notch faculties and students are studying there but there are medical colleges in the country, I won’t take names, which have ghost faculties. These faculties only come during the inspection and after that, they are not available. So, the medical education quality cannot be equal in such a scenario. The government first need to work on academic patterns and infrastructure. These points should be considered while implementing NExT, added Dr Sinha.

There should be proper time given to doctors for preparing for NExT

“The idea of NExT is right but before implementing it, the government should have a proper plan, and work on academic patterns. Directly, you won’t be able to implement any examination change in India and experiment on the student. If it is done like this, it will be a total disaster. Because the students who are studying now are going to be doctors and examine patients in the coming time. The role of the doctor is very crucial in saving a life, so if the doctors are well trained the Indian healthcare system will be strong but if the doctor is not well trained it will create a huge problem. Hence, information should be very precise on what exactly is the pattern, which NMC has already shared but they should also give a proper time to implement it. If you have come up with the pattern now and expect that the student will appear in the exam immediately. Then, it won’t be possible,” he said.

“When the NExT exam was proposed we had asked these basic questions about the academic pattern, infrastructure and ghost faculties, as we know the ground reality. In my case, I have completed my MBBS from a government college and now doing my MD and DM from Central College. So, I can very well differentiate between a government medical college and a Central college. The same applies to all the students, we all are aware of these problems as we discuss within the medical community, ” said Dr Sinha.

“As Mansukh Mandaviya say the number of medical seats has doubled, which is right and I welcome the statement but do the new medical colleges have the proper facilities, and faculties, if faculties are getting recruited are they joining the colleges,” he asked.

Now about NMC’s notification inviting stakeholders to comment on NExT, if they will collect the feedback before implementing the exam, it will save a lot of time and energy. It is not so easy to implement any step of any entrance exam straightaway in a developing country like India and the medical college levels are not the same, he added.

NExT should be timely upgraded and assessed

NExT exam should be implemented only after taking proper information and guidance, and guidance can only be given by the aspirants who are going to appear in the exam. So, NMC must know about their problems. Also, there should be a common standard of education before implementing the examination, also the exam must be upgraded and assessed regularly after the implementation and the government should be aware of any loopholes, he added.

Academic changes required before NExT implementation

"I think the National Exit Exam is a great move by the government. This exam will be based on the USMLE pattern which is again very good. It focusses on every aspect of students life, not only just books. It includes practical knowledge also. NExT should replace MBBS final year exam only after making some changes in academics.

If the exam is implemented in the present situation of medical academics and colleges, then it is not good. For implementing the National Exit Test, the colleges should be well prepared. Also, they should train the medical students from the first year only, whatever the pattern is, if they will implement and replace only final year MBBS exams and do not make any changes in curriculum, or teaching pattern, then it is of no use and then it will be just a burden on the students," said Dr Devanshi, Pathology Resident, SSMC Rewa.

Otherwise, it is a great move, a great decision because NExT will reduce the load as currently we first clear MBBS final year and then need to prepare for NEET PG exam for one year separately. If the NExT exam will come, there will be only one exam for everything - for passing also and for PG admission also," she added.

One of the MBBS student from a prominent medical college said on condition of anonymity, “We are not against the National Exit exam but we want it to be implemented from the new session, if you had made this act before our admission then we would have happily welcomed this rule, I hope you all will understand our concern.”

Currently, India offers a total of 109065 MBBS seats through 706 medical colleges. NExT is going to change a lot for the medical students and they want better medical education standard in the country before its implementation.

Read more:

• All Feedback on NExT exam being taken seriously: Dean, Grant Government Medical College, Mumbai
• Doctors Take on NExt: Good on idea, Tough on implementation