National Exit Exam (NExT Exam) for MBBS: Exam Pattern, Cutoff and Latest Updates
Those MBBS students who want to start their clinical practice for post-graduation courses in medical science will have to clear the NExT exam from now onwards. The NExT exam will be a combined exam that will replace NEET PG, JIPMER, FMGE, and other similar medical exams. It’s a significant change where some students are now confused in understanding the NExT exam pattern, syllabus, rules and regulations, etc.
However, everything is available on the National Medical Commission’s official website. However, Matrix Academy shall also keep you updated with the latest news. This blog has brought detailed information about the NExT exam question paper pattern, syllabus and some new updates.
NExT Exam Pattern
The NExT exam for MBBS students will not only set a standard for PG medical courses but will also ensure that the new clinical practitioners in India will be efficient in practical knowledge and complex case-solving. Further, AIIMS Delhi will organize the NExT exam in two stages- NExT Paper-1 and NExT Paper-2.
1. NExT Paper-1: NExT Exam Updates
This exam will be a replacement for the final-year MBBS exam. NExT Paper-1 will be a theoretical exam, and it will be an All-India level exam. So, the MBBS students must appear for the NExT Paper-1 at the end of their MBBS final year or before they start the internship. After passing Paper-1, the candidates can start their internship.
The most important thing to remember here is that NExT Paper-1 is of qualifying and competitive nature, as the minimum qualifying cut-off will be equivalent to 50 per cent. Also, admission to PG courses will include the weightage of the NExT Paper-1 score.
NExT Question Paper Pattern and Syllabus: NExT Paper-1
NExT Paper-1 will have theory-based single option correct type MCQs (multiple-choice questions). All the 19 subjects taught in the MBBS program from the first to the final year will make up the exam. But, the weightage of subjects and chapters will be widely different from that we have witnessed in the NEET-PG, JIPMER, and FMGE exams.
In NExT Paper-1, the clinical subjects like-Psychiatry, Gynaecology, Dermatology, Obstetrics, and Paediatrics will have more weightage than pre and para-clinical subjects. Regarding the number of questions in paper-1, there will be 540 MCQs in the NExT Paper-1.
Here is the subject-wise distribution of questions according to the official draft that NMC recently shared-
- Dermatology, Medicine & Psychiatry: 120 MCQs
- Orthopedics, Surgery & Anesthesia: 120 MCQs
- Radiology, Gynecology & Obstetrics: 120 MCQs
- Pediatrics: 60 MCQs
- Opthalmology: 60 MCQs
- ENT: 60 MCQs
The candidates must remember that out of these 540 questions, 60% will be problem-solving-based, 30% will be analysis and comprehension-based, and the rest 10% will depend on the recalling capability of the candidates. So, these 10% questions can create a big difference in AIR.
Besides, out of each stream, 10% of questions will be from basic applied sciences and 10% from preventive and social medicine. A supplementary exam will be conducted once a year for candidates who fail in any of the subjects in the NExT Paper-1.
2. NExT Paper-2: NExT Exam Updates
The NExT Paper-2 will be entirely different from the NExT Paper-1. Paper-2 will be a practical exam that will result in a pass or fail. The university will conduct Paper-2 at the university level itself. The candidates will have to appear for NExT Paper-2 after they have completed their 12-month clinical internship.
Cracking Paper-2 will get a candidate clinical practice license. Admission to the PG courses will not consider the NExT Paper-2.
National Exit Exam Dates
For the 2024-25 session, AIIMS Delhi will conduct the NExT exam for MBBS students. The NExT Paper-1 will be conducted in December’s second week, and the organizing body will declare the result in the second week of January 2024. And, The NExT Paper-2 will be conducted in March’s second week.
For further information related to the NExT exam, Matrix Academy will keep you updated.
Also Read : NEET 2023 Live Update – Expected Result and Schedule
FAQs About NExT Exam For MBBS
Q 1. Is it confirmed that the NExT exam will be there for the 2024-25 session?
Ans: Yes, the NMC and Union Health Ministry has confirmed that the NExT exam for MBBS students will be conducted for the 2024-25 session.
Q 2. What is the exam pattern for the upcoming NExT exam?
Ans: The NExT exam will be conducted in two stages: Paper-1 & Paper-2. Paper-1 will be an All-India level exam that will include theory-based MCQs. Paper-2 will be at the university level and will be a pass/fail type practical examination.
Q3. How much do I need to score in NExT Paper-1 to be eligible for Paper-2?
Ans: To qualify for NExT Paper-2, you must score at least 50 per cent (STRICTLY NOT PERCENTILE) in Paper-1.
Q4. What will be the purpose of NExT exam?
Ans: NExT exam will ensure that the new doctors in India are efficient in practical knowledge and core medical knowledge to handle critical cases with a high success rate.