Indian Medical Association Urges Centre to Abandon National Exit Test (NEXT)

The decision of Union Health Ministry to introduce National Exit Test for MBBS graduates is receiving a negative response from teachers and students of various states. So, Indian Medical Association or IMA has raised voice against NEXT and urged the government to abandon the examination. Roy Abraham, Vice-President of IMA, revealed that the government’s move on introducing NEXT is not positive and it will cause severe harm to public health.

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He further added that the Supreme Court had introduced NEET to ensure the quality of medical education in the country. So, there is no need to introduce a separate exam to test the capability of the candidates. According to him, NEXT will only make a mockery of universities which hold MBBS examinations as well as MCI or Medical Council of India which has the power to regulate and supervise the medical education in the country.

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He explained that IMA is not against holding common MBBS final exam for all the medical students in the country. He indicated that there is a hidden agenda behind NEXT which promotes the interests of FMGs or Foreign Medical Graduates. Currently, the FMGs have to appear for a screening test as their training and standards are questionable.

Therefore, if NEXT is implemented, the FMGs will be spared from the screening test which will have negative consequences on country’s health sector. He further added that MBBS graduates should raise their voice and urge the government to cancel NEXT.

On the other hand, some of the medical students in Kerala, Telangana and Tamil Nadu boycotted their classes on February 1, 2017, and protested against the move of Union Health Ministry.