What is FMGE/NEXT Exam?
Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE) also known as MCI/NMC screening test is a mandatory national-level licensure examination administered twice a year by the National Board of Examinations (NBE) and is required of all foreign medical graduates seeking permanent or provisional registration with National Medical Commission or other State Medical Councils..
The National Exit Test is now the licentiate exam as well as the national medical postgraduate exam that is mandatory for the students/MBBS aspirants to pass to get a “Dr” tag with their name. Said exam was introduced by the central government of India in the National Medical Commission Bill 2019.
The NEXT exam shall be implemented and rolled out in the year 2023 and shall act as a replacement for the FMGE Exam as well as the NEET-PG Exam. More on the same shall be clear as you read ahead!
FMGE/NEXT Exam Eligibility
Whether you are an Indian Medical Student or Foreign Medical Student, you just need to meet the below FMGE/NEXT Exam Eligibility to take the examination. If any of the students fail to meet the below-mentioned criteria, then they are not eligible to take the exam.
1 . Firstly, students need to clear the MBBS program.
2. Indian medical students need to undertake the internship after passing the NEXT-1 exam.
3. To take the NEXT-2 exam students must clear the NEXT-1 exam.
4 . Above all, students need to score at least 50% of their marks in the MBBS.
FMGE/NEXT Exam Pattern
The NEXT Exam Pattern for the examination is still in the proposal and NBE will declare the final pattern soon. It is suggested that the test is conducted in two phases NEXT-1 and NEXT-2. Theb NEXT-1 phase is MCQs based questions while the NEXT-2 covers the Oral and Practical based questions. Check below the proposed exam pattern for the examination. The official announcement about the NEXT pattern will be declared by the NMC, NBE, or NTA soon.
NEXT-1
- Conducted for final year aspirants.
- It is an online-based MCQ examination.
- Valid up to the next 2-3 years.
- The Next-1 score is used for PG Admission.
- If you fail the Next -1, you are not eligible to participate in the internship program.
- You can re-appear for the examination.
NEXT-2
Who qualifies the NEXT-1 can appear for NEXT-2.
- It is a Practical exam to check basic practical knowledge.
- After passing the examination you will get a license to practice in India or you can apply for a postgraduate program in medicine.
Advantages of NEXT Exam?
- The NEXT Medical Exam will ensure an Equal and Standardized Education system throughout the country. That’s because it will be a pan-Indian exam that will compulsorily have to be followed by every state, including the same education pattern for medical study as well. It shall also ensure an equal and uniform standard of education. Currently, the medical colleges of Karnataka, Punjab, and Delhi are considered to be the best but thanks to the NEXT Exam, other states will come at par as well.
- Colleges will enhance their education level as their students will compete with foreign medical graduates in the same exam.
- In a way, it will force/persuade medical colleges to enhance their education level as their students will have to compete with foreign medical graduates in the same exam.
- Overall, it will lead to an enhancement of Medical Education in the country, as the president’s signature on the bill will make it a new law that will force many to enhance the quality of medical education in the country. This will also lead to India following the same education (or similar) education culture as the developed countries do.
- Thanks to the NEXT Exam, separate exams won’t have to be held for foreign graduate doctors as they will get a practice license if they pass the National Exit Test. This shall be a unified exam where they’ll appear alongside Indian students.
NEXT Exam Latest News
In the draft that was released by the National Medical Commission (NMC), all medical graduates who have completed MBBS abroad need to also clear the National Exit Test within two years of their MBBS. This is because as mentioned above, it will replace the FMGE exam, that till now, was the licentiate exam for practising in India.
The National Medical Commission Bill is considered a big milestone that shall be a major step towards improving the medical education system of the country and overall, the Indian healthcare system. The National Exit Test will be mandatory for students who graduated from MCI/NMC – approved medical colleges abroad also.
They have to pass the NEXT exam to get register for medical practice in India.
Based on the score of the NEXT medical exam, PG admission in medical colleges of India will be invited and decided. The NEET-PG exam is also set to be replaced by National Exit Test as it is designed to test the skills and knowledge of final-year medical students.