#mbbspg

NEXT: National Exit Test

NEXT (more commonly known as National Exit Exam for MBBS) will be a single window examination which will replace NEET-PG exam & MCI Screening exam (FMGE: Foreign Medical Graduate Examination). It will be implemented from 2022.

This exam will be mandatory for Indian and foreign medical graduates. The students who will pass NEXT exit exam will start their internship. Score (rank) in NEXT exam will also allot PG (MD/ MS/ DNB/ Diploma) seats in Government and private medical colleges in India.

NEXT will standardise the medical education in India. It will judge the conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills of last year MBBS students.

Pattern of NEXT exam

NEXT will comprise two parts: Theory (NEXT-1) and practical (NEXT-2). Theory questions will be multiple-choice questions (MCQs). NEXT-1 will be conducted after last year MBBS, before internship. After passing NEXT-1 students will start internship. Those who pass theory (i.e. NEXT-1) will have to clear NEXT-2, the practical test, separately at the end of internship. The score got in NEXT-1 will help you to gain a PG seat after internship. Follow below structure to understand national exit test syllabus strategy.

NEXT-2 will be a pass/ fail type of exam. Marks in NEXT-2 will not contribute to PG seats allocation. Thus NEXT-1 will be a qualifying and competitive exam.

There will be unlimited attempts in NEXT exam. Score of NEXT-1 exam will be valid for 2 to 3 years for PG Entrance ranking.

National Exit Test Syllabus

All 19 subjects in new MCI curriculum will be included in NEXT exit test syllabus for MBBS. But subject-wise marks distribution will be drastically different from what it was in NEET-PG exam or MCI Screening exam (i.e. FMGE: Foreign Medical Graduate Examination). The clinical subjects will carry disproportionately more marks than pre- & para-clinical subjects.

As per a proposal which was discussed in a meeting dated 15 Feb 2020 with Board of Governors (NMC: National Medical Commission), following could be the NEXT-1 question paper pattern:

10% MCQs from each stream will be from basic applied sciences (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology & pharmacology)

 10% MCQs will be from Preventive & Social Medicine (PSM)

Among 540 MCQs: • 60% will be problem solving • 30% comprehension & analysis • 10% recall

Pain areas of the students

1. Defining priorities:

Medical students have to multi-task: attend lectures, practicals, hospitals, study for local exams, routine daily activities, etc.

Among all these activities they cannot prioritize NEXT studies as it is vast

Students remain in a false sense of achievement by getting admission in MBBS & passing local exams

2. Busy schedule:

MBBS curriculum is demanding. There are multiple subjects with theory, practicals & students have to attend hospital as well.

When students meet the needs of busy schedule, it gives a false sense of fulfilment. But the long-term goal of NEXT gets neglected.

3. Lack of awareness of core activities:

Every MBBS student has a dream of becoming a specialist like surgeon, orthopedics, physician, gynecologist, dermatologist, etc.

After the exhaustive preparation for NEET-UG, in MBBS students fail to recognize that their long-term goal of becoming a specialist can only be fulfilled if they crack NEXT

Students get influenced by the other students & they get lost in daily routine

4. Scarcity of suitable options:

Even if MBBS student recognizes the importance of NEXT (NEET-PG), there are no suitable options to prepare for it in 1st or 2nd year MBBS

The options like weekend class, online videos & thick MCQs books rather contribute to the depression of medical students than solving their problems

5. Unavailability of mentoring & guidance

The overall atmosphere of medical college is about introducing various subjects to the students. It is not conducive to NEXT (NEET-PG) preparation.

Although coaching classes & online videos bombard the knowledge over the students, there is a lack of handholdings & real mentoring considering the obstacles in day-to-day life of the students

6. Lack of micro-planning

Since syllabus for NEXT (NEET-PG) is extremely vast, it is difficult for students to micro-plan their studies

In NEET-UG, students find it difficult to cover syllabus of 2 years (4 subjects) in 1 year preparation. In NEXT, they have to handle syllabus of last year MBBS i.e. all clinical subjects. It is utmost arduous task unless you have detail planning over the period of 3 to 4 years.

Solutions

1. Weekend or regular classes

8 to 10 hrs teaching per day & “finishing” the syllabus attitude

Not cost-effective as it costs around 60-80,000 Rs!

Students end up paying for hall rent, travelling of faculties & their stay in hotels.

No time or in-built mechanism for self-study

2. Video lectures

The same long (1 to 1.5 hrs) classroom lectures recorded

Wastage of time in writing on black-board or smart-board

600 to 700 hrs of total lectures demanding 2 to 3 hrs listening per day if you want to cover the syllabus in 1 year. Writing notes, tests all needing extra time! So this is solution is not workable.

3. Test series

Simply joining test series does not help when concepts are not clear

4. Books/publications

Merely self-study without mentoring leads to loss of focus & depression

Drawbacks / Dis-advantages of solutions

1. Time Consuming

The classroom lectures are often too long & too heavy to keep students interested.

2. Not Suitable Schedule

Students cannot manage the balance between their routine schedule & NEET-PG preparation with existing solutions

3. Low Yield / Spoon Feeding / Dependency on Lecturer

Even after attending weekend/ regular classes & going through online video lectures, students end up in repeating NEET-PG years after years.

Students always depend on their lecturer in every study related matter. This trait suppresses the creative side of their personality and they never get to know their strengths. Ultimately, the results don’t meet the expectations of students.

4. Not Interactive

Students cannot ask their difficulties in class as they feel shy

Student's loose interest & become passive listeners.

The students have to learn with the pace of their teachers.

For teachers teaching for NEET-PG in the coaching classes in their various branches have become a routine activity

5. Not Cost effective

Traditional education is cost demanding. Tuition fees are usually very high to the tune of 60 to 80,000 Rs for 8 to 10 months one time coaching.

How should be the ideal Solution?

1. Flexible

Students should have flexibility for personal schedules & they should learn at their own pace.

Student should be able to go through the lectures repeatedly if needed.

2. Fitting to exact situation

The solution should be customizable to the individual needs of the students.

3. Supportive at every stage of study