Bill to provide national exit test for medical PG courses introduced in LS

A bill that proposes National Exit Test (NEXT), a common final year MBBS examination, which will serve as licentiate exam for entrance to post-graduate medical courses, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

The National Medical Commission Bill, 2019 was introduced by Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan.

The bill provides for the setting up of a medical commission in place of the Medical Council of India (MCI) and repeal of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956.

It provides that a common final year MBBS examination to be known as National Exit Test (NEXT) would serve as licentiate examination, for entrance to PG medical courses and as a screening test for foreign medical graduates.

The Bill provides that the national entrance test -- NEET -- common counselling and NEXT shall also be applicable to institutes of national importance like AIIMS to have common standards in the country.

The Commission will regulate fee and all other charges for 50 per cent seats in private medical colleges and deemed universities.

The bill provides that the National Medical Commission will have four autonomous boards - under-graduate medical education board, post-graduate medical education board, medical assessment and rating board and ethics and medical registration board.