In a great relief to MBBS students throughout India, the National Medical Commission (NMC) announced that the much-debated National Exit Test (NExT) will not be introduced for the next three to four years.

NMC Chairman Dr Abhijat Sheth met with delegates of the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) in New Delhi and announced the decision yesterday, Wednesday, October 29.

Dr Sheth noted that the NMC intends to run a series of mock NExT exams, completely financed by the Commission, to assess the exam's structure, logistics, and student response, India Today reports.

Based on the responses, the NMC will evaluate the feasibility of NExT and use the findings to determine the course of its introduction. 

The move aims to ensure readiness in terms of infrastructure, legal clarity, and academic integration before nationwide rollout.

In the meeting, FAIMA presented findings from a statewide survey that highlighted the concerns of medical students and resident doctors about training quality, workload, and institutional readiness for NExT.

The National Exit Test (NExT) was developed as a single examination for MBBS graduates, functioning as both a licensing test for practicing medicine and a pathway to postgraduate admissions. 

It was originally scheduled to be implemented in August 2025, but delays owing to legal, structural, and logistical issues have stretched the timeline.