Medical students in Tamil Nadu’s medical colleges launched a ‘black-badge’ protest on Tuesday, July 11, against the imposition of the National Exit Test (NExT) by the National Medical Commission (NMC).

Students from four medical colleges in Tamil Nadu —  Thiruvarur Medical College, Stanley Medical College, Thanjavur Medical College and Tirunelveli Medical College participated in the protest on Tuesday urging the Union Government to repeal NExT for medical students in the state.

The students expressed that the introduction of a central examination like NExT impacts the autonomy of state government and state universities.

“This exam takes away the power of individual state universities and affects their autonomy. State governments as well as universities in Kerala and Tamil Nadu are against the imposition of this examination. NMC keeps bringing in these changes and drafts without any discussion with other states. This is an undemocratic move,” said Dr M Keerthy Varman, President, Tamil Nadu Medical Students Association.

Additionally, the students also expressed that the introduction of NExT will shift the focus of undergraduate (UG) medical students towards theoretical learning instead of clinical training and skills, affecting the quality of medical education.

“Like NEET, this will also give a boost to coaching culture. Already coaching institutes are earning lakhs of rupees from medical aspirants and the introduction of NExT will only encourage it,” Varman added.

Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister MK Stalin had also written a letter to the Centre last month expressing strong opposition against the NExT examination saying that it would be an additional burden on the medical students.

TN Medical Students Association added that they will launch another protest on a larger level across the state if they do not receive any response from NMC or the Union Government.