The Union Health Ministry recently promulgated that a National Exit Test (NEXT) shall be made mandatory for MBBS pass outs to become practising, licensed physicians. Those of my medical colleagues who might have followed my columns here and elsewhere would know how dear anything relating to medical education is to me. As regards the National Exit Test, I have already penned a couple of writeups expounding on the pros and cons of it, and how it needs to be shaped so as to be of maximum benefit in our setting.
Now that the idea of it is finally out of the sphere of speculation, and is about to manifest–I believe I should discuss on some very pertinent aspects of this proposed ambitious step towards reforming our medical education. Now, the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bil l , which brings in the idea of a nationwide exit exam, centres around the following three proposals: 1. NEXT…
