National Exit Test (NExT) for MBBS Students: What You Need to Know
What is NExT?
The National Exit Test (NExT) is a licensing examination for medical undergraduates. After the completion of their MBBS, medical students are required to write this exam to be registered under the Medical Council of India. This exam assesses the competency, clinical skills and overall knowledge of the students required to be a practicing doctor in India.
The exam serves as a Licentiate, an Entrance, and an Exit exam.
NExT Exam 2025 for MBBS
Generally, the National Medical Commission conducts the NExT Exam. This year, the National Exit Test will be conducted by AIIMS Delhi. The exam will take place twice. Types of questions to be asked are- MCQs, LAQs and SAQs. Candidates can attempt the NExT as many times.
NExT Exam 2025: Eligibility
The Eligibility Criteria for the NExT Exam 2025 are as follows.
- All undergraduate medical students pursuing MBBS from medical colleges approved by NMC
- All Foreign Medical Graduates approved by NMC to obtain a license to practice medicine as a registered medical practitioner in India
- Any other person who has a medical degree for purposes such as pursuing an academic course, observership or any other purposes as may be specified and approved by NMC
The above-mentioned candidates are eligible to appear for the NExT Exam 2025.
NExT Exam 2025: Application
No official guidelines for application have been released by the conducting body as of now. The registration process is expected to begin in the last week of November 2024. Registration will take place online. Candidates will have to register themselves, fill out the application form, upload photos and make the application fee payment positively. To stay updated on the application process, visit the official NMC website— www.nmc.org.in.
NExT Mock Exam
Online registration for NExT mock exam started on June 28, 2024. The application process starts with registration and basic candidate information, generation of Exam Unique Code (EUC) and completion of application form. The last date for application submission for NExT mock test was 10 July 2024. Earlier, the mock test exam was to be held on July 28 but got canceled. Dates for the NExT Mock Exam are yet to be announced.
NExT Exam 2025: Process
The NExT Exam 2025 will be held in two steps- Step 1 and Step 2. Only the candidates who pass the Step 1 will be eligible for the Step 2 Exam. Candidates will have to pass both exams to enroll in PG courses.
Step 1
The Step 1 exam will be held online. This is a theoretical exam. A total of 540 MCQs will be asked. There will be six papers that will cover subjects from the Final MBBS year, Part 1 and Part 2. The NExt Step 1 supplementary exam will be conducted once a year. Candidates who failed the exam in one or more subjects are eligible to appear for the same. A 12-month internship is also mandatory after passing the Step 1 exam and is a prerequisite for Step 2.
Step 2
The Step 2 exam will be held in person. This is a practical exam. It will include seven clinical disciplines. This will be a clinical case-based, simulated cases-based exam, that will evaluate the practical/clinical skills, decision-making ability and communication skills of the students.
NExT Exam 2025: Syllabus
The syllabus for NExT 2025 covers a wide range of disciplines. These are as follows-
- Medicine & allied subjects
- Paediatrics
- Surgery & allied subjects
- Otorhinolaryngology
- Obstetrics & Gynaecology
- Ophthalmology
NExT Exam 2025: Marking Scheme
To qualify for the exam, a minimum of 50% marks is required. These marks shall be calculated as a whole which shall serve as the Raw Scores with appropriate decimals and subsequently corresponding percentages (marks out of a maximum of 100) with appropriate decimals may be calculated if required. NExT 2 Exam results shall be declared as only Pass or Fail based on the demonstration of the expertise required.
NExT Exam 2025: Question Paper Pattern and Duration
The Step 1 exam will be a 3-day exam, having 6 papers in total. 65% of the paper will be problem-solving based and analytical skill, 25% will be comprehension type and the remaining 10% will be recall-based.
| Day |
Subject |
No. of Questions |
Exam Duration |
| Day 1 |
Medicine & Allied Subjects |
120 |
180 minutes |
| Pediatrics |
60 |
90 minutes |
| Day 2 |
Surgery & Allied Subjects |
120 |
180 minutes |
| ENT |
60 |
90 minutes |
| Day 3 |
Obstetrics & Gynaecology |
120 |
180 minutes |
| Ophthalmology |
60 |
90 minutes |
| Total |
— |
540 |
810 minutes |
Conclusion
The National Exit Test (NExT) for MBBS students is a rigorous exam spanning three days and covering six key medical disciplines. With 540 questions spread over 810 minutes, it tests students’ theoretical and practical knowledge, essential for medical practice in India. A thorough understanding of clinical subjects and problem-solving skills is vital for success in this examination, making it an essential step for MBBS graduates seeking to practice medicine or pursue postgraduate courses.
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