Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said the 2019 MBBS batch will not be covered under the National Exit Test (NExT), and it will be applicable for the next batch.

Interacting with students at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Raipur after laying the foundation stone of a critical care unit there, the union minister said the Centre and National Medical Commission (NMC) will not take any decision which creates confusion.

According to the NMC Act, the National Exit Test will serve as a common qualifying final-year MBBS exam, a licentiate exam to practise modern medicine and for merit-based admission to postgraduate courses and a screening exam for foreign medical graduates who want to practise in India.

When asked whether National Exit Test will create additional stress for medical students, Mandaviya said, “No student is required to undergo any stress. I’m not bringing the 2019 batch under NExT. I will bring the 2020 batch under it. NExT will not be held this year.”

“The other thing is that I will not consider the final exam as NExT….Give the degree, but after giving the degree, registration will only be done when you pass NExT. This means NExT equals NEET,” he said.

The government and NMC will not take any decision that will create confusion among students, the minister added.