NCISM issues guidelines for conducting NExT for Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Sowa-Rigpa, details here
The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) recently released guidelines for conducting the National Exist Test (NExT) for Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Sowa-Rigpa of the Indian system of medicine.
The NExT shall be held for granting a license to practice as a medical practitioner and enrollment in the state register or national register after completing a one-year internship.
The official notification said, “The commission is forwarding “Guidelines for NExT which is attached herewith. The Guideline contains eligibility, number of attempts, syllabus, qualifying percentage, structure of pattern of examination and language of question paper etc.”
The ministry of AYUSH has shared a notification that has been marked to principals, registrars and directors of all ASUS college.
As per the Regulation 6 of National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (National Examinations for Indian System of Medicine) Regulations, 2023:
1. A National Exit Test of each discipline such as Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Sowa-Rigpa of the Indian System of Medicine shall be conducted by the Commission through Designated Agency.
2. The National Exit Test shall be held for granting a license to practice as a medical practitioner of the respective discipline of the Indian system of medicine and for enrolment in the State Register or National Register as a registered medical practitioner of the Indian system of medicine after completing a one-year internship.
3. The examination shall be problem-based to test the clinical competency, understanding of medical ethics and the ability to deal with medico-legal cases as a medical practitioner in the discipline Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Sowa-Rigpa, as the case may be.
4. Conduct of the National Exit Test shall be conducted ordinarily in the months of February and August, every year. However, in 2024, the NExT exam will be conducted tentatively in October’2024.
Eligibility for appearing in the NExT
a) An intern who has completed a minimum of two hundred and seventy days of internship as of the closing date of the submission of the application for the National Exit Test; or
b) Graduates of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Sowa-Rigpa who have completed a one-year compulsory internship; or
c) Foreign nationals whose medical qualification has been recognised under schedule-III of IMCC Act,1970 or section 36 of the NCISM Act, 2020.
Who needs to appear for NExT
The NExT is mandatory for all those who have commenced their internship on or after December 20, 2023 (irrespective of year of admission/batch) i.e. the date of notification of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (National Examinations for Indian System of Medicine) Regulation, 2023.
Those interns who have not completed their internship, but qualified in the National Exit Test shall be eligible to register in State or National Registration boards only after completion of one year internship.
The graduation degree of the candidate who could not qualify the National Exit Test, shall be considered for all other job opportunities and other educational programs or courses where medical registration is not mandatory.
Qualifying in NExT and getting enrolled in a State Register and National Register, as the case may be, shall be the essential requirement for practising as a registered medical practitioner or for any job where clinical work is involved or for any job where medical registration is mandatory or to pursue a postgraduate course in Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Sowa-Rigpa.
Qualifying percentage
Securing fifty per cent and above shall be declared as qualified in the National Exit Test.
Language of question paper
- Ayurveda – English & Hindi
- Unani -English & Urdu
- Siddha – English & Tamil
- Sowa-Rigpa – English & Bhoti
The NExT certificate will be issued to the qualified candidates, by NCISM; the certificate may be electronically generated with adequate security features.