Doctors against national exit test

The National Exit Test (NEXT) has been touted as a major overhaul to the medical education system in the country, offering equal opportunity to aspiring medicos. However, the main contention about the move is the extended time. 

Talking to DTNext, Dr P Balakrishnan, state secretary, TNGDA, said that the move would not only extend the duration of medical education, but also undermine the quality of education in the country. 

“In the current system, an MBBS doctor spends at least five and a half years pursuing the degree. With this test, it is going to be extended further. By the time he completes specialisation and super specialty, the doctor will be 31-yearsold. Moreover, the present syllabus and education follows standards prescribed by the Medical Council of India (MCI). So why the need to scrutinise it again through another exam?” he asked. Balakrishnan also said that the proposed system, while being harsh on Indian medicos, would give an upper hand to those who pursue their medical education outside the country. 

“Those who pursue the degree outside India will be freely absorbed by the system, while, medicos who graduated from Indian colleges would be subjected to filtration. It is certainly not creating a level playing field,” he said. Many would stay away from the field fearing the long haul of examinations, he added. Balakrishnan said that the protest, in which about 600 people took part, was a feedback to the government that had sought responses to the move by January 6.