Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Reviews Medical Education Issues with National Medical Commission

The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri Mansukh Mandaviya chaired a review meeting with the National Medical Commission. Important issues of medical education were discussed in the meeting.

As apprised by officials of NMC in the meeting, efforts are underway to ensure that the National Exit Test ( NExT) will be conducted in the first half of 2023 as per the roadmap. To test the procedure and remove anxiety among medical students, a Mock Run is also being planned and will be conducted in 2022. It was also discussed that the results of NExT (Step 1 and 2) will then be used for

(i) Qualifying Final M.B.B.S. Exam.

(ii) To get a License to practice Modern Medicine in India.

(iii) For merit-based allocation of PG seats in Broad specialities.

During the review meeting, ways to make NExT an examination of world-class standard was also discussed and deliberated.  The importance of the NExt Exam lies in the fact that it will be the same for everyone whether trained in India or any part of the world and hence it will solve the problem of foreign medical graduates (FMGs) / Mutual recognition. While addressing the meeting, Shri Mansukh Mandaviya emphasised that the Government of India is committed to creating quality medical education and transparent examination infrastructure and health services and is relentlessly working with all stakeholders to achieve this objective.

NMC has been established by an Act of Parliament known as National Medical Commission Act, 2019 which came into force on 25.9.2020 with the objective of improving access to quality and affordable medical education, ensuring adequate and high-quality medical professionals in all parts of India and to provide equitable and universal health care.

Broad functions of NMC include laying down policies for maintaining a high quality and high standards in medical education and making necessary regulations; laying down policies for regulating medical institutions, medical researches and medical professionals; assessing the requirements in healthcare, including human resources for health and healthcare infrastructure and developing a road map for meeting such requirements; promoting, coordinating and framing guidelines and laying down policies by making necessary regulations for the proper functioning of the Commission, the Autonomous Boards and the State Medical Councils. It also ensures coordination among the Autonomous Boards.

NMC also acts as the appellate jurisdiction with respect to decisions of Autonomous Boards and lays down policies and codes to ensure observance of professional ethics in the medical profession and promotes ethical conduct during the provision of care by medical practitioners.