NCISM to hold mock tests for AYUSH students who will take NExT 2024
20-Jul-24 05:21:17

Several AYUSH students are in a tizzy though they have been informed about the format

In May, the National Exit Test (NExT) was made mandatory for AYUSH students including BAMS graduates as per the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (National Examinations for Indian System of Medicine) Regulations, 2023. The news got the students into a tizzy, with various AYUSH students staging a protest by gathering at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, to demand the exemption from the National Exit Test (NExT) for the 2019 batch. The students have been demanding to put NExT on hold till further notice.

However, the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) under the Ministry of AYUSH, has stated that the Commission is following the guidelines of the NCISM Act, 2020, making the operation of NExT mandatory before August 2024. Meanwhile, NCISM will conduct two mock test sessions, free of cost for the students appearing for the first edition of the exam.

Talking to Education Times, Vaidya Jayant Deopujari, chairperson, NCISM says, “The NCISM is a statutory body constituted under the NCISM Act, 2020, and according to the Act we are bound to make NExT operational before August 2024. This is the reason we have initiated the awareness and orientation process from now on. However, we are planning to conduct the first session of the NExT by October 2024. Meanwhile, we are taking utmost care that in the process, students’ interests are not hampered. For this, we have released the guidelines for conducting NExT for Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Sowa-Rigpa courses. The colleges have been directed to create awareness and conduct proper orientation regarding the exam.” Reacting positively to the protests staged by some AYUSH students, Deopujari says, “Whenever there is some new guideline or a new policy is introduced, students hesitate and try to avoid it. Earlier this month, a group of 40 to 50 students staged a protest at the NCISM office, but we made them understand the need for the exam and the guidelines. These students were particularly happy about the idea of conducting mock tests before the exam. I believe that some students who have been protesting are just afraid of a newly introduced exam, but NCISM will support every student in all possible ways.”

Highlighting that the decision has been made in advance and that there is enough time for students to prepare for the exam, Prof Tanuja Manoj Nesari, director, All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), says, “The decision to implement NExT has been made carefully, NCISM had intimated all the colleges and students well in advance about the exam. It conducted orientation sessions to give specific and clear guidelines about NExT 2024 implementation.” The NExT has been made mandatory for all those who have commenced their internship on or after December 20, 2023 (irrespective of the year of admission/batch), ie, the date of notification of the National Examinations for Indian System of Medicine Regulation, 2023.

Clinical competency

“This exam has been designed to check the clinical competency of students. The exam will hold questions that are based on clinical knowledge rather than book-based concepts. Students who will practise and work at the hospitals will be able to crack this exam and further can register themselves as licensed medical practitioners,” says Sachidanand Prasad, secretary, NCISM. To ease the licencing process for students, NCISM will conduct the NExT exam twice a year. “By holding this exam twice a year, students undergoing internship for over 270 days can apply for the upcoming session of the exam. This policy was designed by NCISM to avoid time wastage. If students can get through with the NExT result by the time they finish their one-year internship, it will save them from the unnecessary waiting after completing the internship and waiting for exam results, likewise, they can directly go and register themselves with the State Medical Councils (SMCs),” adds Prasad.

The graduate degree of the candidate who could not qualify NExT will be considered for other job opportunities. “Students who enrol into AYUSH undergraduate courses without an intention to practice, will be able to get the benefit of a UG degree such as appearing for civil services exam or can enrol into various programmes where medical registration is not mandatory,” says Prasad.

SOURCE & CREDIT: EDUCATION TIMES