Everything Indian students need to know about the National Exit Test before practising medicine in India.
⚠️ Status update (2026): NEXT has not been implemented. The NMC deferred it by about 3–4 years in October 2025, so foreign medical graduates must still clear the FMGE (held twice a year by NBEMS) to practise in India. The earliest realistic NEXT rollout is ~2028–29 and no firm date is officially confirmed. Verify the latest on the NMC news page and at NBEMS (FMGE).
The National Exit Test (NEXT) is India's unified licensing examination for MBBS graduates, mandated by the National Medical Commission (NMC). It is designed to replace the old FMGE (Foreign Medical Graduate Examination) for students who completed MBBS abroad, and the final-year university exams at Indian colleges. However, its rollout has been deferred (see the note above), so FMGE remains the operative exam in 2026.
NEXT is conducted in two parts:
Key point: NEXT is intended to replace FMGE, but the NMC deferred it in October 2025. Until NEXT actually launches, foreign MBBS graduates must clear the FMGE to get an Indian medical licence.
⚠️ If your foreign university is NOT on the NMC/WHO approved list, you cannot appear in NEXT and cannot practise in India. Always verify before enrolling.
NEXT follows the NMC Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) curriculum. Key subject groups:
Tip: Students from NMC-approved foreign universities study the same core CBME curriculum, which directly aligns with NEXT. Choose universities that explicitly follow NMC syllabus guidelines.
| Feature | FMGE (Old) | NEXT (New) |
|---|---|---|
| Applies to | Foreign graduates only | All MBBS graduates (Indian + foreign) |
| Purpose | Licensing only | Licensing + PG entrance |
| Pass rate | ~15–20% | Expected higher (standardised training) |
| Attempts | Unlimited | TBD by NMC regulation |