Union Minister of State for Ayush (Independent Charge), Shri Prataprao Jadhav, announced today that the National Exit Test (NExT) for Ayush will be implemented starting from the 2021-2022 academic batch. The announcement was made during a press conference held in New Delhi, where the Minister addressed concerns raised by Ayush students regarding the NExT's implementation. This test will now be mandatory for graduates in Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Sowa-Rigpa for obtaining their licenses and enrolling in State or National Registers after completing a one-year internship.
The decision follows the recommendation of a committee set up specifically to review and address the concerns of Ayush students regarding the NExT. The committee, presided over by Prof. Sanjeev Sharma, Vice Chancellor of the National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur, reviewed student feedback and submitted its recommendations to the Ministry of Ayush. The committee clarified that the NExT would apply to students enrolled from the 2021-22 academic session onwards, as per the provisions of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) Act, 2020, and the National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH) Act, 2020. This decision removes any uncertainty about the implementation of the exam for students.
The NExT is a problem-based examination that will assess students on their practical skills by featuring clinical case scenarios, images, and videos. The exam is designed to evaluate the clinical competency of graduates, along with their understanding of medical ethics and the ability to manage medico-legal cases. The Minister emphasized that the test is part of the Ministry's broader efforts to ensure transparency and maintain high standards in Ayush education and healthcare practices.
Students who qualify for the NExT but have not yet completed their one-year internship will only be eligible for registration in State or National registers once they fulfill the internship requirement. The one-year internship remains a mandatory component for licensing.
The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) and the National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH) were established under the NCISM Act and the NCH Act of 2020, which came into effect on June 11 and July 5, 2021, respectively. According to these Acts, the NExT must be conducted by the relevant commissions within three years of the enactment of these laws.
In addition to the announcement regarding the NExT, Minister Jadhav also launched a new nationwide initiative called "Desh Ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyan" during the press conference. This campaign, led by the Ministry of Ayush and the NCISM, aims to promote health and well-being through natural practices. The campaign will involve over 4.5 lakh participants, including 1.35 lakh undergraduate students, 20,000 postgraduate students, 18,000 teachers, and 3 lakh practitioners. The initiative seeks to raise public awareness about Ayurveda and promote economic growth by increasing public interest in Ayush systems of medicine.
The Minister concluded by reiterating the government’s commitment to ensuring that Ayush education maintains the highest quality standards, adding that these measures will help bolster both the integrity of the profession and the public’s trust in Ayush healthcare practices.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Ankur Deka/MSM)