NEW DELHI: According to sources, the National Eligibility-cum-Entry Test-Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2024 examination will be held in the first week of July, followed by counselling in the first week of August. They also stated that the National Exit Test (NExT) will not take place this year.
“The NEET-PG examination is likely to be held in the first week of July. The counselling is likely to begin in the first week of August,” a source said.
According to the recently-notified “Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023” which have replaced the Postgraduate Medical Education (Amendment) Regulations, 2018, the existing NEET-PG examination will continue till the proposed NExT becomes operational for the purpose of PG admission.
The NEET-PG is an eligibility-cum-ranking examination prescribed as the single entrance examination for admission to various MD/MS and PG Diploma Courses under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019.
What is the NExT or National Exit Test?
The National Exit Test (NExT), which was intended to streamline medical licensing and admissions, is currently on hold in India. NExT was intended to replace both NEET-PG for postgraduate studies and FMGE for foreign medical graduates seeking practice as a two-part exam assessing both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Despite promising benefits such as standardising assessments and improving practical skills, its implementation has been delayed, with NEET-PG remaining India’s gateway to postgraduate medical education.