Union Minister of State for Ayush, Prataprao Jadhav, announced on Thursday that the National Exit Test (NExT) will be mandatory for Ayush students from the 2021-22 academic session onwards. The decision follows recommendations from a committee formed to address students’ concerns. The NExT applies to students under the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) and the National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH) Acts, 2020.
The NExT will be essential for licensing and enrollment in state or national registers after completing a one-year internship. The test will feature problem-based clinical scenarios, images, and videos, focusing on practical skills. Interns who pass the test but haven’t completed their internship will only be eligible to register after finishing the internship.
The decision follows extensive student feedback, reviewed by a committee chaired by Professor Sanjeev Sharma, Vice Chancellor of the National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur.
In addition, the minister launched the “Desh Ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyan”, a nationwide campaign promoting health through natural practices. This initiative, led by the Ministry of Ayush and the NCISM, will involve over 4.5 lakh participants and aims to set five Guinness World Records, furthering the prime minister’s vision of integrating Ayurveda into daily life.
Jadhav emphasized the goal of ensuring a fair, transparent process while maintaining high standards in Ayush education and healthcare.
