NMC Announces New CBME Guidelines: NExT for MBBS to Start in Academic Year 2025-26

NEW DELHI: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has released new guidelines for Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) in MBBS. The Under Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) under NMC has released new guidelines for the MBBS course. The new curriculum will begin the first session of the National Exist Test (NExT) exam from the academic year 2025-26.

The NExT exam will be administered in two stages: during the 54th week of the MBBS course and the 12th month of the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI). This new approach aims to assess students' knowledge and skills more comprehensively.

The revised curriculum places greater emphasis on learner-centric, patient-focused, gender-sensitive, outcome-oriented, and environmentally appropriate education. By aligning with global trends, the curriculum ensures that medical graduates are well-prepared to meet the challenges of modern healthcare.

Guidelines for University Examinations

a) Phase-I shall be held at the end of Phase I training (in the 12th month of that training), in the subjects of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry.

b) Phase-II examination shall be held at the end of Phase II training (12th month of that training), in the subjects of Pathology, Microbiology, and Pharmacology.

c) Phase III - Part 1 examination shall be held at the end of Phase III part 1 of training (12th month of that training) in the subjects of Community Medicine, Forensic Medicine &Toxicology, Ophthalmology and Otorhinolaryngology.

d) Phase III - Part 2 / National Exit Test (NExT) as per NExT regulations- (Final Professional) examination shall be at the end of 17th / 18th month of that training, in the subjects of General Medicine, General Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics, and allied subjects as per NExT Regulations

Download: NMC CBME Guidelines

Passing Criteria

A student needs to get an overall score of 50% or more in all their university exams, including both written and practical tests. They also need to get at least 40% in each part (written and practical) of a subject to pass it. If a subject has two written exams, they need to get an average score of at least 40% for both exams combined.