Ire against move to replace MBBS exam with NExT

Thrissur: Protest is mounting against the reported decision of the National Medical Commission (NMC) to replace the final-year MBBS examination with National Exit Test (NExT).Association of Indian Health Science Universities (AHSU) has expressed concern over the decision and said that this could practically mean denial of the rights of the universities to conduct examinations and to confer degrees.AHSU president Dr Mohanan Kunnummal, who is also Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) VC, said the association was not against NMC making NExT as a licentiate examination for higher studies.“But the primacy of the university in the conduct of final examinations and in awarding degrees should not be undermined,” he said.Dr Kunnummal said a meeting of the representatives of health universities held a couple of days ago had decided to appeal to the NMC to cancel the decision.However, NMC convened a meeting of principals of various medical colleges in the country and told them of the decision to replace MBBS examination with NExT, Mohanan said. tnn