New Delhi: The Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Tuesday issued a fact-check against the circulation of a fake letter in the name of the National Medical Commission (NMC) over the purported implementation of a national final year MBBS qualifying examination or the National Exit Test (NExT). 

The PIB issued a note along with an image of the fake letter purportedly issued by the NMC last week.

“Beware of a fake letter circulating in the name of the National Medical Commission,” said the PIB fact-check.

The fake letter, dated April 1, carries the subject line: “Implementation of National Exit Test (NExT) for MBBS Students”. It is addressed to deans and principals of all medical colleges/institutes offering the MBBS course, said a statement.

The fake letter says, “The National Medical Commission (NMC) hereby informs all medical colleges and undergraduate MBBS students regarding the phased implementation of the National Exit Test (NExT).”

“As per the revised roadmap and in continuation of previous communications, it has been decided that the NExT examination shall be applicable to all MBBS students admitted from the 2022 batch onwards,” says the circular, imitating the letterhead of the NMC and citing its office address in Dwarka in West Delhi.

The “fake” letter goes on to claim that the NExT shall serve as: A final year MBBS qualifying examination; a licentiate examination for medical practice in India, and a single entrance examination for post-graduate (PG) medical courses, replacing NEET-PG.

The PIB cautioned against taking the claims of the letter as true. The “fake” letter says that the NExT examination will be conducted in two steps: Step 1: Theory-based examination (Final MBBS level) and Step 2: Clinical and practical assessment after internship.

The “fake” NMC circular also advises all medical colleges to align academic schedules, teaching methodologies and assessment systems accordingly, said a clarification issued by PIB.