The Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has proposed to scrap NEET-PG, a move, if implemented could provide big relief to medical students who seek post-graduate courses in medical institutes across the country.

Instead of NEET-PG, the final Mbbs examination would be enough for providing Admission to MD and MS programmes, the Ministry suggested.

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The amendment has been incorporated in the revised draft National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill which would be sent to the Cabinet soon, official sources said. In addition, students need not go for any separate exam after MBBS in order to obtain a license to practice.

“According to the amendments made in the fresh Nmc Bill, entry into the PG programmes will be on the basis of the results of the National Exit Test (NEXT), which would be held as a common exam across the country. So the candidates would not have to appear in a separate exam after clearing the MBBS final exam for admission to PG courses,” the source explained to PTI.

However, for admission to PG programmes at AIIMS, clearing a separate exam will remain mandatory. Also, the NEET Super Speciality, which is a national-level entrance exam for admission in DM/MCh courses, will continue, sources said.

Also read: Over 31,000 MBBS, PG seats added in last four-and-half years: PM

Every year 80,000 students take admission into MBBS courses in about 480 medical colleges in the country, while 1.5 lakh students appear for entrance exams for admission to around 50,000 PG seats.

The NMC Bill was introduced in Parliament in December 2017, but it lapsed with the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha.