New Delhi, December 10, 2025: The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM), under the Ministry of AYUSH, has officially announced that the National Exit Tes (NExT) will be applicable for all Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Sowa-Rigpa students admitted from the academic year 2021–22 onwards. The examination is tentatively scheduled to begin in March 2027.
This directive follows approvals from the Ministry of AYUSH specifically letter no. Y-18020/8/2022-EP-III dated September 9, 2025—and decisions concluded during the NCISM Commission meeting held on October 24, 2025.
What the Notice Means for AYUSH Students?
The announcement emphasizes that the National Exit Test (NExT), conducted by the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM), will act as a compulsory final examination for the students of four streams mentioned below:
- BAMS (Ayurveda)
- BUMS (Unani)
- BSMS (Siddha)
- BSRMS (Sowa-Rigpa)
According to the instructions from NCISM, it will be obligatory for all the students who have been enrolled from the academic year 2021–22 to pass NExT.
AYUSH education thus gets standardized at par with the medical and dental exit tests for MBBS graduates, which are already in place.
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AYUSH NExT Exam 2027: Implementation Timeline
The first NExT for AYUSH students is expected to be held in March 2027.
Details regarding the timetable, format, and other formalities will be provided by NCISM at a later date.
Colleges and universities have been advised to communicate the news to their teaching staff and students without delay and also make the necessary arrangements locally.
Instructions to Colleges and Universities
NCISM instructions include:
Informing by letter or other ways, the management of all AYUSH colleges, principals, registrars, and university heads about the details without any delay.
Institutions should not waste any time in getting ready for training, aligning curriculum, and setting up administration required for the smooth conducting of NExT.
Colleges and universities having direct or indirect linkages with AYUSH colleges should ensure smooth coordination with the authorities at the state and central levels.
Purpose of AYUSH NExT
1. To bring about a uniform standard of AYUSH education throughout India.
2. To ascertain the competence of the graduating doctors.
3. To simplify licensing and subsequent academic advancement.
By mandating NExT for the AYUSH systems, the Ministry is essentially setting the bar for the assessment of Indian traditional medical sciences at the same level as other professional healthcare streams.
The setting up of NExT is a historical moment that signals a complete overhaul of AYUSH education and a turning point in its history. Students who are admitted from the academic year 2021–22 should take it upon themselves to start early preparation when the detailed structures and instructions of the examination will be made available shortly. When NExT will become mandatory, those who have graduated from AYUSH will be the recipients of a far more organized, standardized, and competency-based evaluation system throughout India.
