Thousands of medical aspirants across the State are on the edge due to the delay in NEET UG and PG exams, which are a must for taking admission to medical courses. Experts claim that the delay will also impact the health infrastructure. The NEET UG exams were scheduled for August, but due to the Covid second wave, the exams are likely to be postponed. Meanwhile, the NEET PG examinations have already been deferred by over seven months this year. This has left thousands of aspirants in a desperate state. 

A NEET PG aspirant, Priya Gupta, who has already taken a break of one year for the exams, said, “With the Covid third wave looming ahead of us, the need of the hour is to scale up medical infrastructure, which is incomplete without doctors. However, the NEET PG and UG exams are getting delayed over and over. This is going to affect lakhs of students, who are wasting their precious time sitting idle at home.”

Another PG student said, “While most of the country is in the Unlock phase, the government delayed the exams this month just two days before the start date. They could have gone ahead with the exams and made use of the aspirants, who are qualified to serve the people.” “I have already put one year into preparation. Now with the delay in exams, I am afraid that I will waste another academic year,” said 20-year-old V Jaini.  

Many students also suggested that the medical entrance exam should be conducted twice or thrice this year, just like the JEE Main 2021 examination. However, the NTA has clarified that the NEET UG 2021 exam will be conducted only once this year.