Several medical associations have raised concerns over the delay in the National Eligibility Entrance Test - Postgraduate 2024 (NEET PG) counselling by reaching out to Union Health Minister JP Nadda. However, the ministry and other governing bodies are yet to address the issue.

Questioning the timeline
Aspirants are now stuck in a perpetual dilemma due to the timeline of events. Although, this is not an unknown feeling to them. 

The exam originally scheduled to take place on March 3, 2024, was postponed to July 7.

The National Board of Examinations (NBE) then rescheduled the exam to June 23. However, on the night of June 22, it was postponed once again amid rumours of a paper leak.

The exam was finally conducted on August 11 in two shifts. The results were announced on August 23, based on percentile scores.

The NBE published the exam rankings but did not reveal the raw scores or the actual marks obtained by the candidates. Additionally, they did not release the answer keys for the question papers from the two exam shifts.

Students, already confused by the process, began registering for the All India Quota counselling, which started on September 20.

There has been no official announcement of details regarding the counselling process, which has already faced unexplained delays. It has been further postponed due to pending cases in the Supreme Court challenging the transparency of the exam. The hearing is scheduled for October 25.

This is the new normal
"I think this has become a new normal for medical candidates to bear the brunt of erroneous decisions of the governing bodies," said Dr Vivek Pandey, an RTI activist.

Speaking on the issue, he further said, "The students face issues, they take the matter to the court, it delays their timeline, and they bear the brunt. Every year cases pile up in the Supreme Court, creating further delays. The entire system is murky, and there seems to be no way to clear the dirt."

From start to the end, it is the students who eventually suffer due to an indecisive system.

A never-ending affair
Dr Sai Prathap from Andhra Pradesh appeared for the NEET PG exam this year. He is a foreign medical graduate (FMG) and completed his internship in May 2024.

He encountered numerous challenges due to the sudden change in dates, his concerns about the release of scores, transparency in the exam, and fair distribution of scores which mirror those of others. However, the primary cause for concern is the time involved.

As an FMG, the completion of his course happened over a duration of almost six years. Following that, completing the mandatory one-year internship was not all smooth sailing.

For an FMG, the internship is just for a year but there are other processes involved. After passing the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE), they wait to receive certificates from the National Medical Commission (NMC), thereafter the arduous process of procuring a seat begins.

"Such processes take up to more than six months. The time taken usually comes up to eight years. Now, an additional delay in counselling is adding another six months to the duration, with no chances of employment. Why does not the government consider this before a decision is taken?" questions Prathap.

Finances at a toss
Dr Senthil, a first-generation doctor in his family, described this period as incredibly challenging. "It's a highly competitive exam, and I left my job to prepare for it. I have to consider financial implications while also trying to secure a seat in a government college, which is no easy feat," he explained.

Senthil, highlighting the issue further, said that working at private hospitals without a PG degree would entail several difficulties such as a high workload, and even low pay. "There is a fixed tenure for working at private hospitals. They make doctors sign a bond hence, that is not an option for employment," he explained.

To pave the way for a better career, he applied to the Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB) Exam, but the dates of the exam were not announced.

A decision-making body that never learns
Dr Pandey noted that the system's failures arise from inadequate communication between students and governing bodies. He emphasised that the doctors are competent professionals, not schoolchildren, and are well aware of what would be most effective for them.

The easy way out would be to integrate students' opinions into the decision-making which would lead to an equitable process of drafting policies.

Aspirants have been outspoken about the errors and have voiced their grievances on social media, yet their concerns have been largely ignored. "The two-shift exam was problematic, there was an X storm that trended on other media platforms but nothing came of it. Instead, they decided to go their own way", said Dr Pandey.

Not only this, he recalled the National Exit Test (NExT) which was abruptly introduced for the 2019 MBBS batch. The announcement was recalled and is now on hold.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the entire process, he said, "After these futile attempts, one starts to wonder if protests or sending letters to the government will ever yield results. There are many questions, but answers...none."