With no update on the Counselling dates of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test - Postgraduate (NEET-PG)

admissions this year, aspirants have been waiting for the commencement of the process with bated breath ever since the exam ended on August 11.

However, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has yet to announce the NEET-PG counselling process dates, which has been a source of worry, anxiety and uncertainty among the aspirants.

Medical students, NEET-PG aspirants, and medical associations alike have been trying to mount pressure on the NBEMS, urging the organisation to announce the counselling dates as soon as possible, by sending representations and organising social media campaigns.

Even though it is being speculated that the counselling process might begin on November 11, the lack of an official confirmation only means that the counselling will not begin anytime soon.

While candidates allege being left in limbo due to this lack of communication from the NBE, the silver lining in this situation is that they can utilise this period of time in more productive ways, say experts.

Laying the groundwork

According to medical education experts, the best things candidates can do at this time is to prepare for the NEET-PG counselling process and shortlist their colleges and specialisation.

“Several candidates have superfluous reasons for choosing what they will do their specialisation in and where. As a result, they must first figure out what area suits their aptitude and career goals,” says Rakesh Jain, Founder of NEET Navigator

After that, he says that candidates must find out more about the best colleges and departments for the required subjects. “Candidates can speak to resident doctors and students from these departments for more clarity,” he adds.

He further says, “There are a lot of courses that MBBS graduates can pursue apart from Doctor of Medicine (MD). They can pursue diploma courses, Master of Surgery (MS) courses, and even Master of Science (MSc) in a medical subject. Candidates must also make up their mind about the course they want to pursue.”

In addition, he advises candidates to also familiarise themselves with the counselling process, as it has undergone several changes over the years.

“Candidates must be clear about these 3 Cs — College, Course, and Counselling,” he says.

Adding to this, Dr Aviral Mathur, former President of the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) says, “If you are sure about being able to get admitted into a good college, you can relax. However, if you find your rank to be insufficient, you must think of the next course of action and act quickly.”

“You must decide if you want to take a gap year and appear for NEET PG next year, or attempt any other medical exams such as the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE),” he adds.

Delay’s impact on careers?

Another concern that seems to be on the candidates’ minds is the impact that the delayed counselling would have on their careers, as a few of them have stopped working to prepare and appear for NEET PG.

Addressing these concerns, Jain says that such candidates are a minority and that most NEET-PG aspirants are already working as junior doctors.

However, he advises candidates to put the knowledge and skills they acquired during their MBBS to good use and try to find work while waiting for the counselling dates.

“Candidates could find work related to the areas they want to specialise in during their postgraduation so that they don’t sink into hopelessness and can utilise the time in their hands optimally,” he says.

He also cautions candidates to not go for anything long-term or permanent, as the counselling dates could be announced at any time.

He also adds that the gap caused by the delayed NEET-PG counselling would not count as a “gap period” for the batch of 2024 candidates on their first attempt, as the year of their PG admission would still be counted as 2024.

Advising candidates to not lose hope, Dr Mathur says that such delays are an unfortunate part of the NEET-PG every year.

“This delay might cause worry for candidates on their first attempt and rightly so, but it has been happening every year. The NEET-PG counselling dates will be announced eventually, and candidates must be prepared for it. They must not give into anxiety, or get swayed by emotions,” he says.

He adds that while students and medical organisations might try to mount pressure on the NBE to announce the NEET-PG counselling dates soon, the NBE has its bureaucratic constraints, and will make the announcement at its own pace.

“It is a sorry state of affairs that we can predict if an asteroid could hit the Earth in a few billion years from now, but are unable to predict when the NEET-PG counselling dates will be announced by the NBE,” remarks Rakesh Jain.