The prolonged delay in NEET PG 2024 admissions continues to frustrate aspirants and medical institutions, with many questioning the repeated disruptions in the counselling process.
Addressing these concerns, National Medical Commission (NMC) Chairperson Dr BN Gangadhar stated that the primary reason for the delays is the rising number of applicants and the legal disputes filed by candidates.
"The number of aspirants for PG courses has increased over the past decade. New seats are being added because more candidates are applying. At some point, we will have the same number of PG seats and an equal number of students passing out," Dr Gangadhar explained, as reported by Education Times.
He noted that delays are often caused by students reapplying after withdrawing from previous admissions or seeking legal recourse, leading to a backlog that affects subsequent counselling rounds.
The Supreme Court and multiple High Courts have been handling petitions related to seat reservations, transparency in exam conduct, and allegations of seat blocking. These legal hurdles have compounded the delays, forcing existing resident doctors to bear a heavier workload.
"The delayed arrival of new medical graduates could increase the workload for existing residents, resulting in longer hours and greater stress," said B Unnikrishnan, Dean of Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, in a statement to Education Times.
Meanwhile, the NMC’s recent decision to conduct NEET PG 2025 in two shifts using a normalisation process has stirred fresh controversy. Aspirants and organisations like the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) have demanded greater transparency.
However, Dr Gangadhar dismissed concerns, stating, "Many other exams have been using normalisation to arrive at all-India ranks. It is a time-tested method as it is easier to manage two batches."
Despite his assurances, aspirants remain sceptical, with FAIMA urging the release of answer keys and raw scores before results are declared.