After consistent online protests and petitions, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has agreed to re-open the registration window for the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test for Masters of Dental Surgery (NEET-MDS) 2024. It has also extended the cut-off date for completion of the internship till June 30, 2024, according to a notice released on Thursday, March 7.
"...The cut-off date for completion of internship has been extended to 30th June 2024 for the purpose of eligibility for NEET-MDS 2024," read the notice.
However, the date for the exam remains unchanged. The notice mentions that NEET-MDS 2024 shall be conducted as previously notified, on March 18, 2024.
Prevailing doubts cleared by NBEMS
Further instructions were also laid down for aspiring candidates still pursuing internships at various establishments. It mentioned that candidates who are completing their internship between April 1, to June 30, 2024, and are fulfilling all the other criteria mentioned in the Information Bulletin for NEET-MDS 2024 are also eligible to appear for the NEET-MDS exam this year, and will not have to wait for the next cycle of exams.
Additional information regarding application submission for the candidates was also laid down in the notice. "An online window for submission of applications for NEET-MDS 2024 shall be opened for such candidates from 9th March (10 AM onwards) to 11th March 2024 (till 11:55 PM)."
For online registration, students are advised to visit the NBEMS website www.natboard.edu.in.
Important information that should be taken note of
1) The candidates have the discretion to choose their preferred state for taking the examination, but it adds that NBEMS will only be able to allocate their preferred test city within the chosen state or in a nearby state on an availability basis.
2) The next warning mentioned in the notice is that there will be no edit window available to the candidates after their submission of the application. Hence candidates are requested to exercise caution while filling out their applications as they will be given no opportunity to edit/modify/change any information submitted.
3) The admit cards for NEET-MDS 2024 shall be issued on Friday, March 15.
Candidates can also contact the NBEMS Candidate Care Support at +91-7996165333 or write to NBEMS at its helpline portal via the applicant login or the Communication Web Portal at https://exam.natboard.edu.in/communication.php?page=main
What was the issue?
Candidates were apprehensive as more than 8,000 students were declared ineligible to appear for the exam as their commencement of the internship was delayed due to COVID-19 and the date was not uniform for all medical colleges in India. The candidates had demanded the postponement of the entrance exam to July 2024, taking into consideration the revision of the internship cut-off dates for eligibility.
