New Delhi: The health ministry announced Saturday that the NEET Post-Graduate (NEET-PG) exam, which was scheduled for Sunday, has been postponed as a “precautionary measure” and a new date will be announced soon. The last-minute decision has sparked anguish and anger among students at a time when there have been nationwide protests over alleged irregularities in the conduct of competitive exams NEET-UG and the NET.
The announcement came at around 10 pm, less than 12 hours before the students were supposed to appear for the exam at 9 am Sunday.
The last few weeks have seen the NEET UG 2024 results embroiled in controversy following alleged paper leaks, the cancellation of the UGC NET, and the Friday announcement to postpone the CSIR UGC NET 2024, all conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The Centre Saturday night also removed NTA chief Subodh Kumar Singh, and put him on “compulsory wait”.
The NEET-PG has already seen several date changes. It was originally supposed to be held on 3 March, but in January, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) — the testing agency responsible for conducting the exam — postponed it to 8 July. A few days later, the date was advanced to 23 June. Now, a day before the exam, it has been postponed again.
Delhi-based Ritu Gulita, who was ready to take the NEET-PG, told ThePrint Saturday: “I was about to sleep. I have been preparing for 10 months. I was sitting at home and studying. The government does not care about us. I was feeling a little relieved that tomorrow this exhausting cycle would end, but now I don’t know how long I have to struggle.”
She added: “This government has failed the youth. It is a rollercoaster. Sometimes they postpone the exam, and sometimes they advance it. They just can’t conduct any exams right. The medical field is important for the country, and if paper leaks happen, we will get Munna Bhai-type doctors and nothing else.”
The NEET-PG serves as the sole eligibility and entrance exam for admission to MD, MS, and PG Diploma courses. Many doctors take a break from their jobs to prepare for the exam, while others study during their long shifts at hospitals.
Manit Kumar, 26, studied 14 hours a day for the last seven months, leaving his job at a government hospital in Delhi. He completed his MBBS from the University College of Medical Sciences.
“I can’t put my anger into words. Does the government know how frustrating this is? How many times do you change the date of one exam? How can the government not conduct one exam successfully?” he asked.
Rahul Giri had just gone to bed after a last-minute revision when he heard the news about the exam being postponed. He checked every news channel to confirm.
“I planned to wake up at 4.30 (am). My friends are still asking if we have to go to the centre or not. Some students are in other states to take the exam. They have spent money. The level of this exam is very hard. There is always uncertainty in this journey of getting a desirable seat,” said Giri late Saturday.
“The last 15-20 days were the worst, and now we have to live through that period again,” he added.
Around 3 lakh candidates were supposed to appear for the NEET-PG this year, more than the 2.09 lakh who had registered for it this year.
Soon after the announcement, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav put out a post on X. “Earlier, Dharmendra Pradhan said no paper leak incident took place. However, all exams are getting postponed now. Wherever the BJP has been in power, whether in the Centre or in the state, papers are getting leaked. This is a serious issue, and they are playing with the future of the youth.”
Dr Aviral Mathur, president of the Federation of Resident Doctors Association, said: “We criticise this on the highest level. The government should announce the date as soon as possible and at least issue an apology to students and their families. Postponing the exam a day before is very problematic. Aspirants have a very different temperament before the exam. We want to know the reason behind this.”
NSUI president Varun Chaudhary meanwhile said: “What’s the point in postponing the exam at the last moment? Aspirants are angry as well as worried about what’s happening with the education system.”
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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