The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) Super Speciality 2024 exam has now been rescheduled for January 2025. This decision was taken by the National Medical Commission (NMC) due to Covid induced delay in the NEET PG exams in 2021, which has disrupted the academic calender. Speaking to Education Times, a senior National Medical Commission (NMC) official, on the condition of anonymity, said, The NEET SS-2024 has not been cancelled, it will be delayed by a few months. The delay is largely because the classes for the 2023 SS batch started in March 2024 and the session is midway. We cannot have two SS batches running simultaneously. Thus, NMC will conduct the exams in January 2025 and the National Board of Examination (NBE) will notify the dates after finalising the exam centres.
Responding to an RTI filed by Dr Vivek Pandey recently, the NMC confirmed that there will be no SS exams in 2024, which led to confusion among the students.
Regarding NEET SS-2024, it was decided that as admissions for the academic year 2021 for MD/ MS and DNB courses were held only in January to May 2022, there fore, NEET SS-2024 may not be conducted in the current year. However, the exact date of counselling NEET SS-2024 in the year 2025 will be decided later, stated the NMC in response to the RTI. The rescheduling of the NEET SS 2024 exam to January 2025 will increase the challenges for the students, who have already suffered during the Covid period, said Dr Pandey, while talking to Education Times.
As representatives of the medical community, I urge the NMC to promptly convene a meeting to address the concerns surrounding the NEET SS-2024 examination and provide timely undates to assurance are paramount in navigating these challenging times, ensuring fairness and transparency in medical education, added Dr Pandey. Following this, the medical associations including IMA, FAIΜΑ, FORDA, UDFA have sought clarification from NMC and NBE about the tentative dates of the exam.
Dr Aviral Mathur, FORDA president, said, The SS exam may not be held in 2024 due to a six month admission delay in 2021. No new PG batches will pass out this year. In 2021, NEET-PG was delayed twice, from January to April, and then to September. This impacted the whole academic calen- dar adversely in the subsequent years. The NMC must not cancel it, it can delay the exam and conduct it maximum by February 2025.
The United Doctors Front Association (UDFA), has urged NMC to reconsider its decision and conduct the NEET SS-2024 examination as scheduled. We believe that it is essential to maintain the integrity of the examination process and ensure equal opportunities for all eligible candidates. We understand the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent disruptions in the academic calendar. However, not conducting the NEET SS examination for the academic year 2024 would have profound implications for aspiring candidates. It would not only delay their career progression but also cause significant distress and uncertainty among them, states UDFA National President Dr Lakshya Mittal.
Dr Rohan Krishnan, National Chairman, FAIMA, says, NEET SS aspirants have approached us about the confusion related to the exam dates. We believe, exams must be conducted soon as the students are preparing hard other wise the annual intake will be hampered. The delay in the intake of 2023 batch students must not affect the admission for 2024 batch.
published By: Education Times
Date:08.05.2024