‘Travelled from Qatar...’: NEET-PG aspirants ‘traumatised, shocked’ after Centre postpones exam

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced the postponement of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) Examination, which was initially scheduled for Sunday.

The exams, slated for 23 June, will be rescheduled, with a new date to be announced soon.

The ministry informed in an official release that it has accordingly been decided, as a precautionary measure, “to postpone the NEET-PG Entrance Examination, scheduled to be held on 23rd June 2024. The fresh date of this examination will be notified at the earliest.”

‘Govt playing with emotions of doctors’

Criticizing the scheduled exam's cancellation, Dr. Lakshya Mittal, National President of the United Doctors Front Association, likened it to “playing with the emotions of the doctors.” He expressed deep concern, asserting that “India's medical education system has been severely undermined”.

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"The NEET-PG exam, which was supposed to be held tomorrow, has been cancelled at the latest... In its press release, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare mentioned that the exam has been postponed, seeing its integrity and sensitivity... This is another scam after NEET-UG... Candidates have travelled across states and cancelling the exam 10 hours before it is scheduled is no less than playing with the emotions of the doctors," Mittal told ANI.

Moreover, the PG candidates criticised the ‘last-minute’ decision and called it ‘unserious’.

MBBS students at PGMIS Rohtak expressed solidarity with NEET UG aspirants whose exams were postponed, emphasizing the shared journey through years of hard work via the NEET exam. They conveyed their empathy, stating, “It is heartbreaking to witness their efforts go to waste. We stand united with all aspirants and urge the government to address this matter seriously.” Concerned about the potential consequences, they added, “If undeserving candidates become doctors, it could harm everyone.”

NEET PG aspirants ‘traumatised’

A user on X expressed concern over the sudden postponement of the exam, noting that it will leave students “traumatised”. They questioned the decision, highlighting the potential emotional impact on students faced with the abrupt delay of crucial exams like NEET PG, stating, “Nobody seems to care about the impact on students.”

On the postponement of the NEET-PG exam, a candidate said, “ ...NEET-UG exam's paper got leaked, NEET-PG was postponed 12 hours before, NEET-SSC exam date has not been announced yet. This shows how much govt is concerned about the health sector. The Union Health Minister and Union Education Minister must apologise for what they have done...students and doctors have travelled a long way for the exam and come here, they have incurred a lot of expenses. On an average, ₹10,000 was the expenditure. Govt must reimburse these expenditures.”

Jyoth Chouhan, a candidate, says, “ NTA informed at the last moment, 10 hours before, that the exam has been postponed. They should have announced that at least a few days ago if they had to reschedule. They didn't distribute exam centres properly, candidates got very far away places as exam centres. Students from Vadodara had exam centres in Nashik and Madhya Pradesh. And then when they reached there, they were informed that the exam had been postponed. All are having great difficulties.”

In another post, a user wrote, “I’ve driven 300 km for my wife’s NEET PG exam. My mother accompanied us, and she was feeling nauseous during the entire journey. After going through so much trouble, we just learned that NEET PG was cancelled just 11 hours before the exam.”

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The user added, “I know a student who travelled from Qatar only to attend NEET PG. She just landed and is in shock.”

The user then expressed disappointment and asked, “Is this how any government behaves? Will they pay us for our financial and mental troubles? Why is the government so insensitive to the problems of the common man? Why can’t the government conduct any exam without any discrepancies?”

‘Shuffling bureaucrats is no solution’

The NTA, responsible for conducting the NEET-UG exams, is under fire amidst allegations of irregularities in the examination process. The controversy has sparked widespread protests nationwide, with demonstrators and political parties calling for the dissolution of the NTA.

In response to criticism, the Centre removed Subodh Singh, the Director General of the NTA, on Saturday. Pradeep Singh Kharola, currently serving as Chairman and Managing Director of the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), has been entrusted with additional responsibility as the head of the NTA until a permanent replacement is appointed.

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However, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the Centre's approach of “shuffling bureaucrats” and said that it “does not address the fundamental issues plaguing the education system”, which he claims has “deteriorated under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)”.

"In the NEET Scam, the buck stops at the doorstep of the top echelons of the Modi Government. Shuffling the bureaucrats is no solution to the endemic problem in the Education system rotted by the BJP. NTA was projected to be an autonomous body, but in reality, was made to serve the devious interests of the BJP/RSS," Kharge posted on X.

The Ministry of Education has formed a high-level committee comprising experts tasked with proposing reforms to enhance the examination process, strengthen data security protocols, and improve the NTA's operational efficiency.

(With inputs from agencies)