#PostponeNEETMDS2024toJULY: Over 8000 dentists sign online petition demanding postponement of exam to July 2024

New Delhi: Highlighting the fact that the commencement of the NEET MDS 2024 in March is causing extreme emotional distress as they don't have enough time to prepare for the exam, the PG dental aspirants have launched online petitions urging the authorities to postpone the exam to July.

The aspirants filed several online petitions seeking the postponement of the exam on change.org a few days ago and it had been already signed by around 8000 aspirants in total. 

In one of the recent copies of several online petitions circulating on social media, over 2,760 candidates have signed it as they pointed out that they are facing immense mental stress and pressure because of the NEET MDS schedule in March.

Also read- NEET MDS 2024 Likely In March: Aspirants Call It Unfair, Say Counselling Will Be Delayed

The recent petition states, "We, the undersigned, representing thousands of NEET MDS 2024 aspirants, come together to humbly submit this petition to express our collective concerns and emotional distress surrounding the upcoming NEET MDS 2024 examination.

It has recently come to our attention that while the NEET PG Medical exam, initially scheduled for March 03, 2024, has been postponed to July 2024, there has been no official communication regarding the status of NEET MDS 2024. The lack of information about application forms or any potential postponement is causing severe emotional turmoil among NEET MDS aspirants."

The petition further reads, "The uncertainty surrounding the examination date has created a profound sense of anxiety, stress, and emotional turmoil among the aspirant community. Many of us are grappling with the pressure of preparing for an exam without a clear timeline. The mental and emotional toll of this situation is impacting our well-being, affecting our focus and dedication to the preparation process.

Considering that counselling for both medical and dental students is intricately connected, aligning the schedule of NEET MDS 2024 with NEET PG Medical by postponing the former to July 2024 would not only provide much-needed clarity to the aspirants but also alleviate the emotional burden we are currently carrying."

Mentioning that the postponement of the exam would eliminate emotional stress and give them more time to prepare for the exam, the aspirants have urged the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) to heed their request. Moreover, the aspirants have stated that the petition would be shared with NBEMS once the target of the signing of the petition is reached. 

"We implore you to consider our plight and act promptly in providing clear and comprehensive information regarding NEET MDS 2024. Timely communication will not only help in reducing the emotional distress but also ensure a more focused and productive preparation period for aspirants," reads the online petition. 

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that expressing disappointment over the news reports claiming that the NEET MDS exam would be held in the third week of March, the PG dental aspirants termed it to be 'unfair'.

They are demanding the postponement of the exam to July while highlighting the fact that even if the exam is conducted in March, the counselling would not commence soon.

According to the MDS aspirants, the counselling process for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET-PG) examination and NEET MDS are always conducted together. Therefore, with the NEET PG getting postponed to July, it is unlikely that NEET MDS counselling will be held anytime soon.

Terming it to be an "injustice", the aspirants have demanded that the NEET MDS exam also get postponed till July. Responding to the issue, an X (formerly Twitter) user wrote, "Counselling process of NEETMDS and NEETPG are always together yet they haven't officially notified us, but a news article claims that our exam is scheduled on 18th march which is just injustice towards us. We don't get 0 cutoff unlike NEETPG."

As per the examination calendar, which was earlier released by NBE, the NEET MDS exam was scheduled to be held on February 9, 2024. However, there was no clarity regarding the final date for the examination, even as March was knocking at the door.

Meanwhile, taking to social media platforms, the MDS aspirants started urging the authorities to defer the exam till July 2024, just like the entrance examination for the PG medical courses. Some of the aspirants demanded to know the exact date for the exam.

In support of the aspirants, All India Students Dental Association/DENTODONTICS have shared a post on 'X' urging the government to postpone the exam alleging that it would bring relief to 25k aspirants in total.

“5200+ people signed a petition to #PostponeNEETMDS2024toJULY If any exam is conducted the government bodies make sure it’s favourable to all In total 25k aspirants if this lot is suffering then my lord @mansukhmandviya sir you need to look & resolve this 🙏 we req.” said the association.

Also read- NEET MDS 2024 Likely To Be Held In March, Demand For Postponement Escalates