AFMS PG Medical Admissions- From this year, NEET PG counselling for Priority III, IV, V candidates to be conducted by MCC

As per the earlier NEET PG Counselling 2024 information bulletin, the candidates who desired to participate in AFMS Counseling were required to register on the MCC official portal and opt for AFMS seats. The list of registered candidates would have been sent to AFMS Authorities for conducting counselling at their own end as per the rules and regulations of AFMS Authorities. The role of MCC was limited to registration of the willing Candidates only. MCC wouldn't have been responsible for any allotment made by or on behalf of the AFMS Authorities. 

Meanwhile, candidates were told to verify the Eligibility Conditions {especially Medical Eligibility/age conditions (up to 30 years of age)} from the AFMS website before applying for AFMS Counselling. "There have been instances of cancellation of admission due to non-fulfilment of Medical Eligibility Conditions. MCC will not entertain any query with regard to the AFMS Counselling," the MCC stated in previous information bulletin

Now, according to the revised NEET PG Counselling 2024 information bulletin, MCC stated, "As per Letter No. 38217/NEET PG-20224/ DGAFMS/ DG-1D dated 26th June, 2024, it has been informed by the office of DGAFMS that from this year, the counselling for Priority III, IV & V candidates into AFMS PG Teaching Institutes will be conducted by MCC of DGHS."

AFMS conducts postgraduate training in AFMS PG Teaching Institutes primarily for the in-service medical officers of the Armed Forces Medical Services to fulfil the specialist requirements. Surplus seats, if any, are offered to other eligible candidates as per priority system sanctioned by the Govt of India. The civilian doctors who get admission in postgraduate courses (MD/MS/DNB) at any AFMS institution shall be liable to serve as Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSC) for 05 years in AFMS.

As per the Government of India’s sanction, remaining seats at AFMS PG Teaching Institutes, after fulfilling AFMS requirements, are made available to other eligible candidates following the priority system outlined in the Ministry of Defence’s letter dated March 6, 2013. The priorities are as follows-

1 Priority-I- AFMS Officers detailed on Advance Specialist Course/ PG courses. The priority-specific eligibility criteria for a Priority-I candidate are guided by laid down extant training rules.

2 Priority-II- Foreign students sponsored by Government and AFMS officers granted Study Leave. Candidates of ‘Friendly Foreign Countries’ sponsored by respective countries and approved by the GoI. As per NMC guidelines, Priority-II candidates are required to apply for temporary registration in NMC.

3 Priority-III- Medical Officers sponsored by Para Military Organization/ other Govt. of India organization. Medical officers sponsored by Para Military Organizations/ other Govt of India organizations.

i Sponsorship certificates of candidates with necessary supporting documents forwarded to the O/o DGAFMS by the respective Ministries/ Departments/ HQ of the Para Military organizations/ Head office of other GoI organizations, duly endorsed by the competent authority. Correspondence in this regard will only be accepted from official channels and correspondence by individual candidates will not be entertained.

ii Priority-III candidates will be considered eligible for admission in AFMS Institutions only for those subjects, which are mentioned in their sponsorship certificate as forwarded by the respective sponsoring authority.

iii Any Priority-III candidate leaving the allotted seat after the conclusion of AFMS MD/MS/DNB admission will have to submit an application duly signed & recommended by the competent authority of the Sponsoring Organization. Any application, vide which a Priority-III candidate is requesting to leave the seat without the recommendation of the sponsoring authority will not be accepted.

4 Priority-IV- Ex-SSC AFMS Officers within 03 years of their release from service. Ex-SSC AFMS Officers after completion of contractual service and within three years of their release from service.

i The date of release should not be before 01 May 2021. SSC officers in their last year of initial contractual service and likely to finish the initial contractual service before registration on the MCC website may appear under this category. They will have to produce their original release order and other documents as specified in the ‘Information Bulletin for PG Courses in AFMS Institutions through NEET PG2024 and NEET MDS-2024’ at the time of admission. SSC officers in their extended contractual service may apply under this priority subject to having submitted their application for release and NOC being obtained from the competent authority. At the time of admission, they will have to produce documentary proof of them having attained Ex-SSC status without which they will not be considered for admission.

ii SSC Officers who have resigned their commission/ dismissed/ removed from service/ not completed their initial contractual service or have been removed from MD/MS/DNB course on disciplinary grounds while in service are NOT ELIGIBLE as Priority-IV candidates in this priority.

iii SSC Officers who have been removed from MD/MS/DNB Courses on medical grounds, while in service are eligible to pursue MD/MS/DNB courses as Priority-IV candidates in AFMS Institutions.

iv SSC officers will have to send their NOC and/ or release order via mail to this office to determine their eligibility as and when notified vide notice/ notification uploaded on official website of AFMS.

5 Priority–V- A candidate should be a Civilian. Civilian candidates willing to serve in the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) are subject to their fulfilling the eligibility criteria mentioned in the ‘Information Bulletin for PG Courses in AFMS Institutions through NEET PG-2024 and NEET MDS2024’. The maximum age limit is 30 years as of December 31, 2024 (with birthdates on or after January 1, 1995).

i It may be noted that offering MD/MS/DNB seats to civilian candidates as Priority - V is with the sole objective to meet the specialist requirement of the Armed Forces Medical Services.

ii Civilian candidates at the time of admission will have to submit a bond agreement to pay an amount as sanctioned by the Govt. of India in case they are unwilling to join AFMS when offered commission.

iii They also have to be medically fit as per the standards required for commission in the AFMS at the time of admission. Officers of the AFMS who have resigned their commission/ dismissed/ removed from service/ not completed their initial contractual service as SSC officers are not eligible to be considered even as Priority-V candidates, though they may fulfil the age criteria. Due to the service liability, the chief eligibility criteria for Priority-V candidates are their age & medical fitness.

iv Medical standards/ other eligibility criteria regarding entry into the Armed Forces as a commissioned officer.

v Seat allotment during MCC counselling is purely provisional and final admission will be subject to the candidate successfully fulfilling the age criteria and medical fitness examination. The maximum permissible age for Priority-V candidates shall be less than 30 years as on 31 Dec 2024 (i.e. date of birth being on or after 01 Jan 1995) to fulfill the service liability.

vi The candidate shall be liable to serve the Armed Forces Medical Service (AFMS) for 05 years on successful completion of MD/MS/DNB Course subject to fulfilling other eligibility criteria. The candidate will have to execute a bond agreement at the time of admission, to pay a sum of Rs. 57,50,000/- for the session 2024-27 to Govt of India, in case unwilling to join AFMS when offered commission upon completion of the course. A candidate who fails to complete the course successfully before crossing 35 years of age, due to any circumstances, WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE for commission in the Armed Forces and rendered Non-Service Liability (NSL). Such candidates will be liable to pay the bond money to the Govt of India as applicable.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Admission to the postgraduate (MD/MS/DNB) courses at AFMS institutions is available to graduates of medical colleges recognized by the National Medical Commission (NMC). Candidates must also be registered as medical practitioners with any State Medical Council recognized by the NMC. As per the priorities outlined in the 'Information Bulletin for PG Courses in AFMS Institutions through NEET PG-2024 and NEET MDS-2024' available on the AFMS website, all applicants, except for Priority-II candidates, must be Indian citizens.

However, a candidate shall not be eligible to take admission to AFMS Institutions if he/ she has ‘cancelled’/ ‘failed to report for admission within the stipulated time’/ ‘vacated a seat mid-course in the past’, which has resulted in lapse/ wastage of a seat.

QUALIFYING CRITERIA

1 Students who have completed/ are completing an internship on or before 15 Aug 2024 for MD/MS/DNB Courses as notified by NBE are eligible to apply/ register. However, the Provisional Registration Certificate / Permanent Registration Certificate should be available at the time of admission.

2 Appearance in the NEET PG 2024 and securing the minimum marks as indicated by NBE.

DOCUMENTS

1 06 (Six) Passport size photographs.

2 NEET PG 2024 Admit card and printed copy of the DGHS website registration slip.

3 NEET PG 2024 scorecards allotted by NBE.

4 Class X/ SSLC/ ICSE certificate as a valid certificate of proof of age.

5 Nationality Certificate/ Xerox copy of valid passport/ Domicile Certificate (where applicable)/ Birth Certificate endorsed with INDIAN nationality on it.

6 MBBS Pass Certificate/ Degree Certificate.

7 Internship Completion Certificate.

8 Permanent/ Provisional State Medical Council registration certificate.

9 Attempt Certificate.

10 Transfer Certificate/ Migration certificate.

11 Educational Gap affidavits, if any.

12 Provisional allotment letters issued by the MCC.

13 Priority - III candidates only: Permission to proceed on Study Leave from the employing/sponsoring organization is mandatory for Priority III candidates.

14 Priority - IV candidates – Release order from Armed Forces Medical Services and movement order from last unit for proceeding on release or NOC in case of SSC Officers in their last year of initial contractual service/ extended contractual service.

15 Declaration by the candidate.

It is to be noted that the counselling for Priority-I & II candidates will be conducted by O/o DGAFMS and counselling of Priority-III, IV & V candidates will be conducted by MCC in the second round of MCC counselling.

Along with this, MCC has also mentioned Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) by the candidates participating in AFMS NEET PG 2024 Counselling.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q1 Do candidates of all priorities have to register with MCC?

A Yes, candidates of all priorities have to register on the MCC official website for AFMS Institutions as per priority. Further, candidates under Priority-III, IV & V would also have to select and lock the preferred institute and seat as per instructions and schedule stipulated by the MCC.

Q2 What is the eligibility of a candidate who has ‘cancelled’/ ‘failed to report for admission within the stipulated time’/ ‘vacated a seat mid-course in the past’, which has resulted in lapse/ wastage of a seat in the past?

A A candidate shall not be eligible to take admission in AFMS Institutions if he/ she has ‘cancelled’/ ‘failed to report for admission within the stipulated time’/ ‘vacated a seat mid-course in the past’, which has resulted in lapse/ wastage of a seat.

Q3 What are the liabilities of a candidate vacating a seat mid-course in the past, which has resulted in lapse/ wastage of the said seat?

A The liabilities of vacating an allotted seat in respect of any candidate admitted under any priority on conclusion of the counselling will be as per the policy and directions of the NBE/ NMC/ MoHFW/ MCC/ DGAFMS/ affiliated University. Such a candidate will be liable to pay the University charges to which the college is affiliated and bond money as laid down in the Surety Bond executed at the time of admission as applicable.

To view the revised information bulletin, click the link below