NEET PG 2024: Health Ministry urged to Urgently Release Round 3 Seat Matrix

Mumbai: Highlighting the stress and confusion faced by the postgraduate medical aspirants due to the delay in commencement of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET-PG) exam counselling 2024, a Mumbai-based medical education activist has urged the Union Health Minister Shri J P Nadda and the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) to "urgently release" the seat matrix for the third round of counselling.

Activist Brijesh Sutaria wrote to the Assistant Director General (ADG) of Medical Education (ME) in this regard and sent a copy of the same to the Union Minister and MCC. 

"The prolonged waiting period is causing significant anxiety and confusion among aspirants, who are eagerly awaiting clarity on their admission process for All India Quota (AIQ) Round 3," Sutaria said.

He also pointed out how the counselling process for PG medical admissions this year has already been de;ayed by several days and added, "timely updates are crucial to ensure that the admission cycle is completed without further disruptions," requesting the MCC to “prioritise the release of the seat matrix at the earliest to provide much-needed relief and clarity to thousands of candidates."

The third round of counselling in Maharashtra was scheduled to commence on January 7. However, it has been put on hold since the State has allowed the resignation of round 2 seats until January 15 at 5:30 p.m. by paying a penalty. Therefore, it is unlikely that the seat matrix will be released anytime soon.

Also Read: NEET PG 2024 counselling cutoff percentile reduced, Check all details

However, Maharashtra is not the only State where the counselling schedule for NEET PG 2024 has been disrupted. In States like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana also, the second round of NEET PG state counselling has not been completed yet.

Meanwhile, Medical Dialogues had earlier reported how the Union Health Ministry decided to lower the cut-off for General and Economically Weaker Section aspirants to 15th percentile and 10th percentile to other reserved categories. Despite this announcement being made on January 04, 2025, there has been no clarity when the subsequent rounds of counselling would be held based on the revised cut-off percentile.

Referring to the entire counselling process, Sutaria termed it as "chaotic, disorganised, and frustrating" and told Free Press Journal, "The NEET PG 2024 counselling process has been a source of immense frustration for aspirants this year. Despite the timely announcement of results, the delays in counselling and the release of critical updates, such as the seat matrix, have disrupted the admission process."

"Such inefficiencies not only prolong the academic year but also cause undue stress for candidates and their families. The situation in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana highlights the disorganised approach at both the national and state levels," he added.

Opining that the root cause for such disruption is the lack of timely planning and execution, Sutaria argued, "Authorities like the MCC and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) must recognise that these delays impact not just aspirants but the healthcare system as a whole. Timely admission and training of PG medical students are critical to addressing the shortage of specialists in India."

Suggesting a solution to avoid similar situation, Sutaria advocated for transparency, efficiency, and accountability and added, "Authorities must prioritise releasing updates on time, ensure smoother counselling processes, and avoid delays that overlap with future admission cycles. Aspirants deserve clarity and respect for their efforts not chaos and uncertainty."

Also Read: MCC Extends NEET PG 2024 Round 3 Counselling Registration Deadline