NEET PG 2025 Postponement Fear escalates

Resident Doctors Struggle with Increased Workloads

While NEET-PG aspirants remain in limbo, existing resident doctors are grappling with increased workloads due to the delayed admission of new batches.

“Every time counseling gets delayed, the resident doctors suffer. We are already short-staffed, and now, without the incoming batch, the workload has become unbearable,” a second-year medical student at a government hospital in Delhi told The Indian Express.

Another resident added, “We are working extra hours to fill the gaps due to the delay in new admissions,” highlighting how government hospitals are struggling to cope with staff shortages.

Doctors’ associations have repeatedly warned that these prolonged delays negatively impact patient care. Hospitals are now relying on overworked resident doctors, raising concerns about medical service quality and burnout among healthcare professionals.

Private Medical Colleges Benefit from Delays? allege medicos

While government hospitals suffer from a shortage of junior doctors, private medical institutions have emerged as major beneficiaries of the prolonged counseling process.

A resident doctor from Kerala pointed out, “Private colleges charge anywhere between Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore for PG seats. With the delay, they are capitalizing on desperate students who don’t want to waste another year.”

Additionally, frequent reductions in NEET-PG cut-offs have led to concerns about merit-based admissions. In previous years, cut-offs were lowered drastically—sometimes down to zero percentile—allowing candidates who initially did not qualify to secure seats.

Impact on Medical Education and Healthcare

The cascading effects of these delays go beyond students and resident doctors, disrupting the entire academic calendar and medical training schedules. Late admissions push back postgraduate courses that should ideally begin in May or June, affecting clinical training and research timelines.

“This affects not just students but also the healthcare system. With a shortage of trained specialists, the ultimate sufferers are the patients,” said a third-year surgical resident in Mumbai.

Additionally, with the NEET-PG 2025 exam scheduled for June 15, students preparing for the next cycle face additional pressure as the 2024 counseling drags on.

Expert Advice: Stay Prepared Amid Uncertainty

Despite the ongoing confusion, medical educators urge students to maintain their preparation momentum.

Dr Nikita Nanwani, a Radiodiagnosis expert and faculty member at Prepladder, told Edexlive that students should continue preparing as if the exam will proceed on June 15, using any potential extra time for revision rather than becoming complacent. She emphasized that maintaining discipline and adaptability is crucial during this period of uncertainty.

Calls for Systemic Reform

Doctors and students alike are demanding structural reforms to prevent such recurring delays. Proposals include strict adherence to counselling timelines, policy changes to streamline the admission process and better planning to ensure government medical institutions do not bear the brunt of these inefficiencies.

With exhausted resident doctors managing extra shifts, patients facing compromised care, and thousands of medical aspirants stuck in uncertainty, there is an urgent need for authorities to address the crisis and implement lasting solutions.