No NExT this year, NEET PG 2024 exam likely in July: Report

New Delhi: Not the National Exit Test (NExT), but the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET-PG) examination will continue to be the way of admission into post-graduate courses in 2024 also, sources have informed PTI.

The current PG medical entrance examination i.e. the NEET PG exam is likely to be held in the first week of July and the counselling is likely to be held in the first week of August, sources informed PTI on Saturday. Further, they informed that the NExT exam will not be held this year. 

This latest update regarding the NEET PG 2024 exam contradicts the tentative schedule of exams released by the National Board of Examinations (NBE), which had last year announced that the NEET PG 2024 will tentatively be conducted on 3rd March, 2024.

Naturally, this latest piece of information has created confusion among the aspirants who have now taken to social media platforms, seeking clarity from the authorities.

Amid this situation, Dr. Yogender Malilk, the member of the National Medical Commission's Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) and the Head of Media Division at the Commission advised students to wait for the official notification in this regard, instead of jumping to conclusions.

Responding to the post of an X (formerly Twitter) user, who sought clarity regarding the issue, Dr. Malik mentioned in an X post, "Pls wait for official announcement for everything."

While it was earlier announced by the National Medical Commission (NMC) that the National Exit Test (NExT) would replace the NEET-PG examination in 2024, the exam was deferred by the Apex Medical Commission until further notice.

Later, referring to the possibility of holding the NEET-PG examination in March 2024, the NMC released the draft Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulations (PGMER) 2023 and mentioned that the conduct of examination for admission to PG Broad Specialty Courses (MD/MS) will be "As per NExT Regulation or in case admission is to be based on NEET-PG, then Exam will be conducted in the month of March."

The possibility of conducting NEET PG 2024 in March was later confirmed by the National Board of Examinations (NBE) as well. Through a notice dated 09.11.2023, NBE had released the tentative schedule of its forthcoming examinations including NEET PG 2024, NEET MDS, FMGE, FDST, FAT, FET, FNB exit, DNB and DrNB practical and theory exams, all of which were scheduled to be conducted in the first half of 2024.

As per the concerned schedule, it was announced that NEET PG 2024, the centralised common entrance examination for admission to various institutes under NMC, shall be conducted on 03.03.2024.

However, now sources have informed PTI that "The NEET-PG examination is likely to be held in the first week of July. The counselling is likely to begin in the first week of August."

Meanwhile, sources informed the News Agency ANI that the COVID-19 disruption is one of the major concerns behind this recommendation, as students will complete their internship by June-July 2024.

Response on Social Media: 

Addressing the confusion regarding the issue, one user posted on X, "Who is the SOURCE giving half baked information to Media and leaving all aspirants in despair hanging by a thread? #NEETPG"

"The best thing we can is continue with our schedules study plan NMC was never easy on us #neetpg2024 #NEETPG," wrote another user advising the aspirants to stick to their study plans.

Another user prayed for some clarity regarding the issue and mentioned, "The focus for checking news about neet has increased than focusing on our studies Hope there would some clarity soon #neetpg2024 #NEETPG"

Meanwhile, as per the recently-notified "Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023" which have replaced the Postgraduate Medical Education (Amendment) Regulations, 2018, the existing NEET-PG examination will continue till the proposed NExT becomes operational for the purpose of PG admission.

The NEET-PG is an eligibility-cum-ranking examination prescribed as the single entrance examination for admission to various MD/MS and PG Diploma Courses under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019.

Also Read: Breaking: Not NExT, NEET PG 2024 to be held in March 2024, details