Postpone NEET PG 2022: Doctors threaten to surrender Medical Degrees, write to President

New Delhi: Referring to the insufficient gap between the NEET PG 2021 counselling and the NEET PG 2022 date, the aspirants for the PG medical entrance test have written to the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind and sought deferment of the examination by at least two months.

Pointing out the rigid stand of the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the National Board of Examinations (NBE) in this issue, the aspirants have also threatened to surrender their medical degrees to the Government at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan if the exam, which is scheduled on May 21, does not get postponed.

"We're reaching out to you because there's no one else to listen to our voices sir. If the exam happens on May 21, then we 1000 of doctors have no choice but to surrender our prestigious medical degrees to Government of India at Rashtrapathi Bhavan, out of disappointment, mental agony and because of the innumerable loopholes in the examination and counselling procedures by the NBE and NMC. This is already creating a mental harassment in our mind which is forcing us to take fatal steps seeing at the cost of our drowning careers," the doctors wrote in their letter directed to the President.

"Now whatever happens to our lives, any danger because of any extremely decisions out of depression and helplessness, the sole responsibility should be taken by the NMC chairman Dr. Suresh Chandra Sharma and other officials of NMC, NBE director Dr Minu Bajpai, MCC, Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi ji, Health Minister Shri Mansukh Mandaviya ji and YOU too sir," the letter added.

NEET PG 2022, which is the centralized common entrance test for admission to PG medical courses across India, was earlier scheduled on March 12. However, pointing out that the date was clashing with NEET PG counselling 2021 dates, the doctors had approached the Union Health Ministry seeking postponement. In fact they had moved to the Apex Court as well. Before the top court could take a call on the matter, the Union Health Ministry itself came to the aid of the students and postponed the exam by 6-8 months. Consequently, NBE rescheduled the exam on May 21.

Also Read: NEET PG 2022 to be held on 21st May, Check out full NBE schedule

However, the doctors are not so happy with this date as well and they have cited the ongoing counselling for NEET PG 2021 as the reason. Referring to the fact how Covid-19 has changed the fate of the world, the doctors reminded in their letter to the President how the Frontline workers fought bravely including the young medical interns and students. 

"During the second wave the Government of India has announced the deferment of the NEET PG 2021 exam for 4 months sir. In that process many young doctors served the country. There are 5000 intern doctors who are in eligible to appear the examination because they served during the pandemic," the doctors pointed out.

They also referred to the delayed counselling of NEET PG 2021 and stated in their letter, "As per the policy of NMC there needs to be sufficient gap between counselling of one session and next examination. But this year the all India counselling will over by 3rd May, 2022 and State counselling will start afterwards which might go till mid or may end. The examination is scheduled on 21st May, just few days after completion of All India counselling. This stands unfair. NMC is adamant in not postponing the exam as they want to start the session by August. They can still do so even if the exam is postponed till June July without affecting academic session of 2022."

Stating that they have already approached relevant authorities including NMC and NBE and they are incapable to fight in court every month, the doctors also pointed out that those aspirants who are attending the counselling are not sure if they would get a seat of not.