NEET PG in March 2024? NMC draft Regulations Spark Speculations
New Delhi: With the National Medical Commission (NMC) releasing the draft Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulations (PGMER) 2023, there are speculations that the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) examination will be conducted in March 2024.
This comes as the NMC in its draft regulations stated that the common centralized entrance examination for Postgraduate courses for PG medical admissions next year will be conducted in the month of March.
Although it was earlier announced by 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.
Meanwhile, referring to the possibility of holding the NEET-PG examination in March 2024, the recently released draft Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulations (PGMER) 2023 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."
Admission Schedule for Post-graduate Broad Specialty Courses (MD/MS):
Sl. No. | Schedule for Admission | Central Counselling | State Counselling to be conducted by respective Counselling authorities* |
All India Quota/ Deemed/ Central Universities/ Institutes/ AFMS | |||
1. | Conduct of exam | 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 | |
2. | Declaration of result | As per NExT Regulation or in case admission is to be based on NEET-PG, then Exam will be declared by first week of April | |
3. | First round of counselling | 10th to 20th May | 20th to 31st May |
4. | Last date of joining | 31st May | 5th June |
5. | Second round of counselling | 1st June to 10th June | 11th to 20th June |
6. | Last date of joining | 20th June | 30th June |
7. | Mop up/Third Round | 1st July, - 10th July | 10th July to 20th July |
8. | Last date of joining | 20th July, | 31st July |
9. | Online stray vacancy round for All India Quota/Central and Deemed Universities | 21st July - 31st July | 1st – 5th August |
10. | Last Date of Joining | 10th August | |
11. | Commencement of academic session | 1st July | |
The Draft PGMER 2023 Regulations further mentioned, "Till the first batch based on National Exit Test (NExT) becomes eligible for admission in Broad Speciality, the existing system of admission through National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Post-graduate (NEET-PG) as per Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulation, 2000 (PGMER-2000) shall continue."
This year, the NEET PG 2023 examination was held on 5th March 2023. Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that this year the NEET PG aaspirants were facing difficulties to become eligible for the examination because of the deadline to complete the one-year mandatory MBBS internship.
Although earlier NBE had clarified that the NEET PG 2023 candidates must complete their mandatory one-year MBBS internship on or before March 31, later it was charged after hundreds of students became unable to fulfill the eligibility criteria of completing the MBBS internship within March 31. Despite the deadline being extended to June 30, 2023, several candidates still remained ineligible.
Later, providing relief to the candidates, the Union Health Ministry extended the last date of completion of the MBBS internship to August 11 and BDS internship to June 30. The ministry said that the decision was taken considering the future of over 13,000 MBBS students who were not eligible for the NEET PG 2023 exam due to the delayed internship.
Also Read: NEET PG 2023, NEET MDS 2023: MBBS, BDS Internship Deadline Extended, details
