Frustration mounts as NEET PG 2025 counselling remains stalled, NMC faces backlash
New Delhi: Over two months after the NEET PG 2025 was conducted, counselling for admission to MD and MS courses is yet to begin, leaving more than two lakh medical graduates in uncertainty. The delay, attributed to the ongoing Supreme Court proceedings on transparency in the exam and pending approvals from the National Medical Commission (NMC), has sparked growing frustration among aspirants and doctors nationwide.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), which is in charge of conducting the AIQ counselling, recently informed the States that the regulatory authority, the National Medical Commission (NMC), has asked the committee to put the process on hold.
Officials at the Tamil Nadu State Selection Committee had explained that two primary reasons are resulting in the delay in the NEET PG counselling- pending plea before the Apex Court and the delay on the part of the National Medical Commission (NMC) in finalizing and approving the addition of new medical colleges and increasing the MD/MS seats in the existing medical colleges for 2025-2026.
Agitated over the continuous delay in the commencement of the counselling process, doctors have been expressing their opinions on social media platforms, including X. They have also blamed the regulatory bodies, including the National Medical Commission (NMC), for the delay.
Calling it a "circus" that gets repeated every year, an X user named Nachiket Bhatia wrote, "Every year it's the same circus. NEET PG exams get delayed, results come late, and counselling never starts on time. Every delay pushes their future back by months. Doctors give years of their life for this, but the system keeps testing their patience instead of their merit. No timeline. No accountability. No respect. How long before the system learns to respect their time?"
"Every year, student bodies file cases and hearings just get delayed in the Supreme Court. By the time there's a decision, exams and results are done- nothing changes. Why keep filing if it doesn't help anyone?" wrote another user named Dr. Shreyansh.
Doctors Blame NMC:
Amid this situation, NMC is facing backlash for the delay and vacant posts in its PG board. Taking to X, the founder of the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), wrote, "As #NMC hasn't sent their assessment report to #MCC(Medical Counselling Committee) till now. #NMC is running without proper number of staff! Current #NMC Chairman is least bothered like he had been while being chairman of #NBEMS."
Meanwhile, the patron of FAIMA Doctors Association, Dr. Rohan Krishnan pointed out that NMC PG board is operating with one member and all the posts of the UG Board is currently vacant.
He wrote, "All the post of UG board in @NMC_BHARAT is #vacant… For PG board only One member #DrVijayOzha who has given #resignation three months back..!!!!! Chairman @NMC_IND is a #british citizen who lives out of India most of the time… My simple question who is running @NMC_IND ????? On what moral grounds is @NMC_BHARAT giving permission to colleges!!!!"
Speaking to Medical Dialogues regarding this issue, the Chairperson of United Doctors Front (UDF) Dr. Lakshya Mittal highlighted the need for a proper roadmap.
Referring to the delay in NEET PG counselling every year, he said, "This is a very concerning issue that despite having a separate body like MCC to conduct the counselling, the process gets delayed every year. What is required is a proper roadmap, where the system will not have any technical glitches and the system will be foolproof."
Dr. Mittal also added that UDF is planning to get clarity on this issue from the Union Health Ministry.
The National Secretary of Indian Medical Association Junior Doctors' Network, Dr. Indranil Deshmukh, also expressed concern over the delay in the NEET PG counselling process, which has caused uncertainty among thousands of postgraduate aspirants across the country.
"Timely counselling is crucial to maintain academic continuity and ensure that our healthcare system is adequately staffed with trained postgraduates. However, we have full trust in the leadership of the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) and are confident that the process will be expedited in the best interests of students and the medical fraternity," he added.
Also Read: NEET PG 2025 counselling delay: MCC waits on SC, aspirants urge Govt action
