‘Govt failed us’: Student leaders, doctors in dismay over Centre’s NEET-PG move

After the Centre announced the postponement of the NEET-PG 2024 examination scheduled on Sunday, some student bodies and doctors’ associations expressed their discontent with the decision, saying that the education system of the country has been “destroyed.” They also demanded a high-level probe into the agency responsible for conducting the NEET-UG and NEET-PG examination.

United Doctors Front Association’s national president, Dr Lakshya Mittal said that the NEET-PG exam was cancelled just 10 hours before it was supposed to be conducted even when students travelled from all over the country to reach their centres. Mittal said that cancelling the exam at such a short notice was no less than “playing with the emotions of the doctors”.

“NEET-PG exam, which was supposed to be held tomorrow, has been cancelled at the last moment… The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in its press release, has mentioned that the exam has been postponed seeing its integrity and sensitivity… This is another scam after NEET-UG… Candidates have travelled across states and cancelling the exam 10 hours before it is scheduled is no less than playing with the emotions of the doctors,” Mittal told ANI.

“The conducting authorities of both, NEET PG, as well as NEET UG, should be investigated… India’s medical education system has been destroyed… CBI enquiry into the NEET-UG issue is a commendable step,” he added.

Meanwhile, student body ABVP’s general secretary, Yagyawalkya Shukla demanded answers from the Centre and the National Board of Education regarding the cancellation of the NEET-PG exam.

“If the National Board of Examination or the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had any kind of suspicion, they should have brought forth everything in front of candidates with full transparency… Student bodies demand the government and the National Board of Education that the students have the right to know the reasons and circumstances behind the step,” Shukla said in a video.

JNU Student Union (JNUSU) president Dhananjay said in a statement that the Centre has failed students by cancelling the exam hours before it was supposed to be conducted. “Students travel across cities to sit for this exam. This government has failed students on so many levels,” he said.

FAIMA Doctors’ Association’s president, Dr Rohan Krishnan expressed his solidarity with the students, demanding an explanation from the Centre regarding the cancellation of the exam.

“The last-minute cancellation of the NEET-PG examination is very sad for all of us… All the candidates had reached their examination centres in various cities… I hope that the National Board of Examinations had concrete reasons to postpone this examination and they should come up with immediate answers. I request the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to come forward and tell me what was the reason for postponing the exam?… I want to assure the students that we stand with them and we will make sure that the next date is given with ample time,” Krishnan said.

The health ministry on Saturday postponed the NEET-PG 2024 exam. The new date for the exam has not been announced yet. This comes weeks after the results of the NEET-UG 2024 exam sparked a major row over alleged irregularities in the marking system of the medical entrance test.