NEET-PG will be held on March 5: Health Minister Mandaviya

The NEET-PG examination will be conducted as per schedule on March 5 for those aspiring to get admission to postgraduate medical courses, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told Lok Sabha on Friday.

To ensure that no one is left out, the ministry has extended the cut off date for all those MBBS students who are yet to complete their internship, he said while replying to a question by Congress member Gaurav Gogoi.

Raising the issue in Lok Sabha during the Question Hour, Gogoi sought to know from Mandaviya his ministry’s stand on the students’ demand for postponement of the NEET-PG 2023 examination for a few months.

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“On March 5, the examination has to be conducted and this was declared five months ago. Those students, who had to appear for it (entrance test), are already preparing,” the minister said in his response.

“Earlier examinations were delayed by seven-eight months and later by four months….If I keep on delaying, such a situation will come....," he said, adding, "It is very necessary to fix it".

The minister said it is very necessary to conduct the entrance test timely.

For those who are yet to complete their internship, Mandavia said his ministry has already extended the cut-off date.

“I have extended the cut off date so that all students get a chance to appear for the NEET-PG exam, clear it and take admission in PG (postgraduate medical courses),” he said.

A section of NEET-PG aspirants have been demanding postponement of the entrance test, citing delay in completion of their internship.

A group of doctors, including NEET-PG aspirants, held a protest on Jantar Mantar Road on Tuesday under the banner of Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), demanding that the government postpone the entrance test.

The ministry extended the cut-off date from June 30 to August 11 for the NEET-PG aspirants to complete their mandatory one-year internship.

"Considering the future of more than 13,000 MBBS students across 5 States/UTs who were not eligible for #NEET PG 2023 exam due to delayed internship, MoHFW has decided to extend the last date of completion of internship for eligibility to 11th Aug 2023," the ministry said in a tweet on Tuesday.

"More than 3,000 BDS students across States/UTs were not eligible for #NEET MDS 2023 exam due to delayed internship. To benefit them, MoHFW has decided to extend the last date of completion of internship for eligibility to 30th June 2023. Wishing all candidates the very best," it added.