NEET-PG aspirants face challenges with distant exam centres
MUMBAI: Medical graduates preparing for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) are facing significant difficulties as they have been assigned exam centres located hundreds of kilometres away from their homes
MUMBAI: Medical graduates preparing for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) are facing significant difficulties as they have been assigned exam centres located hundreds of kilometres away from their homes. Many candidates reported not receiving any of their four preferred city choices, instead being assigned to distant cities.
The situation has been worsened by the removal of certain cities from the centre list following the postponement of the exam from June 22 to August 11, leaving candidates with fewer options. With only eight days remaining before the test, candidates are scrambling to arrange travel and accommodation. The National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) informed candidates of their test cities on Thursday, but the exact exam time slots and specific examination centres will not be disclosed until August 8, complicating planning efforts.
One candidate from Beed district was allocated Mumbai, nearly 470 kilometers from his home, despite listing Aurangabad, Nanded, Pune, and Sangli as his preferred cities. Previously, he had chosen Latur and Beed as exam centres, but these options were removed following the test’s postponement, resulting in only two available cities for the test across eight districts in the Marathwada region. “With limited choice of centres in Marathwada, around 75% of candidates will have to travel to distant places for NEET-PG. It’s difficult to book a hotel in Mumbai without knowing the exact location of the exam centre. Traveling to the city in the rainy season will be challenging,” he said.
Similarly, a student from Mumbai was assigned to Pune, despite indicating a preference for centres within the city. The NEET-PG examination was postponed as a precautionary measure and to assess the integrity of the testing process, following allegations of malpractices in the NEET UG exam earlier this year. The government also cancelled the UGC-NET examination due to concerns about the exam’s integrity, with the rescheduled exams now set for August-September.
Brijesh Sutaria, a parent of a medical student, criticised NBEMS for missing its deadline to send test city allocation emails to NEET-PG 2024 candidates. “Despite a promise to notify candidates of their test city allocations via email by July 29, many have yet to receive any confirmation. Earlier, NBEMS had allowed candidates to select their preferred test cities online from July 19 to July 23. The delay has left candidates anxious and uncertain about their test locations,” he added.
According to an NBEMS notice, the specific exam centre venues in the allocated test cities will be detailed on the admit cards, scheduled to be released on August 8, 2024, via the NBEMS website.