More than 15,000 aspirants of National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2022 have come together and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and postpone the exam, scheduled to be held on May 21, citing its clash with the ongoing counselling for NEET PG 2021.
The aspirants have written to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) seeking an appointment to highlight their concerns and have also sought permission to conduct a ‘peaceful protest’ at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Sunday. “We urge you to kindly support our genuine demands and also arrange a meeting with Honourable PM Narendra Modi. We kindly request you to support and grant permission [for] this peaceful protest with 70 doctors,” the letter reads.
“The counselling process conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for NEET PG 2021 has been made null and void seven times. As per latest notification from MCC, May 7 is the last date for the admission into PG courses. But, the registration for NEET PG 2022 was closed on March 25, 2022,” the letter by Dr R Dinesh Kumar Reddy reads.
Aspirants are complaining that due to this “sudden notification” and the INI-CET exam or National Importance Combined Entrance Test scheduled on May 8, they are now panicking. Students say they cannot appear for the exam and the counselling together.
“The date it was notified was May 5 and the last date is May 7, and what if I am in Andhra Pradesh and I have my counselling in Delhi? How can I travel in a single day? And also, suppose I am also going and writing the INI-CET exam. So, in one day, we should travel from South India to North India, and again come back to my centre of examination in Andhra Pradesh?” Reddy, a NEET PG aspirant, asked.
Reddy says that though they have lost hope, they are exploring every option available. “…we even tried to submit this at the PM’s residence in case he is not available at the office…,” Reddy told indianexpress.com.
Another aspirant backed Reddy. “So, if my counselling turns out to be in North India but my exam centre is in South or West India, how am I supposed to pursue both on May 7 and 8? This has added so much pressure on us. We helped the government during the Covid pandemic and is this how they are thanking us? I am very lost right now,” he said.
Aspirants are also complaining that due to their Covid duties, many of them were unable to complete their internships on time. Now, this schedule seems unfair towards them.
“Our exam was in March and at that time, 60-70 per cent interns weren’t eligible because of Covid duties. Last year, the government announced that everyone has to do Covid duties. So, because of Covid, the internships started late, so it’s not their fault that they haven’t completed the internship before May 31,” Jay Kalathiya, an aspirant from Gujarat, told indianexpress.com. Jan has completed his internship but supports the student movement.
The aspirants, along with some student and parent groups, are planning a peaceful protest in the national capital on Sunday. “The government and competent authorities should have taken a positive decision on compassionate grounds. However, all the appeals have gone unheard, hence hitting the road for a peaceful protest is the only way out,” said Sukhpal Singh Toor, founder of NCR Parents Association, who will be organising the protest.
