IMA urges Health Ministry to step in to allow commencement of NEET-PG counselling

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Tuesday urged the government to explore interim measures that could allow the NEET PG 2024 counselling process to commence, ensuring that the interests of both students and the healthcare system are safeguarded.

The IMA has written to Union Health Minister J P Nadda drawing his attention to the growing concerns and uncertainty surrounding the delay in the NEET PG 2024 counselling process, which is currently held up due to an ongoing case in the Supreme Court.

"The delay in the counselling process is causing immense distress to thousands of NEET PG aspirants across the country," the doctors' body said.

These candidates, who have worked tirelessly to qualify for postgraduate medical seats, are facing prolonged uncertainty about their future due to the judicial proceedings, the IMA said in the letter.

It is also impacting the functioning of healthcare institutions, as the timely induction of postgraduate students is crucial to ensure the availability of medical professionals in hospitals and medical colleges.

"While we fully respect the judicial process and the need for legal clarity, the IMA believes that it is imperative for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to intervene and explore possible solutions to ensure that students' academic and professional futures are not adversely affected," it said in the letter.

The prolonged delay could lead to significant disruptions in the academic calendar, affecting the overall training and deployment of specialist doctors in the country at a time when the healthcare system is already under pressure.

The IMA also highlighted that several state counselling committees are also in dilemma over awarding of incentive marks to in-service candidates due to non-disclosure of marks this year. This again poses a potential roadblock to the counselling process ahead.

The IMA requested the declaration of a normalised score to ensure the smooth conduct of state quota counselling too.

"We, therefore, humbly request the Ministry to engage with the authorities concerned including the Supreme Court to find a way to expedite the resolution of the case.

"If necessary, we urge the government to explore interim measures that could allow the counselling process to commence, ensuring that the interests of both students and the healthcare system are safeguarded," the letter said.