The counselling for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG), candidates will be held after the National Medical Commission (NMC) notifies the number of available seats in the third week of July, the Ministry of Health clarified on July 6.
The counselling process for those who cleared the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG 2024 was supposed to begin on July 6.
The delay in counselling, which paves way for successful NEET candidates to secure admissions in medical colleges according to their ranks, comes at a time when the NEET paper leak controversy has raised multiple questions on the integrity of the National Testing Agency, which conducts the exam.
While the NTA, which falls under the Union Ministry of Education, conducts the exam, the counselling process also involves the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
A statement by the MoHFW said on Friday, “This is to clarify that the date of NEET-UG counselling has not been notified yet, hence the news of its deferment is incorrect.”
It further said that the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has not yet notified the counselling schedule of NEET UG and PG 2024 courses. The NEET PG 2024 examination, scheduled in June, had been postponed to August.
“The counselling schedule for NEET UG and PG is announced by the MCC on its website on the basis of completion of examination process and finalisation of seat matrix by the National Medical Commission (NMC),” the MoHFW further said in its statement.
Seat matrix, which refers to the number of seats offered across the participating institutes for each course, is released by the MCC before the commencement of counselling.
In 2021, the counselling sessions for UG seats commenced in the following year on January 19, for the 2022 exam, it was held on October 11 the same year, and in 2023, it was held on July 20. “For 2024, the NMC has communicated its schedule for finalisation of seat matrix. For UG, it will finalise the seat matrix by third week of July and for PG by mid-August. It will accordingly notify the counselling schedule,” the statement added.
SC hearing on July 8
During the June 20 hearing in the Supreme Court, the petitioners had sought a stay on the counselling process, as they felt that the root cause of rank inflation had not been investigated. However, the SC refused to stay it. The students, however, have been demanding a re-exam as they feel that due to the current controversy, the upheaval in ranks as well as the lack of transparency in the examination process, they may not stand a good chance at admission into colleges.
On July 8, the Supreme Court is slated to hear a bunch of petitions by aggrieved students on paper leak case and the NTA will also present its stance on the issue.