Candidates express dismay over NEET PG postponement, hold protest in Rajkot against NEET UG re-exam: Here's what they said

NEET Exam row: The National Eligibility and Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) Examination, which was originally scheduled for Sunday, was rescheduled after the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced its unexpected postponement. The new date will be announced shortly.
In a statement, the ministry explained that the postponement was due to recent allegations questioning the integrity of certain competitive examinations.
"Considering the recent incidents and allegations regarding the integrity of competitive exams, the Ministry of Health has decided to thoroughly assess the robustness of the NEET-PG Entrance Examination processes, conducted by the National Board of Examination for medical students," the ministry stated.
The examination, initially planned for Sunday, has left students disheartened and critical of the Centre's decision.
A candidate who traveled to Jaipur for the exam said, "The NEET-UG exam's paper was leaked, NEET-PG was postponed 12 hours before, and the NEET-SSC exam date is yet to be announced. This shows the government's concern about the health sector. The Union Health Minister and Union Education Minister must apologize. Students and doctors have traveled long distances and incurred expenses. On average, the expenditure was Rs 10,000. The government must reimburse these costs."
Jyoth Chouhan, another candidate, highlighted the inconvenience caused by the last-minute announcement.
"The NTA (National Testing Agency) informed us 10 hours before the exam that it was postponed. If they needed to reschedule, they should have announced it at least a few days earlier. They didn't allocate exam centers properly; candidates received distant locations. Students from Vadodara had exam centers in Nashik and Madhya Pradesh. When they arrived, they were told the exam was postponed. This has caused great difficulties," he said.
Dr. Rakesh Sharma, OSD to President and Member, Governing Body, NBEMS, said, "The nation is watching NBEMS for the NEET PG 2024 conduct, and we will not disappoint. We will conduct the test through a computer-based test (CBT) mode nationwide."
Achieved marks with hard work: Students protest in Rajkot against NEET UG re-exam
Students in Rajkot, Gujarat, protested against the re-examination of the NEET-UG exam held on Sunday.
A NEET-UG candidate, Palak, stated, "I scored 682 marks in the NEET-UG exams. There should be no re-exam as we achieved these marks with hard work and dedication. Students scoring below 600 are demanding a re-exam. After a 1.5-month gap, it won't be possible to score well again. This is like playing with our future."
The NEET-UG 2024 exam was conducted on May 5, with results declared on June 4, ahead of the scheduled June 14 date. Allegations of irregularities and paper leaks surfaced, with 67 students reportedly achieving a perfect score of 720.
The Supreme Court allowed a re-test for over 1,500 students who were awarded "grace marks." The re-exam was scheduled from 2 pm to 5:20 pm on June 23, Sunday. Admit cards have been issued on exams.nta.ac.in/NEET, with results tentatively scheduled for June 30, 2024.
Amid ongoing protests across several states over the postponement of NEET exams, the Centre has taken proactive steps, including the removal of the DG of the National Testing Agency and the formation of a high-level expert committee to ensure examination transparency.
(With inputs from ANI)
ALSO READ: Who is NTA Chief Subodh Kumar Singh, removed amid NEET, NET paper-leak row?