The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Tuesday wrote a letter to Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda, urging for timely conduct of NEET PG 2024 counselling.

In its letter addressed to the Health Minister, the IMA wrote,  “On behalf of the IMA, we write to bring to your kind attention 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.”

Stating that the delay in the counselling process is causing immense distress to thousands of NEET PG aspirants across the country, the IMA 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. This situation 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 the students’ academic and professional futures are not adversely affected. 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,” it said.

The IMA said 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 and added that this again poses a potential roadblock to the counselling process ahead.

“We request a declaration of a normalised score to ensure smooth conduction of state quota counseling too. We, therefore, humbly request the Ministry to engage with the concerned authorities, 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,” it said.

The IMA further said, “We are confident that under your able leadership, the Ministry will take prompt action to address this issue. The IMA stands ready to offer its support and assistance in any manner required to help resolve this situation.We hope for your urgent intervention to mitigate the concerns of lakhs of students and ensure the smooth functioning of the medical education system.”