NEET PG 2025 Counselling Delayed: Extension of PG Residents’ Tenure
Government Response to Counselling Delays
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has announced an extension of the tenure for postgraduate (PG) residents from the outgoing batch due to ongoing delays in the National Eligibility-Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2025 counselling process. According to a report by Education Times, the MoHFW has advised all central postgraduate institutes of medical education and research to prolong the tenure of PG residents from the 2022-2025 batch until the new cohort of resident doctors begins their training.
Rationale Behind the Extension
An official from the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) explained to Education Times that the extension aims to alleviate the workload on current residents until new students arrive after the counselling process. “The final-year batch is completing its term this month, but the new batch has not joined yet. That is why the ministry has allowed institutions to temporarily extend the release of final-year residents by six to seven months, ensuring that patient care and departmental operations continue smoothly,” the official stated. They further indicated that the counselling process is expected to commence properly within the next week.
Historical Context of Tenure Extensions
Medic Helpline previously reported a similar measure during the pandemic, when PG resident doctors and final-year DNB trainees faced extended service requirements during the second wave of COVID-19. This led to complaints regarding unpaid stipends and issues with the retention of students’ documents by some institutions. The National Medical Commission (NMC) later deemed it “illegal” for institutions to withhold stipends or documents after residents completed their tenures. The NMC mandated that successful MD/MS and DM/M.Ch candidates would be designated as Senior Residents and Assistant Professors, respectively, and compensated accordingly after their final examinations.
MCC Meeting on PG Seat Matrix Revision
Upcoming Discussions with Key Stakeholders
In related news, an MCC official informed Education Times that a meeting with the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the National Board of Examinations (NBE) is imminent to discuss the timeline for revising the PG seat matrix. “MCC will soon hold a meeting with NMC, NBEMS officials, and other stakeholders to determine how soon we can finalize the seat matrix revision. Details will be published on the website,” the official mentioned.
Reasons for Seat Matrix Revision
The revision is prompted by updates from the Apex Medical Commission regarding changes in PG medical seats and NBE’s withdrawal of 169 DNB seats after the first round of PG counselling began. The delay is attributed to the sudden addition of MD/MS seats, aimed at benefiting students by increasing their choices. The NMC is expected to provide further specifications on which institutions and subjects will receive additional seats. Furthermore, some DNB seats may be reduced due to regulations preventing colleges from operating both MD/MS and DNB courses in the same specialty simultaneously.
Delays in NEET PG 2025 Counselling Process
Timeline and Ongoing Issues
This year has seen significant delays in the NEET PG 2025 AIQ counselling process. Although the exam took place on August 3, 2025, and results were released on August 19, the MCC only initiated the registration process for counselling last month after a wait of over two months. The MCC subsequently published the information bulletin and counselling scheme for candidates.
The tentative schedule indicated that the first round of seat allotment was set to begin on November 6, with results due on November 8, 2025. However, a notice issued by the MCC on November 6, 2025, stated that the choice-filling period for Round-1 of PG counselling would be extended until further notice due to necessary revisions in the seat matrix.
Concerns from Medical Professionals
The delay in the NEET PG 2025 counselling has raised concerns among doctors. Dr. Meet Ghonia, the National General Secretary of the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), expressed frustration on X, questioning the lack of a timeline for the addition or removal of seats. He highlighted the inadequacy of three months post-results for such processes and raised concerns about potential benefits for private medical colleges from last-minute seat additions.