NEET PG Exam: Centres 1,000 Km Away Spark Outrage; Students Demand Single Shift Exams In Home States

NEET PG 2024 is causing uproar as students are assigned centers up to 1,000 km away. They demand single-shift exams and local centers, citing travel and logistical issues.

NEET PG 2024 is scheduled for August 11 in two shifts.

Source : Freepik

The National Eligibility Entrance Test - Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2024 has once again sparked a wave of concerns as aspirants flagged the issue of far-off examination centres. Some students have been allotted centres 1000 km away from their homes. Several candidates have taken to social media to narrate their ordeal and criticise the National Board of Examinations (NBE) for allegedly causing mental harassment. The students are demanding the exam be conducted in a single shift with centres within their home states. NEET PG 2024 is scheduled for August 11 in two shifts.

A student, Francis wrote on social media platform X, “Distance I have to travel for exam (Pathanamthitta - Vishakapatanam). And I will know where the centre is only 2 days before the exam. In a city, where travelling from one end to another takes 2 hours. #NEETPG #neetpg2024. Reminder - my previous centre was 20 min away from home.”

Distance I have to travel for exam (Pathanamthitta - Vishakapatanam).

And I will know where the centre is only 2 days before exam. In a city, where travelling from one end to another takes 2 hours. #NEETPG #neetpg2024

Reminder - my previous centre was 20 min away from home. pic.twitter.com/0JZhFn5Kxa

— Francis (@Francis35737580) August 1, 2024

Another student raised a concern about far-off exam centres, saying, "Can NBE answer how we are supposed to travel such long distances? Bookings, floods, room availability? Routes are affected, train delays, and flight rate hikes. Stop playing with our lives."

Can NBE answer me how to travel for such long? Bookings, Floods, Room Availablity? ROUTES ARE AFFECTED, TRAIN DELAYS, FLIGHTS RATES HIKES? Stop playing with lives ! #neet #NEETPG @RahulGandhi #bjp @narendramodi @yadavakhilesh pic.twitter.com/6lsgQRxbMu

— Deepak Mehra (@mahiniceboy) July 31, 2024

Dr. Shahrukh Malawat questioned the need for such long-distance travel: “Why should Doctors travel to other States to give NEET PG 2024? Who'll pay for Tatkal Tickets and Hotels? Flight Tickets are so high & Heavy Rain and Floods across the Country. 2 shifts to accommodate Students in Nearby Centre was a Lie by NBEMS.”

FAIMA Chairman Dr. Rohan Krishnan criticised the NBE, stating, “It is very unfortunate that @NbeIndia fails to be sympathetic towards the aspirants of NEET PG. Centre allotments are so haphazard that students are asked to travel thousands of kms in this rainy season. It's high time that VIP culture of @NbeIndia is eradicated and a new student-friendly system is established.”

RTI Activist Dr. Vivek Pandey also raised concerns of students saying, “NBE needs to understand that aspirants are not going on a picnic; they are going for exam. After traveling 500 to 1000 km before the exam, both mental & physical health will be affected. Heavy rainfall, floods, and ticket shortage are also issues.”

The outcry has reached political leaders as well. In a letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, MP Adoor Prakash sought immediate intervention, explaining that 1,000 candidates from Kerala and students from other states have been affected by the chaos. He suggested considering holding the exam on a later date in a single shift with nearby test centres, citing travel and accommodation challenges for the students.

Another MP, John Brittas, brought the issue to the attention of Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda. He highlighted how around 10,000 MBBS students from Kerala, including female and pregnant candidates, are set to suffer due to the examination arrangements. Brittas explained that Kerala candidates were mandatorily made to choose the last option of exam centres from Andhra Pradesh, with the majority being allotted centres in AP, a state 1,000 km away from Kerala.

The NBEMS had initially asked candidates to provide choices of four test cities within their state of correspondence address. NEET PG Exam is conducted every year for admission to postgraduate medical programmes in government or private medical colleges, such as Doctor of Medicine (MD), Master of Surgery (MS), PG diploma, Diplomate of National Board (DNB), Doctorate of National Board (DrNB), and NBEMS diploma.