NEET-PG counselling likely to begin from September 19: Sources

The NEET-PG counselling for admission to postgraduate medical courses, which was scheduled to begin from September 1, is likely to commence from September 19, official sources said on Wednesday.

The Union Health Ministry on Monday deferred the NEET-PG counselling to allow the National Medical Commission (NMC) to complete the process of adding new seats.

The ministry is likely to upload the counselling schedule in a couple of days, the sources said. "...the NEET-PG Counselling, 2022 was scheduled to commence from September 1. However, National Medical Commission (NMC) is in the process of issuing new letter of permissions (LoPs) for the current academic year and the same will be concluded till September 15.

"Hence, in order to include more seats in the counselling for the benefit of the candidates, it has been decided by the competent authority to re-schedule the NEET-PG Counselling, 2022 which was scheduled to commence from September 1," the ministry had said in a notice. Usually, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Postgraduate), or NEET-PG, is held in January and the counselling starts in March. But on account of the COVID-19 pandemic and the delay in last year's admission process, this year's exam was held on May 21 and results were declared on June 1, a senior official said.

This year's PG counselling is likely to be held for around 60,000 seats. Students who have qualified in the exam will be able to fill their choices with respect to courses and colleges during the counselling process for admission to the all India quota seats, state medical and dental colleges, central and deemed universities. The counselling will commence for all central universities, deemed universities and 50 per cent of the all India quota and 50 per cent of the state quota of both medical as well as dental colleges simultaneously, officials said.