Days ahead of the NEET PG 2022 and NEET MDS 2022 exams, the protest on twitter is escalating and so, is the demand of candidates to postpone these exams. As per the existing schedule, the NEET PG 2022 exam is scheduled for May 21, 2022, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. However, the NEET MDS 2022 exam is scheduled for 20 days before, on May 02, 2022. However, candidates are demanding the postponement of these entrance exams by 8-10 weeks. If this postponement were to happen, both exams will be rescheduled to July 2022.
The online protest has not only garnered support from aspirants but also from the opposition with many MPs speaking in favor of postponement. Today, April 27, 2022, due to incessant tweeting, the #NEETPG2022 is also trending with nearly 41.7K mentions.
Reasons for NEET PG 2022, NEET MDS 2022 Postponement
In their tweets, the NEET PG 2022 and NEET MDS 2022 aspirants have mentioned a few compelling reasons to support their demand for postponement. These reasons are as follows –
# NEET PG 2021 counselling still underway and scheduled to end on May 03, 2022.
# Difference of days between NEET PG 2022 exam and NEET PG 2021 mop-up round is too small.
# Inability of some students to apply for NEET PG 2022 due to being preoccupied in the ongoing counselling session.
# Around 5000 interns deemed ineligible due to delay in final exams owing to COVID-19 pandemic .
In simple terms, candidates are facing issued pertaining to eligibility and availability of preparation time.
Has the government, NBEMS responded?
As of now, neither the central government nor the NBEMS have responded to the ongoing protests. Recently, however, the National Board of Examination for Medical Sciences (NBEMS) released the NEET MDS 2022 admit cards, amid protests for postponement. This might just be a strong indication that the board has not planned on postponing either exam. However, this merely a speculation and only the future can tell the plausibility of postponement.
Why postponement of 8-10 weeks?
Looking at the NEET PG and NEET MDS timeline, counselling for 2021 session is scheduled to end in May. Thereafter, candidates need at least 2-3 months to prepare for the subsequent session. Going by this logic, conducting both exams in July 2022 will provide adequate time for candidates to prepare. Eligibility issues for some aspirants will also get resolved.
On the flip side, the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected the education system, causing delay in the academic year. To reduce this delay and get the system back on track, the government is seeking to conduct NEET PG 2022 and NEET MDS 2022 in May 2022. If these protests continue to gain momentum, the central government may need to respond with a solution to resolve these issues.
