Reassign NEET PG 2024 centres, demands FAIMA; writes to union health minister

NEW DELHI: Echoing concerns of the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET PG) 2024 aspirants over far-off examination centres, a medical students’ association has demanded revaluation of NEET PG 2024 city allotment, clear information related to exam, and administrative reforms. The federation flagged travel, accommodation, weather, and transparency issues with the NEET PG 2024 scheduled for August 11 in two shifts.

In a letter to the Union health minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) sought his “immediate” and “urgent attention” to the challenges faced by the NEET PG aspirants regarding the allocation of examination centers.

The medical student body reiterated that NEET PG 2024 candidates were instructed to select four test cities and the test city allotment was intimated to them via email. “However, it has come to our notice that several candidates across the country have been allocated centers far from their place of residence or native state, and in many cases, in cities entirely different from the four preferred choices indicated during the allotment process,” it said.

NEET PG 2024 city allotment issues

The medical group listed down the following issues while keeping their demands:

• Travel costs and accommodation: Several students have been assigned centers that are geographically distant from their homes, leading to high travel costs, including last-minute bookings for flights, trains, or buses. The late announcement of exam centers compels students to make expensive last-minute hotel bookings, often for multiple nights.
• Impact of weather conditions: The monsoon season has caused severe disruptions in transportation, making it challenging for students to book flights and train tickets. This uncertainty adds another layer of stress and financial strain.
• Lack of transparency: Important information regarding exam results, normalization of scores, exact dates for results, and counseling schedules has not been provided, leading to significant anxiety among students.
• Geographical and administrative anomalies: Instances have been reported where students are allocated centers in regions not geographically aligned with their state of residence, further complicating their travel and accommodation arrangements

FAIMA urged JP Nadda to ensure reassigning exam centers within reasonable distances from students' home states to mitigate excessive travel costs and logistical issues, providing timely and clear information about exam centers, schedules, normalization procedures, result announcements, and counseling dates. It also asked the BJP leader to make sure to address inconsistencies in center allocations to ensure that students are not unduly burdened by long-distance travel.

“Your prompt attention and action on this matter would greatly benefit thousands of aspirants, allowing them to focus on their examination with renewed confidence and peace of mind. We urge your immediate response to address these pressing concerns and provide relief to affected candidates,” FAIMA further said in its letter.