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Hundreds of MBBS graduates from Madhya Pradesh Medical Science University (MPMSU), Jabalpur, are facing an unexpected setback: they are ineligible to appear for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET-PG) 2025, despite completing their degrees last year. The issue stems from delays in the university’s announcement of final exam results, which subsequently postponed the start of their compulsory one-year internships.
How the Delay Occurred
According to the guidelines of the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), candidates must complete their internships by July 31, 2025, to be eligible for NEET-PG 2025. However, for MPMSU graduates, the compulsory internship will only conclude in August, missing the cutoff by a month.
Graduates report that their final exams and supplementary papers were finished by June 2024, but results were not declared until August 16. This delay meant that internships, which typically begin by March 31, started much later than usual. “Due to some reason, the college delayed releasing our results, which has never happened before,” said Dr Anshuman*, an MBBS graduate from the university.
Impact on Careers
The consequences are severe for affected graduates. Not only are they unable to sit for NEET-PG 2025, but they also face challenges in securing work as junior resident doctors. In Madhya Pradesh, government hospitals and health centres require a two-year bond period. If these graduates start working after their internship, they would be unable to appear for NEET-PG until 2028.
“We can only apply for NEET-PG 2026. A whole year has been lost due to no fault of our own,” lamented Dr Lucky*, another graduate.
Calls for Extension and Support
The United Doctors’ Front (UDF) has voiced support for the affected students, urging the NBEMS to extend the internship completion deadline by a month, to August 31. In a letter to Union Health Minister JP Nadda, the UDF argued that “this modest extension would ensure that all affected candidates receive a fair and equitable opportunity to compete in NEET PG 2025, in line with the principles of justice and academic parity”.
Despite these appeals, students remain pessimistic about the possibility of a deadline extension. “The university administration is not particularly supportive, and frankly speaking, they are also powerless against the NBE to have the deadline extended,” said Dr Lucky*.
With registration for NEET-PG 2025 now closed, many graduates have resigned themselves to waiting another year. “The exam will go on as planned, and there’s nothing we can do about it,” Dr Anshuman* concluded.
Disclaimer: This article is based on information reported by EdexLive as of June 14, 2025. The situation is subject to change based on future decisions by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences or other relevant authorities. Names of graduates have been changed to protect their privacy.
