The NEET PG 2025 counselling schedule, which was expected to be released on October 15, has been delayed. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) is yet to issue an official notification confirming the revised dates.
According to officials, the delay stems from procedural and legal factors, including pending approval of new medical colleges and postgraduate seats by the National Medical Commission (NMC) and an upcoming Supreme Court hearing on October 28 concerning the exam's transparency.
Sources suggest the counselling process could now begin in the last week of October, once both issues are resolved.
The delay has caused growing unease among medical graduates seeking MD/MS admissions for the 2025-26 academic session.
The NMC is yet to finalise the addition of new medical colleges and the corresponding increase in postgraduate seats across institutions. The ongoing court proceedings over NEET PG 2025 exam transparency have been postponed multiple times, impacting the start of the counselling process.
While some states, including Tamil Nadu, have already initiated state quota counselling, further rounds will proceed only after the MCC announces the All India Quota (AIQ) schedule.
MCC To Conduct Counselling For 50% Of All India Quota Seats
The MCC oversees the counselling and seat allotment for 50% of All India Quota (AIQ) postgraduate seats, while the remaining 50% are managed by state-level authorities. Only candidates who have cleared NEET PG 2025 with the prescribed cutoff percentile will be eligible for the counselling process.
The entire counselling exercise is held in four rounds, and the detailed schedule will be published on the official website once released.
So far as the pending Supreme Court case hearing is concerned, petitioners have urged the court to direct the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) to release the exam question paper and related details to ensure greater fairness and accountability. The matter follows complaints of data breach and lack of clarity in the conduct of the exam.
The court's decision is expected to influence when the counselling process officially begins.
Medical associations, including the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), had earlier indicated that counselling would likely start by mid-October.
Dr Akshay Dongardive, National President of FAIMA, said that this is an every year problem. "The NEET-PG saga repeats itself, delays, confusion, and silence. Exams get postponed, results crawl in, and counselling becomes an endless wait. Thousands of young doctors put their lives on hold, yet the system continues to fail them with zero accountability. These are not just students; they are the future healthcare backbone of the nation. When will the system respect their time, their dedication, and their sacrifice? It's time for the authorities to act, stop testing the patience of doctors, and start valuing their future," said Dr. Dongardive
"The counselling was supposed to start in June, then August, then October and now, it's delayed again. This constant uncertainty has left my career in limbo," said Prachi Bansal, a NEET PG aspirant working at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital.
"Last year, the exam was cancelled a night before. There are usually four to five rounds of counselling spread over months, and even the first round hasn't been announced yet. Most seats are filled early, so the delay feels like being stuck in a rat race with no clarity or hope of getting the seat I've worked for. Being an MBBS doctor alone isn't enough, specialisation is crucial, and every delay makes the future more uncertain," the aspirant said.
Another NEET PG aspirant from Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College and Hospital echoed similar woes. "I completed my MBBS in March this year, and the seat matrix still hasn't been released. Usually, it's out within a month, but this time there's complete uncertainty."
The confusion, the aspirant said, is affecting his mental health and preparation for next year as well. "If I don't get admission this year, I'll lose more time - the last two months have already gone to waste. I can't even take up a job right now because everything depends on when counselling begins," he added.
Calling the situation "extremely anxious," the student added, "Counselling decides our entire career path. I just hope the government increases the number of postgraduate seats this year as promised - we're expecting around 1,000 more seats."
