Over 15,000 National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET) 2022 aspirants on Friday submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging that the upcoming post graduate examination be postponed, education rights group said.
The NEET PG 2022 is scheduled for May 21 and the memorandum has come from students across the country, including the Delhi-National Capital Region, through various groups and associations, they said.
The development came even as a medical students' association moved the Supreme Court on Thursday for postponement of the examination citing its clash with the ongoing counselling for NEET PG 2021.
"We 15,000 aspirants writing on behalf of majority of NEET PG aspirants suffering due to the ongoing counselling and upcoming NEET PG 2022 exam scheduled on 21 May,2022. We would like to bring it to your notice regarding the issues faced by the aspirants who are unable to appear for the upcoming medical post-graduation entrance exam NEET PG 2022," the memorandum stated.
"The counselling process conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for NEET PG 2021 has been made null and void seven times. As per latest notification from MCC, May 7 is the last date for the admission into PG courses. But, the registration for NEET PG 2022 was closed on March 25, 2022," it stated.
The memorandum noted that with the "uncertainty of the counselling process" more than "50,000 aspirants couldn't even apply for the exam".
"The uncertainty related to the counselling process has brought the students in dilemma about proper conduction of counselling and the date when it will be finished," it added.
In the memorandum, submitted at the prime minister's office (PMO), New Delhi, the aspirants also cited confusion due to the suddenness of the notification and stress because of it ahead of the crucial examination as they urged that the examination be postponed for eight to 10 weeks.
"We request you to give us appointment to a delegation of 5 NEET PG aspirants so that we can put the genuine demands in front of you. As you requested all the final year medicos to serve the nation during COVID-19 crisis, we have done that as desired by you in the larger interest of the nation. Now, we request you to sympathetically consider our demands and serve us justice," it stated.
The aspirants were represented through groups like Federation of All India Medical Association, United Doctors Front Association, All India Medical Students' Association, and NCR Parents' Association, among others.
Separately, NCR Parents' Association president Sukhpal Singh Toor said around 70 people have taken Delhi Police's permission for a "peaceful protest" at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital on Sunday over the issue.
"This protest will not cause any obstruction to traffic or the movement of pedestrians. This protest is totally apolitical," Mr. Toor said.
