Over 4,000 PG medical seats went vacant after NEET PG counselling last year

NEW DELHI: As many as 4,400 out of 64,059 postgraduate medical seats in the country remained vacant in 2022-23 after the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test postgraduate (NEET-PG) counselling last year. This was an increase of 17.5% or 656 seats in medical colleges from the preceding academic year 2021-22 when 3,744 out of 60,202 PG medical seats went vacant, according to data shared by the health ministry with Lok Sabha on Friday.

In the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, minister of state (MoS) for health and family welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar shared the data of the number of total and vacant UG and PG medical seats in the past three years.

NEET UG

NEET UG is the single national-level undergraduate medical entrance exam conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) in 13 languages every year.

According to the analysis of health ministry data, the chance of a student getting a UG medical seat or MBBS seat has ranged from 5% to 6% from 2020-21 to 2023-24. With an increase in the number of MBBS seats from 83,275 in 2020-21 to 1,07,948 seats in 2023-24, there has been a consistent increase in the number of candidates appearing for NEET UG every year.

While 273 MBBS seats went vacant in 2020-21, it increased by 19.4% to 326 in 2021-22 and then again dropped by 19.9% to 261 in 2022-23. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has started the NEET UG 2023 counselling registration for round 1 All India Quota (AIQ) seats. As per the NEET UG 2023 counselling schedule, the last date to apply online for round-one MCC counselling registration and payment of counselling fees is July 25.

NEET UG: Vacant MBBS seats

* NEET UG 2023 Counselling is yet to begin

Also Read | Centre to target for equal number of medical UG, PG seats in 3 years

NEET PG: Empty seats

MoS health Pawar also shared the data of vacant and total PG medical seats in the past three years. However, she did not share the date of candidates who appeared in the NEET PG examination.

The data shows there has been a consistent increase in the number of PG medical seats from 55,495 in 2020-21 to 67,802 in 2022-23. The number of vacant PG seats after NEET PG counselling dropped from 4,614 in 2020-21 to 3,744 in 2021-22 but increased to 4,400 in 2022-23.

The registration for NEET PG counselling 2023 round 1 will start from July 27 on the official website of the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) mcc.nic.in.