Postpone NEET PG 2021, demand medical aspirants; Exam on April 18

NEW DELHI: With the release of the NEET PG 2021 admit card, the National Board of Examinations (NBE) has confirmed that it will conduct the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET PG) as per the schedule. After the postponement of CBSE Class 12 exams, PG medical aspirants across the nation are demanding that the NBE postpone NEET PG 2021 due to sudden rise in COVID cases. Medical graduates took to Twitter to campaign for NEET PG postponement using a hashtag #postponeneetpg campaign.

A few days ago, a group of candidates had written to NBE seeking postponement of PG medical entrance exam. But putting an end to all speculation, NBE released NEET PG admit card on April 13 and at the same time confirmed that the PG exam will be held on April 18. A total of 1,74,886 candidates have registered for NEET PG exam for admission to around 24,360 Doctor of Medicine (MD), 12,690 Master of Surgery (MS) and 922 PG Diploma seats.

NEET PG 2021 has been postponed, confirms Harsh Vardhan. The new NEET PG exam date will be decided later and will be notified before conducting the exam.

#PostponeNEETPG2021

Here are some of the tweets by candidates to postpone NEET PG 2021.

Requesting the NBE to postpone NEET PG, a candidate said that 450 interns in Mumbai are COVID-positive which means, “that much more would be asymptomatic positive and will meet at the centre”

450 interns in mumbai are positive which means that much more would be asymptomatic positive and will meet at the centre, imagine doctors spreading the virus to other doctors who will take it to diff hospitals they work at #postponeneetpg #postponeneetpg2021

— Dr Light Yagami (@DrL_LightYagami) April 14, 2021

Azad, NSUI National In-charge Social Media sarcastically asked if doctors are not susceptible to the COVID infection.

As the country is witnessing a record surge in COVID cases, it's important to takecare of health & safety. #NEETPG exam where lacs of frontline doctors will be appearing, Aren’t they susceptible to the infection ? We already lost many, don’t want to lose anymore..#postponeneetpg pic.twitter.com/UTdf4PMroe

— आज़ाद (@HarshBisaria) April 14, 2021

After Class 12 boards were postponed, Srijan Pal Singh Kalam, advisor to the former President of India, requested the same for NEET PG 2021.

#Cbse postpones board exams. Good.

Now let us do the same for NEET PG too.#cancelboardexams #postponeneetpg

— Srijan Pal Singh Kalam ?? (@srijanpalsingh) April 14, 2021

Another aspirant tweets that the people serving now and are expected to serve for next 50 years will fall prey to COVID.

#postponeneetpg There's still time before it becomes catastrophic. The very people who are serving u & are being expected to serve for the next 50 years will fall prey to what we are supposed to protect others from. Please help us @NbeIndia @profplal @ndtv @republic @RahulGandhi

— Aarya Sharma (@aarya_sharma97) April 14, 2021

A candidate tweeted that NEET PG exam has the potential to be a superspreader since doctors appearing for exam would have worked in the COVID wards.

CBSE board exams were postponed, state exams cancelled. Doctors demand postponement of NEET PG until COVID peak subsides!
This exam has the potential of being a superspreader since it will have attendance of doctors working in COVID wards! @ravishndtv @PMOIndia #postponeneetpg

— Sujata (@Sujata04873262) April 14, 2021

NEET PG candidates approaching state leaders

Moreover, NEET PG candidates are approaching journalists, politicians and social activists to support their demand for exam postponement. As per the reports, several medical aspirants from Maharashtra have appealed to the state education minister, Amit Deshmukh for support. NEET PG applicant, Manusha Patil told the Hindustan Times, “How are we expected to appear for an offline exam at a time when the state is planning to impose another lockdown?”

Several aspirants through Telegram are trying to get support on their demand for NEET PG postponement by mobilising the press.

Through a tweet, an aspirant thanked the media for covering stories of doctors and their appeal to NBE to postpone NEET PG 2021.

#postponeneetpg2021 #postponeneetpg
Thanks ? to @ndtv to cover the stories of doctors
Save doctors, postpone NEET-PG 2021 ??@IMAIndiaOrg @aajtak @drharshvardhan @AshwiniKChoubey @ArvindKejriwal @DrJitendraAIMSA @rohini_sgh @RahulGandhi @ravishndtv pic.twitter.com/stU39i4i8b

— Dr. Niraj Singh (@DrNirajSingh4u) April 14, 2021

“Keep spreading #postponeneetpg” an aspirant tweeted

keep spreading #postponeneetpg
.
thank you for support @ndtv
.@MoHFW_INDIA @ANI @tv9gujarati @RjDhvanit @middaygujarati @TwitTheMan @official_aimsa @SonuSood @PMOIndia @narendramodi @dr_tushar_mehta @DrJitendraAIMSA pic.twitter.com/yrhpfVt4jc

— Dr. Artist_92 (@DrArtist92) April 14, 2021

Another candidate tweeted, “We risk our lives every day and we love our job. But don’t take us for granted, as corona doesn’t differentiate. Doctors' lives matter.”

Thank you for understanding @ndtv #postponeneetpg
We risk our lives every day & we love our job. But don’t take us for granted, as corona doesn’t differentiate. Doctors lives matters. #postponeneetpg #AAJTAK #ArvindKejriwal #ndtv #PMOfIndia #COVID19India #COVIDWarrior #Mohafw pic.twitter.com/nBFqnmPaxe

— Dr dixit upadhyay (@Drdixitupadhya1) April 14, 2021

NEET PG 2021 exam pattern

The exam will be conducted in computer based mode. A total of 200 multiple choice questions will be asked in the PG medical entrance exam. As per the marking scheme, four marks will be awarded for each correct answer, while one mark will be deducted for every wrong answer.

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This copy has been edited to update latest information.