NEET PG counselling: How legal battles, administrative gaps have delayed counselling since 2019

NEET PG Counselling timelines from 2019 to 2025

2019: The last year when schedules were followed

The 2019 cycle marked the last time NEET PG counselling adhered to a relatively stable timeline. Results were declared on January 31, and MCC initiated the process by March 15, after the usual administrative gap for processing seat data and verifying institutional approvals. There were no major legal or procedural disruptions, making it one of the smoother admission cycles in recent years.

2020: Pandemic brings the process to a halt

NEET PG 2020 initially appeared to follow routine timelines until the COVID-19 lockdown struck in March. Counselling, which was expected to start soon after result declaration on January 30, was postponed indefinitely as the government imposed nationwide restrictions. The process eventually resumed on April 9, over 70 days later, marking the first instance of large-scale disruption to the PG admission calendar.

2021: EWS quota case stalls admissions

The 2021 NEET PG cycle was hit by one of the most prolonged delays. Although results were declared on September 28, counselling could not commence until January 12, 2022, when choice-filling actually began. The primary reason was a Supreme Court case challenging the inclusion of EWS and OBC reservation criteria in the All India Quota (AIQ) seats. The process only resumed after the Court’s interim order, leading to a massive 106-day delay that also pushed the subsequent academic calendar.

2022: Delays due to administrative bottlenecks

The 2022 session, though free from litigation, faced its own bureaucratic hurdles. Results came out on June 1, but counselling began only by September 15, again after a 106-day gap. The NMC’s delayed issuance of Letters of Permission (LoPs) to newly approved medical colleges held up finalisation of the seat matrix. Authorities chose to wait until these updates were integrated, prolonging the wait for thousands of candidates.

2023: Data leak allegations and seat matrix finalisation

In 2023, even though NBEMS declared results swiftly on March 14, counselling did not begin until July 27 — a delay of nearly 135 days, the longest in recent history. The reasons were twofold: procedural delays in seat matrix finalisation by NMC and an alleged data leak controversy, which prompted further verification steps before registration could be safely opened. This year reinforced how both administrative and legal uncertainties can collide to stall the process.

2024: Legal scrutiny over exam transparency

The 2024 NEET PG process was initially delayed, with results announced on August 23 and counselling eventually commencing on September 20.

READ MORE | NEET-PG 2024 postponed as ‘precautionary measure’

Although the gap was shorter than previous years, the delay was again tied to legal proceedings in the Supreme Court regarding exam transparency and alleged discrepancies in result processing. The MCC later released a revised schedule, compressing subsequent rounds to align the academic year with national timelines.

2025: Re-exam controversy and court case add to delay

This year, the 2025 NEET PG counselling started only on October 17, about 59 days after the results on August 19. The delay coincides with a Supreme Court hearing over alleged irregularities and transparency issues in the exam.

READ MORE | NEET PG 2025 candidates’ data leaked?

In parallel, the NMC has been finalising seat matrices for newly approved colleges, a process crucial before allotments can begin. Together, these legal and administrative bottlenecks have once again pushed the counselling schedule deep into October — continuing a six-year trend of delays and uncertainty for medical aspirants.