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NEET MDS 2024 internship cut-off date extended, relief for 4,607 students

The students demanded a change in the exam dates. However, the NEET-MDS 2024 will be conducted on the scheduled date of 18 March 2024.

Sumit Jha

Published Mar 08, 2024 | 9:49 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 08, 2024 | 9:58 AM

Dental

Representational image. (Creative Commons)

The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) on Thursday, 7 March, postponed the deadline for completing the internship required to qualify for the NEET-MDS examinations to 30 June.

Due to the initial internship deadline set for 31 March, approximately 4,607 students were disqualified from participating in this year’s examinations. These students, admitted in 2018, experienced delays in their examinations over the years due to the pandemic, which prevented them from applying for the current examinations.

“Pursuant to the directions of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, the cut-off date for completion of the internship has been extended to 30 June 2024 for the purpose of eligibility for NEET-MDS 2024,” said the NBEMS in its notification.

The students were also demanding a change in the date of the examinations.

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NEET-MDS 2024 schedule

Despite the extension, the NEET-MDS 2024 will be conducted as per the pre-notified schedule on 18 March 2024.

“Accordingly, desirable candidates who are completing their internship during 1 April 2024 to 30 June 2024, and are fulfilling all other criteria as prescribed in the Information Bulletin of NEET-MDS 2024, can apply for NEET-MDS 2024,” the NBEMS said.

An online window for the submission of applications for NEET-MDS 2024 will be open for such candidates from 9 March (starting at 10 am) to 11 March 2024 (closing at 11:55 pm).

However, the NBEMS has warned that no edit window will be available for candidates submitting their applications during the aforesaid online registration period.

“Candidates are advised to exercise caution while filling in their applications in order to avoid any errors as there shall be no opportunity later to edit or modify any information submitted,” the NBEMS said.

The admit cards for NEET-MDS 2024 will be issued on 15 March.

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‘Ineligible applicants’

Almost 4,607 dental undergraduate students are facing the issue of being ineligible for the NEET-MDS exam due to the internship cut off date issued by the NBE, said the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA).

“These students served the nation during the Covid-19 pandemic, compromising their professional years and ended up having delays in their internship completions. It is also seen that with the current exam date being 18 March 2024 for NEET MDS, with so many confusions about the scheduled exam, the students will not be able to perform well in their exams,” FAIMA wrote in its letter to NBEMS.

“Considering the above facts and issues being faced by the dental students of our country, we humbly request you to postpone the NEET MDS 2024 exam to a later date, preferably in July 2024, so that there shall not be any injustice done to the dentists/doctors who served the nation during the most crucial times of Covid-19 pandemic,” FAIMA further said.

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Issues raised by doctors

Earlier, doctors affiliated with the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) had approached the Health Ministry to postpone the internship dates citing the following concerns.

  1. Faulty Eligibility Criteria: Due to the pandemic, interns faced a training break, extending their completion dates by varying periods, some finishing as late as 24 August, 2023. Setting the eligibility criteria cut-off as 31 March unfairly debars them, jeopardising their careers.
  2. Inadequate Preparation Time: With only 15 days left for the exam and the uncertainty surrounding it, interns lack the necessary clinical and theoretical knowledge to perform competitively. Postponing the exam will make many candidates eligible and will provide them with time that is imperative for fair preparation.
  3. Parity with MBBS Interns: The Health Minister’s Office and the National Medical Commission adjusted the dates of this year’s NEET PG for MBBS interns affected by Covid-19 to July, but the Dental Council of India (DCI) failed to conduct a similar assessment for BDS interns.
  4. Court Orders: Previous high court orders and the recent order by the Supreme Court (writ petition (civil) 68 of 2022) highlight the need for uniform cut-off dates for eligibility and adequate preparation time for both MBBS and BDS students.

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