'Feel Like Lab Rats': Why NEET-PG Aspirants Are Unhappy With The New Exam Scheme

The exam, which was to be held on 23 June was rescheduled, in the wake of the NEET-UG controversy, to 11 August.

(*Some names have been changed on request.)

"I feel like I've been punched in the gut," 25 year-old Nikita*, a 2024 NEET (PG) aspirant, said over the phone.

"All my plans and preparations have been turned upside down. The frequent changes in internship cut-off dates and NEET PG exam schedules have created a sense of uncertainty that's unbearable," she added after a brief pause.

Nikita was referring to the abrupt postponement of the NEET (PG) exam by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), established to standardise postgraduate medical education and examination in India. 

The exam, originally scheduled to be held on 23 June was rescheduled — in the wake of the NEET (UG) paper leak controversy — to 11 August. But this isn't Nikita's only issue. She and several other aspirants The Quint spoke to expressed their concerns regarding the exam body's decision to conduct the exam in two shifts with a controversial 'normalisation method' to mark their scores.

"It's like rolling the dice," the 25-year-old said. "I've studied hard and prepared well, but now I'm at the mercy of a system that's beyond my control. It's not fair to judge us based on a system that's so arbitrary."

What is the 'Normalisation Method' and Why Are The Students Concerned?