NEET PG 2025 Counselling: Counselling for the National Postgraduate Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET PG) 2025 began on October 17, after a delay of nearly two months following the declaration of results on August 19, 2025. Although the registration window has now opened, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has not yet announced a detailed round-wise schedule, leaving candidates uncertain about seat allocation and the timelines for subsequent rounds.
This year’s delay stems from several factors, like the NEET PG re-examination controversy, allegations of result discrepancies, and a pending Supreme Court case questioning exam transparency. Additionally, the National Medical Commission (NMC) is working to finalise the seat matrix for newly approved medical colleges, further slowing the process. Such disruptions, while not new, highlight a persistent pattern: Since 2019, NEET PG counselling has started late or not started on time.
NEET PG 2025 Counselling Delays Factors:
There are two major contributing factors: legal challenges and administrative/procedural delays. These often impact each other.
A. Legal/Regulatory Issues:
A major legal battle relates to the transparency of the examination process: The National Board of Medical Examinations (NBEMS) and other bodies have faced petitions in the Supreme Court regarding the release of complete question papers, answer keys, marking/normalisation details, etc.
+ For example, there are concerns that only “question IDs” (instead of complete question papers) were being released, which candidates and petitioners say is insufficient for transparency.
B. Additionally, the Court has intervened several times through directives; for example, examining a single shift (instead of multiple) to maintain fairness.
+ These legal processes (petitions, hearings, directives) slow down the decision-making process as officials may wait for clarity before initiating consultations.
Aprt from this, there are cases of data leaks, alleged irregularities in results or processes, which require thorough investigation.
This year, the 2025 NEET PG counselling began on October 17th, nearly 59 days after the results were announced on August 19th. This delay coincided with the Supreme Court hearing into alleged irregularities and transparency issues surrounding the exam.
The NMC is also finalising the seat matrix for newly approved colleges, a crucial process before allotment begins. These legal and administrative hurdles have once again postponed the counselling program to October, continuing a six-year cycle of delay and uncertainty for medical aspirants.
Also Read: MCC NEET PG Counselling 2025: Registration begins on mcc.nic.in
