NEET-PG 2026 exam on August 30; National Medical Commission urges students to avoid rumours
New Delhi, July 3
The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences will conduct the NEET-PG 2026 examination on August 30, officials said on Friday.
Speaking to ANI, National Medical Commission (NMC) Chairperson Abhijith Sheth urged students to stay away from rumours circulating on social media and assured a safe and transparent conduct of the examination.
"I must assure students that they should stay away from rumours, from agents and consultants. I assure the whole student community that the exam will be conducted in a very safe, secure and transparent manner. Since it is a computer-based examination, a lot of objective tools are there," Sheth said.
He further added that the chances of disruption were minimal and extended his best wishes to candidates appearing for the exam.
"It is very unlikely that any problem should happen with the conduct of the examination. So, I assure all students and extend my best wishes for the forthcoming NEET-PG exam on 30th August on behalf of NBEMS, NMC and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare," he said.
Sheth also explained the rationale behind reducing the number of questions in the exam, stating that it would give students additional time.
"The Exam Committee's view was that by reducing 20 questions, students would get at least half an hour more to solve 180 questions. So, instead of increasing the duration, the committee felt it was better to reduce the number of questions at the same time," he said.
On the allocation of exam centres, he clarified that the "first come, first served" system has been scrapped.
"Candidates are asked to select three preference states in NEET-PG 2026. The correspondence state will mandatorily be the first preference state, and the other two from neighbouring states. City allocation will not be done on a first come first served basis. First preference will be given to PwBD candidates. Remaining allocation will be done through a randomised sequence based on correspondence address/pincode," he said.
He added that efforts will be made to allot centres within 250 km of a candidate's location, depending on availability.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good move by NMC but I'm still skeptical. Every year there's some rumour or the other about paper leaks or system glitches. Saying "chances of disruption are minimal" doesn't inspire confidence when we've seen what happened with other exams. Please, just ensure the centres are properly equipped with backup power.
Can't believe they actually listened to students about the 250 km radius rule! For years, people from remote areas had to travel crazy distances. Reducing questions also makes sense—quality over quantity. But I hope the randomization truly gives everyone a fair shot, not just those in metros.
The PMT and NEET PG process has been so stressful for years. At least they're trying to be transparent now. But as a doctor who went through this, I'd say: focus on your preparation, not on rumours. Social media pe kuch bhi aata hai. Best wishes to all aspirants! 🤞
As someone who works in medical education abroad, I appreciate these changes. Reducing question count while keeping the same time is smart—it reduces mental fatigue. The random allocation based on pincode also seems fairer than a rush system. India is heading in the right direction for medical exams.
I appreciate the NMC chairperson's assurance but the real test will be on exam day. Hope they have proper invigilation and that the "no agent, no consultant" message actually reaches everyone. So many coaching institutes still spread false hopes. Stay strong, doctors-in-making! 💪
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