The National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has reduced the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Post Graduate (NEET PG) application fee by Rs 750 for all candidates. Candidates belonging to General and OBC categories will have to pay Rs 3,500. And candidates belonging to SC, ST and PWD have to pay Rs 2,500.

A statement issued by the NBEMS official said that the decision to reduce the NEET PG application fee has been taken to benefit lakhs of candidates appearing for the examinations. The revised application fee will be implemented from January 1, 2024. The statement also said that this fee is now less than the fees paid by candidates in 2013.

In 2013, the NEET PG application fee for General and OBC categories was Rs 3,750, which was increased to Rs 4,250 in 2021. It has been reduced to Rs 3,500 from January 1, 2024. In 2013, the application fee for SC, ST and PWD candidates was Rs 2,750, which was increased to Rs 3,250 in 2021. It has now been reduced to Rs 2,500.

The NEET-PG exams are likely to soon be replaced by the National Exit Test (NExT) which will act as the MBBS final, a licentiate exam as well as a PG entrance exam. Last year, doctors had raised concerns over the application fee that the All India Institute of Medical Sciences had decided to charge for conducting mock NEXT tests in preparation.

While the cost was less than the NEET-PG application, doctors said many people may not be able to spend the money for mock tests. AIIMS was to charge an application fee of Rs 2,000 for general category candidates and Rs 1,000 for SC, ST and persons with disabilities. The mock test never took place because the implantation of the NExT test was delayed.

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