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.
Also Read: NEET PG Examination Likely to be Held in First Week of July; No National Exit Exam in this year 2024