For nearly 200,000 medical graduates across India, the wait for the NEET PG 2025 counselling has become an agonizing ordeal, with delays, administrative confusion, and mounting frustration dominating the conversation. Despite the crucial importance of this process—which determines who will fill postgraduate medical seats in the country—the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) have yet to provide a clear timeline, leaving thousands of aspiring specialists in limbo.
According to Careers360, the NMC has come under intense scrutiny from doctors’ groups and medical associations for its failure to approve the seat matrix, a key preliminary step required before counselling can begin. Over 70 days have passed since the NEET PG 2025 examination, and still, no official dates have been announced. The result? An entire cohort of future doctors is left without guidance on when, or even if, they will be able to secure admission to MD and MS programs this year.
Adding to the uncertainty, a pending Supreme Court case regarding transparency in the NEET PG process is expected to be heard on October 28, 2025. As reported by Careers360, the top court had previously granted the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) a two-week window to respond to concerns, but the ongoing legal proceedings may further postpone the start of counselling. For many, this is just the latest chapter in what feels like an annual saga of bureaucratic delays and shifting goalposts.
On October 15, 2025, the MCC was widely expected to release the NEET PG 2025 counselling schedule, according to Hindustan Times, but as of publication, the schedule remains unavailable. The MCC has advised candidates to check its official website, mcc.nic.in/pg-medical-counselling, regularly for updates and announcements. The planned counselling process will consist of four rounds—Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, and a stray vacancy round—each with its own registration, choice filling, seat allotment, and reporting phases.
So, what’s causing the holdup? Doctors and advocacy groups have pointed fingers squarely at the NMC. In a string of pointed social media posts, medical professionals have described the situation as a “mockery.” Nachiket Bhatia, a prominent voice among medical aspirants, wrote, “Every year it’s the same circus. NEET PG exams get delayed, results come late, and counselling never starts on time. Every delay pushes their future back by months. Doctors give years of their life for this, but the system keeps testing their patience instead of their merit. No timeline. No accountability. No respect. How long before the system learns to respect their time?”
Dr. Sumit K, another critic, was even more scathing in his assessment: “NMC has turned PG/ UG/ SS counselling into a complete mockery. NEET PG 2025 counselling was delayed for over 70+ days after the exam—and apparently only 2 out of 24 members are working. A totally corrupt, dysfunctional, and impotent body. Shame on @NMC_BHARAT.” Such comments, echoing across social platforms, capture the palpable anger and disappointment among the medical community.
The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has also weighed in, expressing grave concerns about what it describes as administrative lapses and a lack of accountability within the NMC. In a widely circulated video message, Dr. Rohan Krishnan, an orthopedic surgeon and advocate for medical aspirants, alleged that the NMC is “being politically controlled” and is not adequately represented by doctors. He posed a pointed question: “Out of 24 members, only two remain active… How can a national regulatory body function like this?”
Meanwhile, the MCC and the Health Ministry have held discussions with FAIMA in an attempt to break the deadlock. According to Times Now, there is hope that the counselling process will begin in mid-October, provided the seat matrix is approved and legal hurdles are cleared. When the process does start, candidates will need to be ready with a slew of documents, including their NEET PG admit card, result/scorecard, MBBS degree and marksheets, internship completion certificate, and proof of date of birth.
The reservation criteria for NEET PG 2025 remain unchanged from previous years: 27% of seats are reserved for Other Backward Classes (OBC), 15% for Scheduled Castes (SC), 10% for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), 7.5% for Scheduled Tribes (ST), and 5% for Persons with Disabilities (PwD). The cutoff marks for admission this year are 276 for general and EWS categories, and 235 for SC, ST, OBC (including PwBD) candidates, as reported by Times Now.
For those preparing to apply, the process is straightforward—but only once the schedule is released. As outlined by Hindustan Times, candidates must visit the official MCC website, register for Round 1, fill out the application form, upload required documents, pay the counselling fee, and submit the application. It’s recommended to keep a printed copy of the completed form for future reference. Each round of counselling will involve choice filling and locking, seat allotment processing, announcement of results, and reporting at the allotted college. The process will repeat through four rounds, including a final stray vacancy round for any remaining seats.
However, none of this can begin until the NMC approves the seat matrix and the Supreme Court delivers its ruling. The bottleneck has left medical graduates in a state of limbo, with many expressing concerns about the impact on their careers, mental health, and future plans. The anxiety is not unfounded—missing out on timely admission can delay specialization by an entire year, affecting both the personal and professional trajectories of thousands of young doctors.
Officials have urged candidates to rely solely on the official MCC website for accurate information and to be wary of rumors or unofficial updates. With the process so tightly regulated and competitive, even a minor misstep or missed deadline could prove costly.
Despite the mounting pressure, there’s still no definitive word on when the NEET PG 2025 counselling will finally commence. For now, the medical community waits, watches, and hopes that the system will deliver the clarity and efficiency it so desperately needs. The coming weeks—especially the Supreme Court’s hearing on October 28—will be crucial in determining whether these aspiring doctors can finally take the next step in their medical careers, or whether the wait will continue.
As the clock ticks and frustration grows, one thing is clear: the future of India’s next generation of specialists hangs in the balance, caught between bureaucratic inertia and the urgent need for reform.
