Students fume over new National Eligibility Entrance Test schedule

AMRAVATI/NAGPUR: Many postgraduate medical aspirants for Diplomate of National Board (DNB) who went to purchase the examination fee voucher on Monday were in for a rude shock. The number of forms currently available with the specified bank were insufficient to meet the demand. Pranjal Bobade, one of the aspirants, told TOI that "Only 175 forms have been provided to them while there are about 500-600 students appearing for DNB exam from Nagpur alone".
The exam conducting body, National Board of Examinations (NBE), has kept the last date as November 10 for purchasing of fee vouchers.
This however is not the only controversy which NBE finds itself in. The other exam it is conducting, National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET-PG) for PG courses has evoked a strong response from candidates. Thousands of postgraduate medical aspirants will now have to bear the brunt of what they called the wrong decision of the health ministry to conduct the NEET-PG, two months before the date announced by the Medical Council of India (MCI).
The examination schedule of other medical entrance examinations fall during the same period which has led to confusion among medical students.
The notification released by MCI on September 23 pertaining to the examination schedule of NEET for PG courses has come as a shock for students. As per the notification, NEET has been slated from November 23 to December 6. The examination will be conducted by National Board of Examination this year. It is for the first time that the board has decided to conduct examination online in 33 cities in India. This is the maiden effort of conducting common entrance examination all over the country for admission to PG medical courses like MD and MS.
MCI had earlier said on its officials website that the PG entrance examination will be conducted in January 2013. Hence, students had planned their study schedules according to January 2013. But, MCI dropped a bombshell by declaring the examination schedule around two months early. Planning for the studies has gone awry due to the MCI decision. Interestingly, the examination dates for DNB, AIIMS Delhi NEET have come during the same time. AIIMS Delhi will be held on November 18 and DNB during November 17 to 20. PGI Chandigarh has not yet declared the examination dates but it is expected to fall during the same time. Moreover, the examination fee has also been hiked around fourfold for NEET.
Speaking to TOI, PG aspirant Dr Vishvajeet Gaekwad from Nagpur said, "MCI should have declared the schedule at least four months before examination. We have planned our studies as per January 2013 schedule. But the new dates have disturbed the study schedule. We are also baffled over the examination pattern. We have to study almost 20 subjects in two months which is impossible," he said.
Dr Rohit Mundhada said, "The medical body has informed students in time about the examination schedule. NEET is coming with other three examinations. Hence, within a span of 15 days, we have to travel to various places for appearing in four examinations which would be hectic."
Dr Apurva Rajmanya echoed the same views.
Dr Sarang Vajapeyi from Nagpur said, "Many students have been doing internship and chalked out study plans considering that the examination will be held in January. But now we have only two months for study," he said.
EXAM DATES
NEET PG Nov 23 - Dec 6
PGI Chandigarh Nov 11
AIIMS, DelhiNovember 18
DNB Nov 17-2o

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From: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Students-fume-over-new-National-Eligibility-Entrance-Test-schedule/articleshow/16632952.cms