NEET PG 2021 postponed due to COVID-19: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan

The NEET-PG 2021 has been postponed in the view of COVID-19 surge. The Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Thursday announced the decision to postpone the post-graduate medical entrance exam. NEET-PG 2021 was scheduled to be held on April 18, However, due to the rise in COVID-19 cases, the exam has to be postponed. 

"In light of the surge in #COVID19 cases, Government of India has decided to postpone the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Postgraduate exam which was earlier scheduled to be held on April 18. Next date to be decided later," Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan tweeted.

Aspirants demanded to postpone NEET-PG 2021

Earlier in the afternoon on Thursday, a group of MBBS degree holders filed a petition in the Supreme Court demanding the postponement of NEET-PG 2021 in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Board of Education (NBE) has already released the NEET-PG 2021 admit card on April 13. NBE is expected to issue a fresh admit card after the revised date of NEET-PG is announced. The government will review the COVID situation and will announce the date to conduct the exam when the situation is conducive for the exam. 

Board exams cancelled

Till now, CBSE and various other state boards have postponed and cancelled their class 12th and 10th exams, respectively. The decision was taken by CBSE on Wednesday to cancel the class 10th exams and postpone the class 12th exams after PM Modi chaired a meeting on April 14. Union education minister and other officials have also joined the meeting,. Later, the education minister had urged all states to consider and follow the CBSE's decision and implement the same for their board exams in the interest of students' health and future. Till now over eight states have postponed or cancelled the board exams due to COVID-19. The states include Maharashtra, UP, MP, Jammu-Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and others.