NEET PG 2025 Centre Confusion: Why Tamil Nadu Aspirants Are Being Sent Across State Borders
As the NEET PG 2025 exam date nears, anxiety levels are running high among medical graduates in Tamil Nadu—not just due to exam pressure, but because of a confusing and inconvenient exam centre allotment process. Despite selecting preferred centres within their home state, hundreds of candidates have been assigned to locations in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, some nearly 600 km away. The resulting backlash from students, associations, and state medical bodies is now drawing national attention.
Far-Off Exam Centres Leave Tamil Nadu Candidates Frustrated
Scheduled for August 3, NEET PG 2025 is a pivotal exam for medical graduates aspiring to enter postgraduate programmes across India. Yet, many candidates from Tamil Nadu are struggling with last-minute travel arrangements after receiving exam centres in distant towns like Narasaraopet and Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh.
These locations are hundreds of kilometres away from key Tamil Nadu cities like Chennai, Coimbatore, or Madurai, making travel not only time-consuming but also expensive and logistically challenging.
One such aspirant, Arjun Ramkumar, expressed his concern: “Some of my friends have been allotted Rajahmundry, which is about 600 km from Chennai. We’re forced to travel at least two days in advance, book tickets, and make stay arrangements. It’s an added burden during an already stressful period.”
Exam Centres Available in Tamil Nadu – Then Why the Shift?
This confusion is even more perplexing considering that Tamil Nadu has 24 approved NEET PG exam centres, including major locations like Chennai, Kancheepuram, Madurai, and Coimbatore. These centres have historically served the large volume of applicants from the state efficiently.
However, according to data shared by the Doctors’ Association for Social Equality (DASE), nearly 900 to 1,000 candidates from Tamil Nadu have been allotted centres outside the state this year. This unusual allocation has triggered concerns about the fairness and transparency of the exam’s logistical planning by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS).
TNRDA Flags Disparity and Files Formal Complaint
In response to growing discontent among students, the Tamil Nadu Resident Doctors Association (TNRDA) stepped in, calling out the NBEMS for ignoring aspirants’ preferences. The association pointed out that Tamil Nadu, with its high concentration of medical colleges—both government and private—has ample infrastructure to accommodate its own NEET PG candidates.
TNRDA has formally lodged a complaint with the Union Health Ministry and NBEMS, demanding that exam centres be reallocated within Tamil Nadu. They highlighted that other states with fewer applicants, such as Andhra Pradesh, are being favoured in the allotment process.
Gender-Based Impact: Additional Burden on Female Candidates
The situation has also underscored a gendered dimension. Many female aspirants now face the pressure of arranging interstate travel with safety and accompaniment in mind. This has led to additional financial and logistical burdens on families, especially those from rural or economically weaker backgrounds.
DASE General Secretary G.R. Ravindranath emphasized this point: “It adds financial and logistical strain, especially for women,” highlighting how systemic inefficiencies are affecting equitable access to education.
Recurring Issue: Will History Repeat Itself?
This is not the first time NEET PG aspirants from Tamil Nadu have faced such challenges. In 2024, similar concerns were raised by parliamentarians including R. Sachithanantham (Dindigul) and Shashi Tharoor. Due to political and public pressure, a number of exam centres were successfully reallocated at the last minute.
This year, however, as the August 3 exam date looms closer, students are hoping for a similar intervention, but the window of time is quickly narrowing.
With Over 2.42 Lakh Applicants, Is the System Overwhelmed?
NEET PG 2025 has registered over 2.42 lakh applicants nationwide. While such a high number may pose logistical hurdles, stakeholders argue that a proper and sensitive allocation mechanism should have accounted for regional applicant volumes and available infrastructure.
With admit cards scheduled for release by July 31, candidates affected by the current allocation are left with barely a week to make travel, accommodation, and safety arrangements. For many, this means compromising on crucial study time and mental well-being.
A Call for Transparent and Region-Sensitive Allocation
The current situation has led to renewed calls for systemic reform in how exam centres are allocated. Students and medical bodies alike are demanding a transparent, region-sensitive process that factors in not just capacity, but also fairness, accessibility, and candidate well-being.
Until changes are made—or a last-minute reallocation is announced—Tamil Nadu’s medical aspirants are left preparing not just for one of the toughest exams of their careers, but also for a long and unexpected journey across state borders.
Conclusion: A Long Road for Medical Aspirants—Literally and Figuratively
The NEET PG journey is already a challenging one, demanding years of preparation, discipline, and resilience. Adding unnecessary travel stress due to administrative missteps only intensifies this pressure.
Whether NBEMS or the Health Ministry steps in to rectify the issue in time remains to be seen. For now, hundreds of Tamil Nadu candidates are bracing themselves for an exam season that begins not in the classroom, but on the road.
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