NEET PG 2024 Postponed: Why It Happened, Explained

NEET PG 2024 postponed its 23 June exam date on 22 June 2024, roughly 12 hours before candidates were due to sit it, after the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) called for a review of the examination's integrity amid the wider NEET-UG 2024 controversy. This is the historical record of that postponement: why it happened, what changed at the National Testing Agency (NTA) as a result, and how the exam was eventually held on 11 August 2024. If you are looking for the current-cycle exam, NEET-PG 2026 was scheduled for 30 August 2026 by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), with registration held from 1-21 July 2026.

Key Takeaways

• NEET-PG 2024 was postponed on 22 June 2024, less than a day before its scheduled 23 June exam, as a "precautionary measure" ordered by the MoHFW.

• The postponement followed the NEET-UG 2024 paper-leak controversy (the undergraduate exam held 5 May 2024) and social-media fraud claiming to sell NEET-PG questions.

• NTA Director General Subodh Kumar Singh was removed from his post amid the fallout; Pradeep Singh Kharola took additional charge, and a high-level committee reviewed exam processes.

• NEET-PG 2024 was finally held on 11 August 2024 in two shifts, after the Supreme Court declined to postpone it further just two days earlier.

• Results were declared on 23 August 2024, with 2,28,540 candidates qualifying; scorecards followed on 30 August 2024.

Why Was NEET PG 2024 Postponed?

NEET PG 2024 postponed its exam at the last minute because the government wanted to review security processes after the NEET-UG 2024 paper-leak scandal shook confidence in the National Testing Agency. The MoHFW's official notice, dated 22 June 2024, cited "recent allegations regarding the integrity of certain examinations" and said it was acting "in the best interests of the students." NBEMS separately confirmed that fraudsters had been trying to sell fake NEET-PG question papers on social media, though it stressed the papers themselves had not actually leaked.

This was not the exam's first date change. NEET-PG 2024 went through four separate date revisions before it was finally held:

1. Originally scheduled for 3 March 2024.

2. First postponed to 7 July 2024, after representations from candidates over preparation time.

3. Advanced again to 23 June 2024, under the National Medical Commission's revised academic calendar.

4. Postponed a final time on 22 June 2024, hours before the 23 June sitting, pending the exam-integrity review described below.

Background on the underlying NEET-UG 2024 paper-leak row that triggered the review is documented on Wikipedia's 2024 NEET controversy entry. For the full sequence of dates and what each rescheduling meant for candidates logistically, see our companion piece on the NEET-PG 2024 exam reschedule.

What did the Ministry of Health say about the postponement?

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said the postponement was a precautionary measure taken to protect the sanctity of the examination process, not an admission that NEET-PG itself had been compromised. Its statement read: "This decision has been taken in the best interests of the students and to maintain the sanctity of the examination process." The ministry also apologised for the inconvenience to candidates and said a new date would follow shortly.

What happened at the NTA after the postponement?

The Indian government removed NTA Director General Subodh Kumar Singh from his post within hours of the NEET-PG postponement, placing him on compulsory wait in the Department of Personnel and Training. Pradeep Singh Kharola, chairperson of the India Trade Promotion Organisation, took additional charge of the NTA until a permanent appointment was made. A high-level committee led by former ISRO chairman K. Radhakrishnan was formed the same week to review examination reforms, and the NEET-UG 2024 irregularities were handed to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a separate criminal probe.

When was NEET-PG 2024 finally held?

NEET-PG 2024 was finally held on 11 August 2024, in two shifts, after the Supreme Court declined on 9 August 2024 to grant a further postponement that some candidates had petitioned for. NBEMS kept the eligibility cut-off date for internship completion at 15 August 2024, unchanged from the earlier schedule, so most candidates who had already qualified did not need to reapply.

What were the NEET-PG 2024 results?

NBEMS declared the NEET-PG 2024 result on 23 August 2024, with 2,28,540 candidates qualifying for MD, MS, and PG Diploma admissions; individual scorecards followed on 30 August 2024. The qualifying cut-off for the year was later relaxed for counselling purposes, a step the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has taken in several recent cycles to fill seats that would otherwise stay vacant.

What Does the NEET PG 2024 Postponed Episode Mean for Candidates Today?

For candidates preparing for a current cycle, the 2024 postponement is now purely historical context, but the pattern it set, exam-integrity reviews reshaping the calendar with little notice, has recurred since. NEET-PG 2026 is scheduled for 30 August 2026, and on the undergraduate side, NEET UG 2026's result was itself preceded by a cancelled exam and re-conducted paper, a reminder that building in buffer time around any official NEET date is still wise. Candidates should always confirm current dates directly on NBEMS's official notices rather than relying on older news coverage, including this record of the 2024 cycle.