Delay in counselling leaves PG medical students in the lurch

A prolonged delay in postgraduate medical counselling at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, is causing anxiety and frustration among candidates, many of whom have been waiting for months for the process to start.

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Though a recent judgment by the Punjab and Haryana High Court supported the GMCH admission policy, the administration is yet to release the results of the completed counselling process.

According to the HC’s final ruling on May 27, all state quota seats at GMCH-32 are to be treated under the Institutional Preference (IP) category, aligning with the Supreme Court’s earlier direction on domicile-free PG admissions. The decision upholds GMCH’s April 2025 notification and dismisses the residence-based reservation claims under the UT pool.

An interim court order, dated April 24, had allowed the counselling to proceed with the caveat that results should not be announced until the final verdict. With the legal dispute settled, the students are puzzled as to why the college is still holding back the results.

“Five months have passed and we are still waiting. The counselling was completed, our choices submitted and yet we have no clarity,” said a doctor, who participated in the NEET PG 2024 admissions process.

Thirty-eight aspirants, many of whom are in contention for clinical seats due to strong ranks, remain uncertain about their future. Another doctor echoed the concern, saying, “The file hasn’t even been moved to the authorities yet, even though the court has cleared all hurdles.”

With the NEET PG 2025 exam approaching on June 15, the students from last year’s batch are growing anxious. “We are left in the lurch. The next exam is weeks away, but the issue of our admissions from the previous cycle is still unresolved,” said one of the affected candidates.