CHANGE IN NEET SS EXAM PATTERN FOR DM/DRNB IN MEDICAL ONCOLOGY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE

CHANGE IN NEET SS EXAM PATTERN FOR DM/DRNB IN MEDICAL ONCOLOGY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE

The National Board of Examinations in Medical Science (NBEMS) recently amended the exam pattern for DM/DrNB critical care medicine admissions. Medical postgraduates appearing for the NEET super specialty (SS) 2025 exam and opting for broad specialties such as general medicine, anesthesiology, and radiotherapy, among others, will have to attempt separate question paper groups. An official from NMC suggests that steps have been taken to streamline the eligibility criteria for the admission process into the super specialty courses. This pattern has been introduced only for admissions to DM/DrNB medical oncology, and DM/DrNB critical care medicine. Dr.B Srinivas, secretary of the National Medical Commission (NMC) says, “A panel consisting of experts from the related field, medical institutions and PGMEB members was formed to decide the eligibility criteria for admission into various super specialty courses. After this, the decision was made to bring in these changes. The decision to add a separate question paper group was then informed to NBEMS, responsible for conducting the NEET SS exam”.

?

COURSE CONNECTION

Dr Srinivas says, “Previously postgraduate students had questions about the limited eligibility for super specialty Course admission. This step has been taken to expand their admission opportunities.” Students are concerned that changes in the exam pattern increase the hustle for graduating, Dr Srinivas says, “There will be a separate day for the postgraduates to appear for the additional questions paper group, meanwhile, the existing question paper group consisting of 150 questions will be required to be finished within 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes).”

There are approximately 6,000 super specialty seats in India, including 4,421 DM and MCh and 1,969 DrNB seats. Around 45,000 candidates qualify for medical post-graduation courses every year and around 15,000-17,000 candidates appear in NEET SS annually. As many as 800-1,000 seats remain vacant every year. To reduce such seat wastage, the eligibility options for admissions to super specialty courses. The introduction of a separate question paper group is one of the similar steps taken by the NMC. Dr Srinivas says, “The step will indirectly help in reducing the seat wastage since it will allow more candidates to takes admissions into oncology and critical care medicine.”