More than three thousand medical postgraduate aspirants in Telangana are facing an uncertain future as the state's 2025 NEET-PG counselling process remains stalled. Students and medical associations have urgently appealed to the Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS) to expedite the process, which has been delayed allegedly due to pending court cases.
Timeline Disruption and Mounting Uncertainty
According to the original schedule set by the National Medical Commission (NMC), the second round of state counselling was supposed to conclude on December 12. Admissions were to close by December 21, with classes commencing from December 22. However, Telangana has not even begun its second state counselling round. This stands in stark contrast to the progress seen in the All India Quota (AIQ) counselling by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) and in neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Officials from KNRUHS have cited ongoing legal matters as the reason for the hold-up. They have stated they are awaiting legal advice on recent court judgements and confirmed that the final list of eligible candidates would be released on a Wednesday morning. This delay has created a cascading effect of anxiety and potential lost opportunities for candidates.
Student Grievances and Concrete Demands
The affected students have outlined specific demands to mitigate the damage caused by the administrative delay. They are urging the MCC to reopen the AIQ resignation window specifically for Telangana candidates. This would allow them to make informed decisions once the state counselling finally begins. Additionally, they seek an extension of the Telangana state PG joining and reporting dates to ensure students are not penalized for delays beyond their control.
Many students who wish to transfer from their allotted AIQ seats to preferred state colleges like NIMS or Osmania Medical College find themselves trapped. "We cannot resign from our AIQ seats or collect our original certificates until the Telangana counselling process provides clarity," explained one aspirant. This lock-in situation prevents them from exploring better options within their home state.
Critical Lack of Information and Warnings from Experts
A major point of contention is the delay in releasing the crucial seat matrix, which displays college-wise vacancy details and reservation information. "We have no idea how many seats are available in each college or in which category. Without this information, we have no flexibility and cannot decide where to apply," said a student with an All India Rank (AIR) just above 6,000.
Another aspirant highlighted the competitive disadvantage. "Students from Telangana are at a disadvantage compared to those from other states who have already completed the first round. Without the seat matrix and schedule, we cannot make informed decisions during the All India rounds," stated a candidate with an AIR above 5,000.
The Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA) pointed out that the KNRUHS's failure to release the seat matrix during the AIQ resignation window prevented many from resigning in time. The Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA) echoed these concerns. "Even minor delays can lead to seats being blocked, loss of upgrade options, or being forced to continue in an unwanted seat. Students alone bear the consequences," said HRDA senior member Dr B Rajakuma.
Experts have warned that continued delays could see Telangana candidates pushed to the bottom of the selection order in the multi-round counselling process, potentially costing them their preferred seats and specialties. The collective call from students and doctors is for immediate corrective measures to prevent a permanent loss of valuable academic opportunities for the state's medical graduates.
