NEET SS 2025: Doctors Urge Government for Additional Counselling Round to Fill 1,700 Vacant Seats

Medical professionals and aspirants across India are calling for an urgent intervention from the Union Ministry of Health to address a significant number of vacant seats following the conclusion of the NEET SS 2025 counselling process. Despite the completion of two rounds of seat allocation, reports indicate that approximately 1,700 super-speciality seats remain unfilled, prompting widespread concern within the medical community.

The Indian Medical Association Junior Doctors Network (IMA JDN) has formally written to Union Health Minister JP Nadda, requesting the initiation of an additional round of counselling. The doctors argue that conducting a third round, or a mop-up round, is essential to ensure that these highly specialized training positions do not go to waste during the current academic session.

Concerns Over Vacant Seats and Healthcare Impact

The primary concern raised by the medical community is the potential long-term impact on the Indian healthcare system. With 1,700 seats left vacant, there is a fear that the country will face an unnecessary shortage of highly trained super-specialists. The IMA JDN emphasized that leaving these positions empty represents a loss of valuable training opportunities and a failure to utilize existing medical infrastructure effectively.

Data highlighted by the protesting doctors suggests that nearly 4,000 qualified candidates remain without a seat, despite being eligible for advanced medical programs. These candidates are currently waiting for a potential third round of counselling to secure their admission. The medical fraternity maintains that these aspirants are fully qualified to fill the vacancies, and providing them with an opportunity would serve both the students and the broader healthcare sector.

Current Status of NEET SS Counselling

The official NEET SS 2025 counselling process was originally structured to conclude after two rounds. As per the initial schedule, no further rounds were planned. However, the current demand from the medical community highlights a discrepancy between the planned schedule and the reality of the remaining vacancies.

The request for a special third round is currently under consideration by the authorities, following the formal appeal sent to the Union Health Minister. As of now, there has been no official confirmation regarding a change to the counselling schedule or the announcement of a mop-up round. Aspirants and stakeholders are awaiting a formal response from the Ministry of Health regarding whether the government will intervene to fill the remaining 1,700 seats.