New Delhi/Bhopal, July 18, 2026
Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh has urged the Centre to allow NEET PG‑2026 candidates to choose their preferred examination cities instead of only selecting states while filling the application form.
In a letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Singh said the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has changed the examination centre selection process this year by allowing candidates to choose only three preferred states. In previous years, candidates were allowed to select their preferred cities.
He said many students and their parents have approached him with concerns over the new system, saying it could lead to examination centres being allotted far from their homes. Singh noted that if a candidate is allotted a centre hundreds of kilometres away from his or her residence, it will increase travel, accommodation and other expenses besides causing mental stress.
He said the change would affect students from economically weaker families and rural areas the most.
“The purpose of competitive examinations should be to assess the merit of students, not to put them under unnecessary financial and mental pressure because of administrative arrangements,” Singh said in the letter.
The senior Congress leader urged the Union Education Minister to direct the NBEMS to restore the option of choosing preferred cities for NEET PG‑2026 examination centres.
He said bringing back the city choice facility would provide relief to lakhs of candidates and help them appear for the examination in a better environment.
The issue comes at a time when national‑level entrance examinations have remained under public scrutiny. Last year, the NEET‑UG examination was hit by allegations of paper leaks and irregularities, leading to protests by students, court cases and a nationwide debate over the conduct of competitive examinations.
Singh said restoring the city choice option would reduce unnecessary hardship for candidates and ensure that the examination remains focused on evaluating their knowledge and merit rather than creating avoidable logistical problems.(Agency)
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