Are you applying for AFMS NEET PG 2024 and NEET MDS 2024 admissions this year? Know the eligibility criteria, required documents, and counseling details.

Armed Forces Medical Services

New Delhi: The Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) has issued an information bulletin for NEET PG 2024 and NEET MDS 2024 admissions this year. Eligible candidates seeking admission to AFMS institutions should review the bulletin thoroughly, including details on eligibility criteria, counseling sessions, the number of seats, required documents, and more.

General Eligibility Criteria for All Priorities

1. Candidates must appear in NEET PG/MDS 2024 and achieve a minimum qualifying score as set by the NBE. Registration on the MCC website for AFMS institutions is mandatory. Candidates in Priorities III, IV, and V must choose their preferred institute, seat, and methodology according to MCC instructions.
   
2. Graduates from medical or dental colleges recognized by NMC/DCI/NDC and registered as medical or dental practitioners with any State Medical or Dental Council recognized by NMC/DCI/NDC are eligible. The cut-off date for MBBS students to complete their internship for NEET-PG 2024 eligibility is August 15, 2024. For BDS students, the cut-off date for NEET MDS-2024 eligibility is June 30, 2024. Provisional or permanent registration certificates must be available at the time of admission.

3. All candidates, except those in Priority-II, must be citizens of India.

4. Candidates are ineligible if they have canceled, failed to report for admission within the stipulated time, or vacated a seat mid-course in the past, resulting in seat wastage.

5. Candidates who vacate an allotted seat after counseling, resulting in a wasted seat, will be ineligible for future AFMS counseling and will be liable for university charges and bond money, as specified in the surety bond executed at admission.

Priority-Specific Eligibility Criteria

Priority I: AFMS officers detailed on the Advance Specialist Course/PG Course (MD/MS/DNB/MDS) must adhere to existing training rules.

Priority II: Candidates from ‘Friendly Foreign Countries’ sponsored by their respective countries and approved by the Government of India (GoI) must meet NEET PG/MDS 2024 requirements. As per NMC/DCI/NDC guidelines, priority-II candidates must apply for temporary registration with NMC/DCI/NDC.

Priority III: Medical and dental officers sponsored by paramilitary organizations or other Government of India organizations:

1. The ‘Sponsorship Certificate’ with necessary documents must be forwarded to DGAFMS by the respective ministries, departments, or HQs of paramilitary organizations, duly endorsed by the competent authority. Correspondence will only be accepted from official channels; individual candidates' correspondence will not be entertained.

2. Priority-III candidates are eligible only for subjects mentioned in their sponsorship certificate. If a Priority-III candidate is allotted a seat not mentioned in the Sponsorship Certificate, admission will not be granted, and the candidate will face consequences.

3. Lists of eligible candidates sponsored by respective authorities will be forwarded to MCC for seat allotment.

4. Priority-III candidates leaving the allotted seat after AFMS PG admission must submit an application, signed and recommended by the sponsoring authority. Applications without the authority’s recommendation will not be accepted.

Priority IV: Ex-SSC AFMS officers who have completed their contractual service and are within three years of their release from service. For admissions into AFMS PG teaching institutes for the 2024–27 session, the release date should not be before May 1, 2021.

1. SSC officers in their final year of initial contractual service, expected to complete their service before MCC registration, may apply under this category. They must present their original release order and specified documents at admission.

2. SSC officers in extended contractual service may apply if they have submitted a release application and obtained an NOC. At admission, they must provide proof of attaining ex-SSC status; otherwise, they will not be considered for admission.

3. SSC officers who have resigned, been dismissed, removed from service, or removed from a PG course on disciplinary grounds are not eligible as Priority-IV candidates.

4. SSC officers removed from a PG course on medical grounds while in service are eligible as Priority-IV candidates in AFMS institutions.

5. SSC officers must send their NOC and/or release order via mail to determine eligibility. The list of eligible candidates will be forwarded to MCC for provisional seat allotment.

AFMS PG Degree Admission

Priority V: Civilian candidates willing to serve in AFMS must meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the information bulletin. The primary goal of offering PG (MD/MS/DNB/MDS) seats to civilian candidates as Priority-V is to meet AFMS's specialist requirements. At admission, civilian candidates must submit a bond agreement to pay an amount sanctioned by the Government of India if they refuse to join AFMS when offered a commission. They must also be medically fit as per AFMS commissioning standards.

1. The primary eligibility criteria for Priority-V candidates are age and medical fitness. Candidates must be familiar with the medical standards for AFMS commissioning, which are available on the AFMS website. They will undergo a medical examination by a medical board to assess their fitness for commissioning. Admission will only be granted if it is found medically fit.

2. Seat allotment during MCC counseling is provisional. Final admission depends on fulfilling age criteria and medical fitness in line with the information bulletin’s general eligibility criteria. Candidates deemed unfit or overaged at admission will have their candidature canceled or forfeited.

3. The maximum permissible age for Priority-V candidates is less than 30 years as of December 31, 2024, to fulfill the service liability.

4. Candidates must commit to serving the Armed Forces Medical Service (AFMS) for 5 years upon successful completion of the PG Course (MD/MS/DNB/MDS), subject to fulfilling other eligibility criteria.

5. For PG (MD/MS/DNB) courses, candidates must execute a bond agreement at admission to pay Rs. 57,50,000/- (Rupees fifty-seven lakhs and fifty thousand only) for the 2024–27 session if they are unwilling to join AFMS when offered a commission.

6. For MDS courses, candidates must execute a bond agreement at admission to pay Rs. 52,50,000/- (Rupees fifty-two lakhs and fifty thousand only) for the 2024–27 session if they are unwilling to join AFMS when offered a commission.

7. Candidates who fail to complete the course before crossing 35 years of age will be classified as non-service liability (NSL) and will be liable to pay the bond money to the Government of India.

Methodology for Applying

1. Candidates must appear in NEET PG/MDS-2024 and achieve a minimum qualifying score as indicated by the NBE.

2. Candidates must register, opt for AFMS, and select their priority on the Medical Counseling Committee's official website.

3. Candidates should keep a copy of the printed registration slip or printout of registration details to present at admission or as directed by the office.

4. SSC officers must send their NOC or release order via mail for eligibility determination, as notified in updates on the website. Eligible candidates' lists will be shared with MCC.

5. Civilian candidates must present a bond agreement at the time of admission to pay an amount specified by the Government of India. Candidates providing false information will face summary rejection at any admission stage by the commandant of the institution where a seat was provisionally allotted during MCC counseling. The commandant’s decision is final.