Why Need of NEET 2025 Counselling Reform: From Admission Confusion to Consultant Corruption

NEET 2025 Counselling Reform: Every year, more than 24 lakh students appear for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET UG). For this, NEET students and parents utilise every resource for costly NEET coaching, stressful study hours, and fierce competition. But after the results are announced, a different kind of stress begins, handling the medical college counselling process.

This is where confusion starts. Soon they realise that it is a Game of Chase, where every move matters and they need to place their pawn strategically.

Should one apply through MCC counselling or state counselling? Is it safer to go for a deemed university, a private medical college, or try luck in a government seat? What about “risky rounds”, the last-minute seat reshuffles that could make or break an admission?

For thousands of families, this is not just a technical issue. It’s an emotional, financial, and life-altering decision.

In 2025, this confusion has reached new heights, and NEET aspirant Tarun Goel and his father, Devesh Goel, from Lucknow, are perfect examples of what countless families are going through.

A Maze Called NEET Counselling

Tarun secured a NEET UG 2025 score of 547, a decent score by any measure. Like many aspirants, he expected that this would earn him a medical seat through MCC’s counselling process. But once the choice filling window opened, reality struck.

Devesh Goel recalls,

“There were dozens of forms, unfamiliar college names, different fee structures, and deadlines. Every counsellor we spoke to gave a different version of truth. We just didn’t know who to trust.”

They’re not alone. Across India, thousands of NEET-qualified students face the same dilemma: how to choose the right medical colleges, which counselling round to participate in, and whether to risk waiting for the next round.

The Rise of Counselling Agencies: Hope or Trap?

The complexity of the NEET counselling process has given rise to a thriving industry of its own: medical admission consultancies.

Over the past few years, hundreds of such agencies have mushroomed across India, promising “assured admission,” “seat confirmation,” and even “direct management quota guidance.”

While some are genuine and student-focused, a growing number of them operate in grey zones, misleading students and their families, manipulating seat availability, and sometimes charging lakhs in the name of “premium counselling.”

Common Malpractices

Practice	What It Means
Fake Seat Guarantees	Agencies claim they can secure “direct admission” for a fee.
Manipulated Cutoffs	Consultants misquote last year’s ranks to push expensive private colleges.
Hidden Commissions	Some act as brokers for deemed universities.
Non-refundable Deposits	Parents are tricked into paying advance “blocking amounts.”

According to education experts, the lack of transparent counselling support and official helplines has allowed these agencies to thrive. And, it has turned what should be a merit-driven process into a profit-driven ecosystem.

Read Also: NEET UG 2025 Scam: ED Finds Fake NRI Quota Admissions

How Medical Colleges Cash in on the Confusion

The confusion among students isn’t accidental; for many private and deemed medical colleges, it’s a profitable opportunity. As students and parents scramble for clarity, these institutions capitalise on their desperation.

Here’s how:

• Inflated Fees: Many colleges quietly increase annual MBBS fees despite NMC fee guidelines of a 50% formula during the counselling period, knowing that anxious parents will pay whatever it takes to secure a seat.
• Hidden Charges: Hostel, mess, and “miscellaneous” charges often add ₹3-5 lakh more per year.
• Donation and Management Quota Deals: In the name of “NRI” or “management” seats, some colleges demand hefty unofficial amounts, bypassing the spirit of merit-based admissions.
• Fake or Inflated Reputation: Several lesser-known private colleges claim “NMC approval” or “international recognition” even when their infrastructure barely meets norms.

In short, while students like Tarun Goel search for clarity, many colleges and intermediaries are making millions from the chaos. These uncertainties and confusion around NEET counselling have given rise to a monopoly in medical education in India, which will harm the healthcare sector and compromise the quality of doctors.

Read Also: NMC vs Private Colleges on Fee Guidelines 2025: Rising Medical Education Cost Crisis

The Structural Problem: Too Many Systems, Too Little Transparency

The NEET counselling system, though digital, lacks user-friendliness and regional accessibility.
Here’s how this complexity opens the door for corruption:

Problem	Result
Multiple portals (MCC + 30+ state websites)	Overlapping deadlines and confusion
Different reservation rules	Unclear category-wise eligibility
Lack of a central helpdesk	Parents rely on unverified WhatsApp “guides”
Colleges hiring “agents”	Counselling turns into marketing

In 2025, the CBI investigated several agencies accused of “seat selling” in the name of guidance, a stark reminder of the cracks in the system.

Why the Counselling Process Feels Broken

The NEET counselling structure, divided between MCC (for AIQ & Deemed Universities) and State Counselling Authorities (for state quotas), was meant to streamline medical admissions. But instead, it’s become fragmented and inconsistent.

• Each state follows its own timeline, eligibility rules, and fee structures.
• Students often have to register separately for multiple states, paying thousands in counselling fees each time.
• The choice-filling interface is complex, offering little real guidance.
• Seat allotment unpredictability means even high scorers can end up without a seat, while lower scorers find places in high-fee colleges.

Read Also: NEET 2025 MCC Choice Filling: AIQ & State Counselling

The Human Cost: Stress, Burnout, and Financial Pressure

For families like the Goels, this is not just about admission; it’s about hope, finances, and years of hard work.

Devesh Goel admits,

“We spent over ₹10 lakh on coaching over two years. Now, in the name of counselling and seat confirmation, we’re being asked for even more. We just don’t know what’s real.”

This psychological toll is immense. Many students lose confidence, some even drop a year, believing they’ll get “a better college next time,” only to fall into the same loop again.

How to Identify Genuine Medical Counselling Support

If you’re a NEET aspirant or parent, here’s how to protect yourself:

1. Avoid anyone promising guaranteed seats. No one can guarantee admissions, not even official agencies.
2. Check NMC’s official list of approved colleges. Verify infrastructure, fee details, and intake capacity.
3. Rely on the official MCC portal and state counselling portals for information.
4. Ask for transparent fee structures and get every commitment in writing.
5. Join verified student forums or trusted educational platforms before finalising any payment.

What India Really Needs: Counselling Literacy

India has taken major strides in medical education reforms, from increasing MBBS seats to implementing NMC regulations.
But counselling literacy remains neglected.

Experts suggest the NTA, NMC, and MCC should:

• Launch a “Counselling 101” module after NEET results.
• Publish a list of verified counsellors and agencies.
• Set up regional helplines in Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, and other languages.
• Conduct school-level awareness programs on post-NEET processes.

Without these steps, confusion will continue, and with it, exploitation.

Read Also: India’s Medical Education Revolution: NMC Reforms, CBME, NEXT & More

The Bigger Question: Who Will Fix This?

While NMC regulates medical colleges and MCC conducts counselling, there’s little oversight on private agencies exploiting the process.

The government’s silence and lack of a centralised “Counselling Regulation Framework” only adds to the confusion.

Until the system becomes more transparent and uniform, families like the Goels will continue to face uncertainty, and many colleges will continue to cash in.

Read Also: Why Deemed University MBBS Fees Are Rising by 200%? Question Concerned Parents & Students

Final Word: The Need for NEET 2025 Counselling Reform

The story of Tarun and Devesh Goel isn’t unique; it’s the story of thousands of NEET aspirants caught between bureaucratic opacity, private profiteering, and poor guidance.

India urgently needs:

• A unified counselling platform for all medical colleges,
• Transparent disclosure of fees and seat availability, and
• Strict regulation of private counselling agencies.

Only then can we ensure that the dream of becoming a doctor isn’t turned into a nightmare of confusion and exploitation.