NEET SS 2025 candidates upgraded in Round 2 will not have to refund the stipend earned while working at their Round 1 institute, NBEMS has clarified. Institutes must also refund any stipend already recovered from eligible candidates.

Candidates who joined an NBEMS-accredited institute after securing a seat in Round 1 of NEET SS 2025 counselling and were later upgraded to another seat in Round 2 will not have to refund the stipend they earned while working at their first institute, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has clarified, as per media reports.

As per media reports, in a recent notice, NBEMS said the stipend paid for the period during which a candidate actually joined and performed clinical duties will be treated as payment for the work carried out. It will not be considered an advance or provisional payment that can be recovered after a candidate is upgraded in the next round of counselling.

The clarification comes after NBEMS noted that several candidates allotted seats in Round 1 had joined their respective institutions and started their duties before being upgraded to new seats in Round 2.

No stipend recovery after Round 2 upgradation