The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has made significant changes to the qualifying criteria for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2024, announcing major reductions to the cut-off percentiles. This move by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), made after consultations with the National Medical Commission (NMC), is intended to expand the pool of eligible candidates and increase participation amid concerns of vacant seats across medical courses.
According to the official notification, candidates from the General and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) categories will qualify for counselling with scores of 15 percentile or higher. For candidates from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and Persons with Disabilities (PwD), the new qualifying score has been set at 10 percentile.
This marks a significant shift from the previous year, where the cut-off was established at 50th percentile for general and EWS categories. The NEET PG qualifying scores have been drastically adjusted over the past few years. Last year, the qualifying percentile was remarkably reduced to zero, allowing candidates across all categories to participate regardless of their scores. Prior to this, adjustments were notable as well; for example, the general category cut-off was dropped from the 50th percentile to 35th percentile back in 2022.
“It is for the information to candidates... as per the decision taken by MoHFW, the percentile for NEET PG counselling 2024 has been lowered,” read the MCC's announcement, emphasizing the need for broader eligibility as the country seeks to fill vacant medical seats.
The downward adjustments of the cut-off scores seek to encourage participation especially when many seats remain unfilled after multiple rounds of admissions. The Indian Medical Association Junior Doctors’ Network recently highlighted the urgency of this situation, asserting their demand for the ministry to optimize the utilization of medical seats available across the country.
Empty slots have been observed particularly within clinical and non-clinical courses, leading to calls for adjustments sooner rather than later. The MCC has directly responded to concerns from various educational bodies and student organizations about the gaps left by unfilled seats, necessitating this latest cut-off adjustment.
Students who previously faced barriers due to higher score requirements now have the opportunity to secure admission to postgraduate medical programs as long as they meet the revised criteria. This change instills hope for many aspiring medical professionals who would have otherwise remained sidelined due to stringent cut-off rules.
Such alterations to admission criteria hint at the MoHFW's democratizing vision for medical education, making medical training more accessible to eager candidates from diverse educational backgrounds. Participants and stakeholders await to see how these adjustments will influence admission numbers, as the academic year kicks off.
The NEET PG examination remains pivotal for aspiring doctors, and the MCC’s latest updates signal a proactive approach to accommodating urgent needs within the healthcare education system. With various challenges looming on the horizon, including financial constraints faced by both candidates and educational institutions, this decision could usher in pivotal changes to the postgraduate medical admission process.
The response from the medical community is largely positive, as many see the lowered cut-off as a necessary evolution of the admission system. Ensuring more candidates can enter this field aligns with broader health goals, aiming for increased figures of medical graduates amid growing demands within India's healthcare sector.
Moving forward, students must keep abreast of any additional changes to the NEET PG counselling timeline and criteria, ensuring they act swiftly to secure their places. With thousands of seats still up for grabs, this year’s counselling process promises to be both competitive and opportunistic for many prospective medical students.