Even 201/800 NEET score will get aspirant medical PG seat

Mumbai: MBBS doctors scoring as low as 201 out of 800 in this year’s NEET-PG will be eligible for postgraduate medical admissions. For those from reserved categories, a score of 169 (being in the 15th percentile) in the exam will suffice to be eligible for admission.

The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences issued a notice on Thursday on the new cut-offs of NEET-PG corresponding to a revised percentile after the lowering of the eligibility criteria earlier this week.

The Centre reduced the eligibility from 50th percentile to 25th on October 17 to reduce vacancies in postgraduate seats. It is probably the first time that cut-offs have been lowered to the 25th percentile. The dropping of cut-offs comes ahead of the mop-up round, technically the third round of the admission process. While the first two all-India rounds are over, the state’s second round will start on Friday. Last year, over 2,400 seats went vacant, mainly in preand para-clinical subjects. Ofthese, over 1,400 were vacant at the all-India level and a 1,000 in state admission rounds. A majority of PG seats on offer were in non-clinical subjects, but about 10% were also in clinical diploma and DNB programmes. Last year, too, the eligibility criterion was reduced for the mop-upround, but to 35%.

An official from the ministry of health and family welfare said cut-offs have been reduced with the hope of filling up seats. “There is a possibility that seats go vacant because there are no takers. But the government wants to facilitate admissions for those students who may be falling short of marks. We cannot say that there will be a drop in quality as these students will have to go through a rigorous three years of training, after which they will be taking the finalyear exam,” said the official.

Parent representative Sudha Shenoy said last year, despite lowering the percentile, seats were vacant. “This reduction probably will help students who can afford courses in private and deemed colleges but were not eligible.”