‘Conspiracy exposed’: Udhayanidhi on NEET PG 2023 cut-off going down to zero

The Centre’s decision to reduce the qualifying percentile for NEET PG 2023 to be eligible for counselling to zero has exposed the conspiracy of the national test, DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin has alleged.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday (September 20) reduced the qualifying percentile to zero across all categories. Candidates who appeared for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2023 exam will now be eligible to participate in the counselling process.

The Tamil Nadu Youth Welfare Minister said in a post on X this development has proved his party’s stand that NEET is an arrangement to make the coaching centres and private medical colleges prosperous.

The question among students and parents is about the very need for the test when the Centre says that post-graduate courses in medicine could be pursued just by appearing in NEET, after harping on the so-called eligibility, Udhayanidhi said on Wednesday.

The day is not far off when the Union government has to answer questions on “NEET injustice”, which has led to the deaths of several poor aspirants, he said.

The govt notice

A notice issued by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), Directorate of Health Services, Government of India, said on Wednesday: “It is for the information to candidates that the qualifying percentile for PG Courses (Medical/ Dental) for NEET PG counselling 2023 has been reduced to ‘zero’ across all categories by MoHFW.”

A fresh registration and choice filling for round-3 of PG counselling will be reopened for the candidates who have become eligible after the reduction of percentile.

These candidates can register and participate in round-3 of counselling. The candidates who are already registered need not register again. However, they will be allowed to edit their choices, the notice said.

A fresh schedule for round-3 onwards for PG counselling will be put up on the MCC website soon, it said.

Appeals from doctors’ bodies

Recently, the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) made an appeal to the Union Health Ministry to consider lowering the cut-off score for the NEET-PG 2023 exam.

“Over the past years, we have witnessed a persistent challenge in the form of vacant seats in medical institutions across the nation, even after multiple rounds of counselling for NEET-PG. This is a matter of great concern not only for the healthcare system but also for aspiring medical professionals who are eager to contribute to our nation's healthcare infrastructure,” FORDA said in its letter.

In light of this issue, “we humbly request your kind attention to consider the possibility of decreasing the cut-off score for the NEET-PG 2023 examination”, it said.

By lowering the cut-off, FORDA said, it can ensure that a “larger number of eligible candidates are given the opportunity to fill these vacant seats”.

The Indian Medical Association had also written to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya demanding a reduction in the NEET-PG 2023 cut-off percentile by up to 30 per cent so that most of the seats can be filled in both clinical and non-clinical branches.

(With agency inputs)