The United Doctors Front Association (UDFA) National President Dr Lakshya Mittal has written to the Secretary of the National Medical Commission (NMC) seeking a reduction in the cut-off percentile for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2023 counselling. As per the schedule issued by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), the Round III/Mop-Up round registrations start tomorrow, September 8 and will end on September 12.
Justifying the reason for seeking a reduction in the cut-off percentile, the letter read, "Thousands of MBBS pass-outs who appeared in NEET PG 2023, aspire to join Postgraduate courses. As per the current eligibility criteria for appearing in Counselling, due to non-reducing the eligibility cut-off marks to Participate in counselling, currently a big no.of PG Seats are vacant."
"Usually, the eligibility cut-off percentile notice is out after the second round Mop-Up results are out. But this time, it is not out yet. Additionally, there are rumours circulating in medical groups that there won't be any cut-off this time. All these factors are worrying medical PG students," Mittal told EdexLive.
Speaking on this, Mittal stressed, "For the past six to seven years, the cut-off percentiles have been going down and if this time there won't be any cut-off percentiles at all, many seats will remain vacant."
Further, the letter read, "If NBE will not revise the lowering in qualifying cut-off percentile to participate in ongoing counselling the vacancy will be same which will be UNJUSTICE for the potential candidates for getting admission in Postgraduate courses."
Dr Lakshya Mittal told EdexLive, "Many distressed students have reached out to me regarding the same in the last three to four days." Adding more to this, he stated that students are dejected because this will be their last chance to pursue NEET PG as the National Exit Test (NExT) will be conducted next year.
"On the behalf of all those MBBS doctors and various representations we request you to kindly please release the reduced qualifying cut-off percentile with immediate effect so that they can get a fair chance to appear in ongoing NEET PG 2023 Mop-up and stray rounds counselling," the letter read.
Recalling a similar situation in 2022, Mittal shared with EdexLive that, "In 2021, the cut-off percentile notice was delayed and upon our request, the NMC has reduced the qualifying cutoff criteria." Mittal also shared with EdexLive the circular and the letter written to NMC in 2022.
