Today, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has reduced the National Eligibility cum Entrance Exam - Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2024 counselling percentile. To recall, in December 2024, the India Medical Association - Junior Doctors Network (IMA-JDN) wrote to Union Health Minister JP Nadda urging for reducing the NEET-PG counselling cut-off percentile to fill vacant seats. With a positive response from MCC, the IMA-JDN has expressed gratitude for the thoughtful decision.
National Council Member of the IMA-JDN and health activist Dr Dhruv Chauhan hinted that the government may reduce the cut-offs to zero if the seats are not filled following the new revision of the percentile.
According to the MCC's notice issued today, January 4, the details of the lowered percentile and the eligibility are:
General Category/EWS- 15 percentile and above will be eligible to participate in counselling
SC/ST/OBC/ PwD category- 10 percentile and above will be eligible to participate in counselling.
Rohan Krishnan, chief patron of FAIMA (Federation of All India Medical Association) opines that "The MCC is accountable for establishing the cut-off, and it is an exceptional opportunity for students to be admitted under different quotas."
Chauhan pointed out the vacancy in the non-clinical subjects and urged the government to take measures to fill the seats. "There are no seats in clinical subjects, whereas seats remain vacant in non-clinical subjects due to various reasons."
"One such reason is lack of employment upon completing the course. Why are there no steps being taken to fill the open seats in non-clinical subjects?" he further said, raising objections.
According to data shared by NMC, 31,490 candidates were eligible after NEET PG 2024 counselling Round 2, leaving 15,000 to 16,000 vacant.
Bringing our attention to another concern, Krishnan said, "The government's decision to raise the number of seats is quite concerning. The fact that they have added so many seats is alarming. About 13 to 15 government medical colleges in Telangana were licensed, but they are faculty-less. Students staged a strike demanding faculty."
Recently, students of Asifabad Government Medical College staged a protest demonstration, boycotting classes and demanding proper infrastructure, faculty, hostel accommodation, and other issues.
Krishnan opines that students from government medical colleges have the advantage of voicing their concerns, while for private medical college students, that is not the case. "The situation is depressing, and therefore, NMC ought to retrospect and act accordingly," he added.
