NEET-PG cut-off percentiles benefit candidates or private colleges? Experts opine

The reduction in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - Postgraduate (NEET-PG) cut-off percentile is receiving mixed reactions from the medical community. While few say it may benefit medical students, others are of the strong opinion that it is significantly benefiting private medical colleges. 

Speaking to EdexLive, career consultant and analyst Jayaprakash Gandhi said, "The cut-off reduction is definitely going to benefit both undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) medical colleges. For instance, in 2024, a candidate with a 712 score who failed in Biology, Physics, and Chemistry in both main and supplementary exams managed to get a seat."

"Those who can buy the seats despite low scores manage to get admission to medical colleges. But there are very few who can afford it," he added. 

On the other hand, Dr B Karunakar Reddy, Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS), is of a different opinion. The VC states that the reduction will have both negative and positive impacts. "Outrightly, it is not going to benefit the private colleges as the institutional quota in the counselling process is only 10%," he said. 

"Additionally, the decreased cut-off percentile will benefit the in-service candidates who weren't able to obtain a seat in earlier rounds," he added. According to him, the positive impact benefits faculty recruitment and in-service candidates, but the negative impact is private colleges gaining a certain advantage.

Suggesting measures that the National Medical Commission (NMC) can adopt regarding implementing reforms for better medical education, Gandhi said, "Instead of 50 percentile, the NMC should make it mandatory for candidates to score 50 per cent in every subject." 

Further, Gandhi said that in order to improve medical education, the National Testing Agency (NTA) should examine how exams are administered every three years and introduce fresh changes.