Demand for NEET PG Cut-off Reduction Intensifies

New Delhi: The demand for a reduction in the cut-off for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET-PG) counselling 2023 is escalating further as the doctors have now urged the Union Government authorities in this regard.

Writing to the Union Health Minister Shri Mansukh Mandaviya, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has now requested the authorities to reduce the NEET PG 2023 cut-off percentile up to 30% so that most of the seats are filled in both clinical and non-clinical branches.

"We urge the concerned authorities to look into this matter as early as possible and take immediate steps to resolve it and help the country acquire more specialist doctors. The safety and well-being of the people of our country hinges on you ensuring that adequate medical staff is available so that there is no shortage of human resources within the medical profession," IMA mentioned in the letter dated 13.09.2023.

Apart from this, the Maharashtra Chapter of the IMA Junior Doctors' Network (JDN) has also come forward and written to Minister Mandaviya with the same request. 

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that referring to the large number of vacant postgraduate medical seats, earlier, the doctors under the United Doctors Front Association (UDFA) had urged the National Medical Commission (NMC) to reduce the cut-off percentile for NEET-PG counselling 2023.

Also Read: Vacant PG Medical Seats: Doctors Urge NMC to Lower Cut-off percentile for NEET PG 2023 Counselling

In the letter directed to the NMC Secretary, the association had also referred to the fact that previously on similar grounds, the Union Health Ministry had taken the decision to reduce the qualifying cut-off percentile for NEET PG 2020, NEET PG 2021, and NEET PG 2022 counselling to fill the vacant seats. Last year alone, the Union Health Ministry approved lowering the cut-off marks for NEET PG 2022 by 25 percentile across all categories.

Now, the issue has also been raised by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which wrote to the Union Health Ministry today and pointed out the role played by the doctor during the period of COVID 19 pandemic. 

"The time has come for the administration to recognize them for their selfless service by reducing the cutoff marks for NEET-PG 2023. This will ensure that a significant number of aspiring doctors can enrol for postgraduate programs in various medical colleges across the country and not a single postgraduate seat goes vacant. Hoping for an early intervention in this matter from the concerned officials to safeguard the country’s precious medical force," the association mentioned in the letter.

"As a result of high cutoff scores, aspiring medical students will not only be prevented from entering postgraduation but will also be compelled to travel overseas to pursue their dream field of postgraduation, further depleting the medical manpower pool in India. We cannot afford to lose these precious gems in such a time when the country needs a full-blown medical army to protect citizens," it further added.

Urging the authorities to ensure that there is no shortage of human resources within the medical profession, IMA further stated in the letter, "By making the right decision, the administration can make the lives of many aspiring and hardworking doctors worthwhile, which will ultimately benefit the nation in the long run. We request you to reduce the NEET PG 2023 cut off percentile up to 30% so that most of the seats are filled in both clinical and non-clinical branches."

IMA JDN Maharashtra Chapter has also written to the Union Health Minister with the same request. Commenting on the matter, Dr. Abul Hassan, the National Chairman of IMA-JDN said, "Another intervention from IMA JDN and IMAHQ with regards to NEET PG is done today. We have sent a letter to Union Health Minister to reduce the cutoff eligibility for PG seats this year because we learned that as many as 1000 seats are vacant we had done this successfully 2times earlier. Hope to get a reply soon."

Addressing the issue, the All India Students Dental Association mentioned on Twitter, "It's Really Sad To See that #ReviseCutoff hasn't been out yet. All India Counselling for #NEETPG & #NEETMDS started but still no revise cutoff notice is out We req @mansukhmandviya @MoHFW_INDIA @NMC_IND to look into it & release the notice ASAP so that all get fair opportunity."

Earlier this year, the Union Minister of State for Health, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar informed the Lok Sabha that in the last three years, altogether 860 MBBS and 12758 PG Medical Seats remained vacant