Breaking News: Health Ministry Directs NBE to Reduce NEET SS Cut-off to 20 percentile

New Delhi: Bringing relief to the postgraduate medical aspirants seeking to secure admission into super-speciality courses, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has directed the National Board of Examinations (NBE) to reduce the cut-off qualifying percentile for NEET SS 2023 to 20 percentile points.

The Health Ministry took this decision after consulting the matter with the National Medical Commission (NMC), the Apex medical education regulatory body in India.

NMC recommended to the Ministry to reduce the cut-off for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Super Speciality (NEET-SS) examination 2023 to 20 percentile points.

Approving the same, the Health Ministry has now issued directions to the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) to take necessary action in this regard.

Also Read: NBE Releases Result Of NEET SS 2023, details

In the letter directed to the Honorary Executive Director of NBEMS, the Health Ministry mentioned, "I am directed to refer to the subject mentioned above and to say that the issue has been considered by the Ministry in consultation with National Medical Commission(NMC). The NMC has recommended for cut off qualifying percentile for NEET SS-2023 may be reduced to 20 points."

"The recommendation of the NMC has been approved by the Hon'ble HFM. It is requested to take further necessary action in this matter," added the letter.

NEET-SS 2023 was conducted on 29th and 30th September, 2023 as a single entrance examination to DM/MCh/DrNB Super Specialty courses of 2023-2024 academic admission session.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that candidates placed at 50th percentile score or above in their respective groups are declared as qualified as per minimum qualifying criteria indicated in the Information Bulletin.

Meanwhile, hailing the Health Ministry's decision to reduce the cut-off for NEET SS 2023, the Federaion of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) mentioned on X (formerly Twitter), "Cut off revised! #NEETSS2023 cut off reduction approved after multiple requests. Will go a long way in preventing precious super specialty seat wastage. We thank @MoHFW_INDIA, @NMC_IND for a proactive and steadfast approach!"

In the case of NEET SS 2022 also, earlier this year the eligibility criteria had been reduced from 50 percentile to 20 percentile. This move came against the backdrop of over 1000 super speciality seats being vacant after the completion of the two counselling rounds.

"The Union health ministry in consultation with the National Medical Commission (NMC) has decided to reduce the eligibility criterion for NEET Super Speciality courses from 50 percentile to 20 percentile," officials familiar with the development had informed.

Also Read: NEET SS cutoff reduced from 50 to 20 percentile