Breaking News: Health Ministry reduces NEET PG 2023 cut-off percentile to ZERO
New Delhi: In a major relief to the Postgraduate medical aspirants this year, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has directed the National Medical Commission (NMC) to reduce the cut-off for qualifying percentile for NEET-PG 2023 to "Zero" across all categories.
Writing to the Secretary of the Apex Medical Commission, the Union Health Ministry informed, "I am directed to refer to the above-mentioned subject and to say that the recommendation for a reduction in qualifying percentile for Post Graduate Courses for 2023 (NEET-PG 2023) has been considered in the Ministry."
"Approval of competent authority is hereby conveyed for reduction of qualifying percentile for NEET-PG 2023 to 'Zero' across all categories. This issues with the approval of competent authority," the Ministry further informed.
The decision of the Union Health Ministry has come at a time when doctors across the country had been demanding a reduction in the NEET-PG 2023 cut-off criteria.
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.
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.
Also Read: Demand for NEET PG Cut-off Reduction Intensifies
Recently, the issue was also raised by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which recently wrote to the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and requested 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.
Taking up the issue with the Union Health Ministry, the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) recently met with the Ministry officials and submitted their request in this regard.
In a letter addressed to the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, which was submitted to the Ministry officials, FORDA pointed out how over the past few years, there has been a persistent challenge in the form of vacant seats in medical institutions across the nation, even after multiple rounds of counselling for NEET PG.
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
According to the year-wise break-up of vacant medical seats, only in the last year during the academic year 2022-2023, altogether 262 UG medical seats and 4400 PG medical seats went vacant.
The decision of the Union Health Ministry to reduce the cut-off percentile for NEET-PG 2023 to 'Zero' across all categories has been praised by FORDA. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the association mentioned, "As promised, the good news is here! We welcome the decision of @MoHFW_INDIA to make everyone eligible for the remaining rounds of counselling for #NEETPG2023. Thank you @mansukhmandviya @OfficeOf_MM @ianilradadiya Best of luck to students! #MedTwitter #MedEd."
