Current affairs

Inside story: The Modi regime sets '0' as cut-off for NEET PG...What's behind the move and how it sparked fury?

By alagu, 21 September, 2023
NEET, BJP, Narendra Modi, Medical colleges

Startling the country's healthcare ecosystem, the central ruling Modi regime, which has been racking up a slew of controversial policies, has now added a new such contentious policy to the list - upending the cut-off for the post-graduation (PG) degree of National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), which has become the country's single window entrance test for the medical courses. 

The government didn't reduce the cut-off but it had ultimately reversed the gateway that it has now become that all the students who appear for NEET for PG can pursue the PG courses without any cut-off. Yes, you read it right! The government has declared that the cut-off for the NEET PG medical seats will be 'Zero'. This means that all candidates across the country who appeared for 2023 NEET PG exam will be eligible for admission. 

The abrupt move of declaring 'zero' cut-off had sparked a blend of reactions from the medical fraternities, educationalists, and the opposition leaders who say that the decision to annul the cut-off would pose a risk equally to the health infrastructure and to people's lives. Though the Indian Medical Association (IMA) came to defend the zero cut-off, a sea of people in the medical profession expressed their fury and labeled the move 'bizarre'.

In the wake of the zero cut-off, there will be no minimum qualifying marks and that the candidates who appeared for the NEET PG 2023 are now eligible for admission to the medical seats that may still be available in MD/MS courses following two rounds of counselling. On Wednesday - September 20, the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has issued a direction to the National Medical Commission, approving the reduction of NEET PG qualifying percentile to zero. 

In a communique sent to the National Medical Commission, an Under Secretary of the Union Health Ministry, with a subject 'Reduction of qualifying percentile for NEET-PG 2023' said, "I am directed to refer to the above mentioned subject and to say that the recommendation for 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." 

The communique was also sent to the National Board of Examinations which conducts NEET PG and to the medical counselling division of the ministry and to the health secretaries of all the states and Union territories. The Union health ministry has also directed the National Medical Commission to allow the candidates to edit their choices before counselling. The declaration of 'zero' cut-off has come at a high time when the government was demanded by the Indian Medical Association and the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association. 

Why Zero cut-off and what's behind the move? 

Before the zero cut-off, the cut-off percentile for NEET PG seats during the first two rounds of counselling was - 50 for the unreserved category, 45 for the PwD (persons with disabilities) category, and 40 for reserved-category students. Now, the cut-off percentile across all categories will become 'Zero', signalling that this year's PG medical seats will witness a deluge of admissions. 

On the question of what's the primary cause behind this zero cut-off move, the government has made such startling decision with a view of filling up all the clinical and non-clinical seats that have been remained vacant across the country and to allow more doctors to secure postgraduate medical degrees and specialisations. The Print has quoted an official of the health ministry saying that the move was aimed at filling stray PG seats in medical colleges that have been going vacant year after year. 

Speaking to The Print, the official said, "Last year too, for the last round of counselling, the qualifying percentile was reduced to 30 but nearly 4,000 seats went vacant. This has become a norm almost every year and mostly, there are no takers for non-clinical or research subjects such as anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, and pharmacology while branches which promise good clinical practice later are quickly picked up by candidates." 

He further said that through the move, the government has aimed to fill PG seats in all streams in a bid to produce postgraduate doctors who would be interested in working as faculty for non-clinical subjects in medical colleges. "It also needs to be noted that there is a merit list that has been prepared for NEET PG and the relaxation being given now is only to fill the leftover seats", the official added. 

A handful of support and a houseful of criticism

The Modi regime's move to set the cut-off as Zero for NEET PG admissions has drawn a handful of support and a houseful of criticism. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has supported the government's move and issued a statement thanking the Union health minister and by welcoming the decision, IMA has noted its demand to implement the zero cut-off and claimed that in the wake of the high percentile of admission, many deserving students were unable to join PG courses despite several seats remain vacant. 

However, several medical fraternities, educationalists, and the opposition leaders had expressed their fury as the decision has shocked them. The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) took to social media and wrote, "We are shocked to see such notice released by Ministry of Health regarding NEET PG cut-off. It is ridiculous to see zero percentile candidates are eligible for getting a postgraduate seat. This is mockery of the standard of medical education & healthcare system." 

FAIMA's Chairman Dr Rohan Krishnan said that the government's decision would promote corruption and would lead to a surge of course fees in the medical colleges. Taking to X (erstwhile Twitter), Rohan Krishnan wrote, "I completely disagree with the bizarre circular released by the Union Health Ministry of removing cut-off bar from NEET PG. PMO India - it is only going to promote corruption and high fee in private medical colleges. It is shameful that any medical body supported this step of zero percent merit. Medical Industry has come for sale in India and merit is dying everyday." 

Several medical professionals said that the government's decision of zero cut-off for NEET PG is an insult to the students who spent hours of learning and dedication. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, who is a staunch critic of NEET and is fighting to win exemption from NEET for his state, said that the Union BJP government has accepted that the benefit of NEET is Zero. 

Stalin wrote on social media, "The Union BJP Government has accepted that benefit of NEET is ZERO! By reducing the NEET PG cut-off to 'zero', they are accepting that 'eligibility' in National 'Eligibility' Cum Entrance Test is meaningless. It's just about coaching centres and paying for the exam. No more qualification is required. NEET = 0. NEET has nothing to do with merit, which we have been saying all along. It has become a mere formality, devoid of any real eligibility criteria. The Union BJP Govt remained heartless despite so many precious lives were lost and has now come up with an order like this. The BJP Govt must be removed just for causing loss of lives with the guillotine called NEET." 

 

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