In a significant development, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has announced a substantial reduction in the qualifying percentile for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2023. This revision applies universally across all categories, effectively setting the qualifying percentile to zero. As a result of this decision, all candidates who participated in the NEET PG 2023 examination will now be deemed eligible to partake in the upcoming postgraduate medical counseling process. This change carries significant implications for aspiring medical professionals, ensuring a more inclusive selection process.

The National Eligibility Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) is a crucial qualifying and ranking examination in India. It is designed for students aspiring to pursue a range of doctorate, postgraduate, and diploma courses, both in government and private medical colleges throughout the nation. The administration of this examination falls under the purview of the National Board of Examinations, while the subsequent counseling and seat allocation process is overseen by the Directorate General of Health Services. NEET PG plays a pivotal role in determining the academic and professional paths of aspiring medical professionals in India.

What has changed?

Before candidates in the general category were required to achieve a percentile score of at least 50% to become eligible for NEET PG counseling. In simpler terms, this meant that aspiring medical students needed to score higher than half of all candidates. Once qualified, they could select seats in various departments based on their cutoff scores and seat availability. This relaxation now extends eligibility to students with a percentile score of zero, including individuals who scored no marks on the test, for postgraduate courses.

India boasts a substantial count of nearly 70,000 postgraduate medical seats. However, each year, a notable portion, specifically around 2,000 to 2,500 seats, remains unoccupied due to a lack of interested candidates. Officials within the health ministry have indicated that the reduction in the qualifying percentile is a strategic measure aimed at preventing the wastage of these postgraduate seats.

A closer examination of the comprehensive NEET PG 2023 results reveals that the zero percentile cutoff implies that 14 candidates, who managed to secure zero marks in the exam, as well as 13 individuals who scored negative marks, will also qualify. The lowest recorded score among these qualifiers stands at minus 40 out of a total of 800 marks.