NEET PG 2023 cut-off reduced to zero for all categories, medical bodies react

“Approval of competent authority is hereby conveyed for reduction of qualifying percentile for NEET PG 2023 to ‘Zero’ across all categories,” it added.

Dr Harish Gupta, ex-NMC member and elected member of Delhi Medical Council (DMC), said that the decision has been made to fill all the clinical and non-clinical seats and unlike previous years, no seats are left behind.

“Admission to all the postgraduate seats will be filled in accordance with the NEET PG counselling norms,” Dr Gupta added reiterating that the students have already cleared the rigorous syllabus of MBBS.

While the counselling committee and the administering bodies have welcomed the decision to reduce the cut-off to zero, the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has condemned the decision. 

FAIMA president Dr Rohan Krishnan in a video message said: “The decision to lower the cut-off to 0 has made a mockery of the standard of medical education and healthcare system in India. It will only promote corruption and high fee in private medical colleges.” 

The NEET PG cut-off percentile was 50th for unreserved categories, 45th for PwD categories and 40th for reserved category students. 

Interestingly, the NEET PG cut-off for general category candidates was reduced from the 50th percentile to 35th in 2022. The cut-off for unreserved PwD candidates was dropped from 45th percentile to 20th percentile and for students belonging under SC, ST and OBC (including PwD of SC, ST, OBC), the cut-off was reduced to 20th percentile from 40th.

The IMA in a letter to the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare on September 13 had urged the minister to reconsider the cut-off criteria to include more number of students in PG and reduce wastage of seats.