NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has reduced the percentile of National Eligibility and Entrance Test (PG) and NEET Super Speciality by 15 per cent. The decision will improve the chances of filling up PG seats and minimizing wastage of seats in turn benefiting about 18000 students.
Referring to the decision, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda said that all efforts are being made to fill up the PG seats. “This is a significant step towards strengthening the medical sector and indicates the priority given by the government to the health sector. We are making sure that there is adequate manpower for providing quality health services,” he said.
The government of India has decided to reduce the percentile for NEET PG and NEET SS by 15% for the good of students. This decision will benefit more than 18000 students. @MoHFW_INDIA
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) April 27, 2018
NEET cut-offs have been lowered in the past as well to benefit medical aspirants. Earlier in June 2017, the ministry had reduced the percentile by 7.5%. The decision had then been taken as not enough number of students could even secure the minimum marks needed for admissions. The government had then decided to bring down the cutoffs from 50th percentile for general category to 42.5 percentile; 40th percentile for OBC/SC/ST students to 32.5 percentile; and 45 percentile for PWD category to 37.5 percentile. The decision was limited to the 2017 academic year.