Delhi HC seeks Centre, NBE response on plea against reduction of qualifying percentile to zero for NEET-PG 2023

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has sought the response of the Centre and the National Board of Examination (NBE) on a plea against reduction of cut off qualifying percentile to zero for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET-PG), 2023 counselling.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav also asked the Medical Counselling Committee to respond to the petition filed by three doctors who appeared in the NEET-PG 2023 examination on March 5 and participated in the counselling.

The MBBS doctors have challenged a September 20 order of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare by which the candidates were informed about the reduction of qualifying percentile for PG courses for NEET-PG 2023 amid the ongoing admission session.

“The candidates were shocked to note that the qualifying percentile has been reduced to zero percentile, that is, minus 40 marks across all categories,” the petition, filed through advocate Tanvi Dubey, said.

The petitioners contended the government’s order is erroneous, unsustainable, legally flawed and is liable to be set aside.

“By reducing the eligibility criteria to zero percentile, that is, minus 40 marks the very purpose of conducting of the NEET PG exam stands defeated. It also fades away the entire purpose of a ‘National Eligibility cum Entrance test’ if the quotient of ‘eligibility’ itself is diluted. The passing of the impugned order will also mean that the respondents have given importance to seat filing even when the same amounts to sacrificing certain standards,” the plea said.

On September 25, the Supreme Court had refused to entertain a petition against the reduction of cut off qualifying percentile to zero for counselling.

"It is for the information to candidates that the qualifying percentile for PG Courses (Medical/Dental) for NEET PG counselling 2023 has been reduced to 'zero' across all categories by MoHFW," said a notice issued by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), Directorate of Health Services, Government of India.