NEET PG counseling: Why do students demand relaxation in cut-off percentile?

Students have approached Delhi high court seeking relaxation in cut-off percentile in National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) Postgraduate (PG) counseling 2021.

The matter was being heard by Delhi HC after petitioners approached the Court in the hope of relief. Before this hearing, a Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Navin Chawla had expressed their observations on the percentile method for NEET PG Counselling 2021.

It observed that the percentile system for NEET PG Counselling cut-offs has some scope of affecting meritorious students. This could potentially lead to many students being left out due to not being able to fit the percentile cut – all this as seats in colleges also go vacant, benefiting nobody.

Arguing in favor of lowering percentile for NEET PG Counselling 2021 and admissions, the petitioners contended that lowering it is not likely to affect merit in any way. This is because the method of percentile is very different from percentage.

The petitioners’ counsel submitted in Delhi High Court that the NEET PG candidates are qualified MBBS doctors and by employing the percentile system, the examination authority is putting doubt on its own education system, Live Law reported.

By leaving out meritorious candidates based on the fact that do not qualify the 50 percentile, the examination authority is violating their fundamental rights, said the advocate.

The Bench suggested that the correct yardstick perhaps would be to apply percentage instead of percentile.