In a recent development, Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, indicated in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha that a considerable number of medical seats will remain vacant in the 2023 academic session. The National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) for both undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) medical courses has resulted in 485 UG and 247 PG seats remaining unfilled under the all-India quota.
Quick Facts : Medical Seats Remain Vacant in 2023
| NEET 2023 Medical Seat Status | |
|---|---|
| Type of Seats | Number of Seats |
| UG Medical Seats (MBBS) | 485 |
| PG Medical Seats | 247 |
| Government Action | |
| NEET PG Percentile | Dropped to zero |
| Eligibility for Counseling | All NEET PG candidates eligible |
| Special Stray Vacancy Rounds | Conducted for PG counseling |
| Minister’s Clarification | |
| NEET Counseling Administration | Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) of DGHS |
| Reason for Percentile Drop | To fill up vacant PG seats |
| Overall Available Seats (2023 Academic Session) | |
| Total MBBS Seats | 1,01,043 |
| Total PG Medical Seats | 65,335 |
This table provides a clear overview of the status of UG and PG medical seats, government actions, and the overall availability of seats for the 2023 academic session.
The NEET PG Percentile has fallen to zero:
To address the problem of open seats, the government has taken the extraordinary step of lowering the NEET PG percentile to zero. This means that any candidate who took the NEET PG exam is now entitled to engage in counseling, enhancing the likelihood of filling these open posts.
The MCC holds special stray vacancy rounds:
The NEET UG and NEET PG counseling for admission to medical programs is administered by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Respecting the guidelines imposed by the Supreme Court. The minister clarified, in response to concerns regarding admission inequalities between general and reserved categories:
“The percentile has been dropped to zero for PG admission to fill up the vacant seats, and therefore every candidate who appeared in NEET-PG becomes eligible to participate in counseling.”
Special stray vacancy rounds have been held during the current academic year to expedite the filling of these vacant PG seats. The move is intended to ensure that all eligible candidates, regardless of percentile scores, have an equal opportunity to gain admission.
Overview of Available Medical Seats: According to previous official data, the country has a total of 1,01,043 MBBS seats and 65,335 PG medical seats for the 2023 academic session. The discovery of unoccupied seats emphasizes the importance of taking steps to maximize the usage of available medical education resources.
In conclusion, the decline in NEET PG percentile to zero represents the government’s proactive approach to addressing the issue of unfilled medical seats, giving all candidates a fair chance to participate in counseling and secure admissions.