The way out of NEET

The following questions and answers attempt to give a low-down on how the new system of admission to medical and dental courses (both graduate and PG) works:

How would seats in MBBS and BDS courses in government medical colleges be filled up?

 Admission to every seat in government medical colleges shall be made by the appropriate admission authority on the basis of the marks obtained by a student in the relevant subjects in the qualifying examination (Plus Two).

How would post-graduate medical/dental admissions be made?

Admission to every government seat in each speciality in post-graduate courses in medicine and dentistry shall be made, by the appropriate authority, on the basis of the marks obtained by a student in the entrance examination (not NEET) and the experience criteria, as may be prescribed. Fifty per cent of government seats in each of the speciality would be allocated to doctors in government service.

How would the marks obtained by students from other Boards be normalised for admission into these seats?

By adopting a method of normalisation, the highest marks obtained by students of various Boards in each subject shall be equated to the highest marks obtained by students of State Board in that subject, and the relative marks obtained by other students in that subject shall be determined accordingly.

For instance, if the highest mark secured by a State Board student in Chemistry is 100 and the highest mark secured by the student of any other Board in the same subject is 90, both the highest marks will be considered to be equal to 100. In case a student from other Boards secures 70 marks in Chemistry, while the first mark in the subject is 90, the 70 marks obtained by him would be considered as 77.77 marks (100 X 70/90 = 77.77%).

How would the common merit list be prepared and counselling conducted?

Once the marks obtained by various Boards are normalised, qualifying students from all Boards are merged into a common merit list.  In case more than one student has the same marks, the inter-se merit among such students shall be determined in such manner as may be prescribed. Once the rank lists for admission of students to government seats are prepared, seats are allotted to students through centralised counselling and by following the rule of reservation as per the law in force.

What happens if this Act is violated?

According to the Bill, whoever contravenes the provisions of the Act or the rules shall be punishable with fine which may extend to Rs. 10 lakh. If any educational institution violates the Act, the government would recommend to University or Board concerned to withdraw its affiliation or recognition.

The rule would apply to all government seats in MBBS and BDS courses in government colleges, excluding the seats reserved for all India quota, 65 per cent of seats in MBBS and BDS courses in non-minority educational institutions and 50 per cent of seats in minority educational institutions. Plus two or Class 12 is the qualifying examination for admissions into these courses.