NEET Merit List: NMC revises guidelines; physics scores to get priority over biology in case of tie

NEW DELHI : The National Medical Commission (NMC) has decided to revise the process for determining ranks of aspirants having an identical NEET score, prioritising marks obtained in Physics, followed by Chemistry and Biology. This is unlike the current practice of giving priority to marks obtained in Biology, followed by Chemistry and then Physics. According to the Graduate Medical Education Regulations-2023 issued recently, if the subject marks do not resolve the tie, then draw of lots using computers will be conducted to draw the merit list. There would be no human intervention in the draw of lots. The new regulations, notified on June 2, are likely to be implemented from next year.

The National Testing Agency, which conducts the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for admission to undergraduate medical courses, and the National Medical Commission (NMC) will be deliberating on the issue further, sources said. "In case of tie in marks of the students appearing for NEET-UG, the respective marks obtained in Physics, followed by Chemistry and further followed by Biology in the NEET UG shall be considered; Provided if the tie were to continue, then draw of lots by using the computer, with no human intervention, the eligible candidates shall be selected," according to the regulations.

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The NEET-UG results were declared on June 13 this year. According to the existing guidelines, if two or more candidates obtain equal marks/percentile scores, the tie-breaker rule is followed to decide their ranks. A candidate with higher marks in Biology is ranked above the rest. In case of identical marks in Biology, the same rule is applied for Chemistry, followed by Physics. If the scores still remain identical, the elder candidate gets the higher rank.

According to the new regulations, students pursuing MBBS course need to complete it within nine years from the date of admission, while they will get only four attempts to clear the first year. The NMC has also stated there shall be a common counselling for admissions to graduate courses at all medical institutions in the country on the basis of the NEET-UG merit list. "Under no circumstances the student shall be allowed more than four (04) attempts for first year (First Professional MBBS) and no student shall be allowed to continue undergraduate medical course after nine (09) years from the date of admission into the course," the NMC regulations stated.

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The student admitted into a graduate medical education programme shall not be deemed to have completed his graduation until he completes his rotating medical internship as per Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship Regulations, 2021. "Without prejudice to anything stated in the present regulations or other NMC regulations, there shall be common counselling for admission to graduate courses in medicine for all medical institutions in India based on the merit list of the NEET-UG," the notification of June 2 stated. Counselling shall entirely be based on the seat matrix provided by NMC, provided the common counselling may have multiple rounds as may be necessary, it stated.