NEET-PG 2024: Candidates Protest Revised Merit List Process, Claiming Opaqueness And Limited State Authority

Mumbai: The National Medical Commission (NMC) and the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) have announced a new process for preparing the state merit ranks (SMR) for NEET-PG 2024 candidates, sparking concerns over the fairness and transparency of the process as the candidates alleged that the “stubborn move” was aimed at not disclosing their raw scores.

In a shift that the authorities said was to address logistical challenges, the NBEMS will now prepare state-specific merit lists instead of the individual states. However, the lack of transparency in this new system has led to concerns, particularly as the matter is already under scrutiny in the Supreme Court, where petitioners have demanded access to raw scores.

In a recent NMC letter, addressed to V Hekali Zhimomi, additional secretary at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), NBEMS's new role in preparing the merit ranks was confirmed. The letter cited prevention of potential delays in the NEET-PG counselling process, which is set to begin soon, as the reason for the centralised process.

In light of recent changes in the exam structure, some states have reportedly struggled to compile accurate merit lists, especially for in-service candidates eligible for additional incentive marks for working in rural or underprivileged areas, according to the letter.

During a virtual meeting held on Monday, which included officials from NMC, NBEMS, and various state counselling representatives, Dr. N. Iboyaima Mangang, additional director of NBEMS, outlined the revised process. Under the new protocol, NBEMS will generate state-specific merit lists using data submitted by each state.

States are expected to complete candidate registrations by November 5, and submit the data in a secure, password-protected format by November 6. NBEMS has committed to releasing these SMRs within a week, aiming to streamline the ranking process and reduce delays in counselling.

However, this change has drawn criticism from candidates and state regulatory authorities alike. In the Supreme Court, petitioners have expressed concerns about the lack of access to raw scores, arguing that without these scores, state authorities cannot independently verify the merit ranks.

"Without the raw scores, it’s impossible for state admission regulators to ensure that the ranking is fair and accurate," said Brijesh Sutaria, a Mumbai-based medical education activist. The new system, which does not provide individual scores to candidates or state authorities, has left many feeling uncertain about the fairness of the process, he added.

In the past, states could add incentive marks for in-service quota candidates and create their own ranks based on individual scores. However, NBEMS's refusal to share these scores has significantly limited states’ control over the merit list, making it difficult for them to address state-specific policies, particularly for in-service candidates. This centralised approach effectively revokes traditional state autonomy, limiting states' ability to influence their own admission processes.

With the matter reaching the apex court, where the petitioners have asked how states could fulfil their regulatory duties without access to raw scores, this revised NBEMS protocol is seen as a workaround to this concern, but it has not addressed the underlying transparency issues that many feel are essential for a fair admission process.

The frustration is echoed among candidates as well. "How can we be assured of our rank’s legitimacy if we don’t know our own scores?" questioned a NEET-PG aspirant. Many students feel that the opaque system could lead to inconsistencies and biases in state-specific ranks, which will raise the question of trust in the admission process.

Candidates hope that the Supreme Court stays the implementation of this new protocol in the coming weeks, before the NEET-PG 2024 counselling begins. Candidates are hopeful for a resolution from the top court that prioritises transparency and fairness in NEET-PG admissions.