NEET PG 2024 (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Postgraduate) is an important exam for all medical graduates as it gives entry into MD, MS & DNB in different institutions. The reservation policy, especially in respect of the All India Quota (AIQ), is one of the important features of NEET PG 2024. Today, we will be looking into the NEET PG 2024 reservation policy including, the roster system, eligibility and non-eligibility criteria that candidates need to know about the All India Quota (AIQ).
NEET PG 2024 AQI, All-India Quota Counselling
Under the All India Quota (AIQ) for NEET PG, 50 percent of all postgraduate seats from government medical and dental colleges across the country are available for central counseling. It is conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. AIQ system has a predefined reservation policy and roster that assigns seats to various categories of candidates.
- Reservation Policy for NEET PG 2024 Super Specialities Under All India Quota
The reservation policy for the All India Quota seat for NEET PG 2024 has been framed to provide a representation of candidates belonging to SC, ST, OBC, EWS, and Persons with Disability (PwD). Let us take a closer look at the reservation percentage for All India Quota under each of the Categories.
Reservation Breakdown
The following is the reservation breakdown under the All India Quota in NEET PG 2024:
- Scheduled Castes (SC): 15% of seats are reserved for candidates belonging to the SC category.
- Scheduled Tribes (ST): 7.5% of seats are reserved for ST candidates.
- Other Backward Classes (OBC): 27% of seats are reserved for candidates under the OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) category, as per the central government list.
- Economically Weaker Sections (EWS): 10% of seats are reserved for candidates from the EWS category, based on central government norms.
- Persons with Disabilities (PwD): 5% of seats are horizontally reserved across all categories for candidates with benchmark disabilities, following the guidelines established by the National Medical Commission (NMC).
This reservation policy ensures representation and opportunity for candidates from diverse social and economic backgrounds, fostering inclusivity in postgraduate medical education.
Horizontal Reservation for PwD Candidates
The 5% horizontal reservation for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) applies across all categories (SC, ST, OBC, EWS, and unreserved categories). This reservation follows the standards outlined in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 and the guidelines from the NMC. To be eligible, candidates must obtain a certified disability certificate from designated centers authorized to issue PwD certificates under the NMC guidelines.
- NEET PG 2024 All India Quota Roster System
The roster system under the NEET PG 2024 All India Quota is designed to ensure that the reservation policy is consistently implemented throughout the counselling and seat allocation process. The 3200-point roster system is applied to the 50% AIQ seats by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) of the DGHS.
The roster system works as follows:
- Implementation of Reservation Policy: The roster ensures the correct allocation of seats based on the reservation percentages for SC, ST, OBC, EWS, and PwD categories.
- Transparency and Fair Allocation: Through the roster system, the AIQ seat allocation is automated and free of manual intervention, which guarantees transparency and fairness in implementing the reservation policy.
- Conversion of Unfilled Reserved Seats: If seats in a reserved category remain unfilled after exhausting the list of eligible candidates in that category, a conversion process is triggered in the following order:
- ST (PwD) to ST
- SC (PwD) to SC
- UR (PwD) to UR
- OBC (PwD) to OBC
- ST to SC
- SC to UR
- EWS to UR
The roster system ensures that seats are only converted when all eligible candidates within a category have been allotted their seats, thereby maintaining the integrity of the reservation structure.
- NEET PG 2024 Eligibility Conditions for All India Quota
Candidates must meet certain eligibility criteria to participate in the NEET PG 2024 All India Quota counseling process. These conditions are set to ensure that candidates possess the required qualifications and standards for postgraduate medical education.
Basic Eligibility Criteria
- NEET PG Qualification: Only candidates who qualify for the NEET PG 2024 examination are eligible to participate in the All India Quota counselling process. NEET PG results, including ranks and scorecards, are available on the National Board of Examinations (NBE) website.
- Domicile-Free Quota: The All India Quota (AIQ) does not have domicile restrictions. Therefore, candidates from any state in India are eligible to participate in AIQ counselling, provided they meet the NEET PG qualification criteria.
- Disability Certification for PwD Candidates: Candidates who wish to avail themselves of the 5% PwD reservation must obtain an online disability certificate from designated centers. These centers are approved by the NMC to issue certificates based on the 21 benchmark disabilities listed in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016. The disability certificate must be obtained before the start of the choice-filling process.
Important Points to Remember
- Counselling Participation: Candidates who qualify for the All India Quota seats based on their NEET PG rank can participate in the AIQ counselling process. However, only candidates meeting the eligibility conditions set by the MCC and DGHS will be allotted seats.
- Merit and Seat Allotment: AIQ seats are allotted based on a candidate’s NEET PG rank, category, and the choices filled during the counselling process. Meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee seat allotment; it only enables candidates to participate in the counselling process.
- Non-Eligibility Conditions for NEET PG 2024 All India Quota
While most candidates who qualify for NEET PG are eligible for the All India Quota, certain conditions can render a candidate ineligible for the AIQ counselling process.
Non-Eligibility Conditions
The following conditions make a candidate ineligible for NEET PG 2024 All India Quota counselling:
- Unqualified NEET PG Candidates: Candidates who do not qualify for NEET PG 2024 are automatically excluded from AIQ counselling.
- Incomplete Internship: Candidates who do not complete their one-year rotating internship by August 15, 2024, are ineligible to participate in the AIQ counselling process. The internship completion date is subject to change by the authorities and should be verified on the MCC website.
- Invalid Registration: Candidates must have a valid registration certificate from the National Medical Commission (NMC) or a State Medical Council. Without a valid registration, candidates cannot participate in AIQ counselling.
- Incorrect Documentation: Candidates are advised to carefully review and verify all documentation submitted during the NEET PG counselling process. Any discrepancies or fraudulent documentation will result in disqualification and the forfeiture of the security deposit. Candidates who fail to produce required documents during the admission process will lose their allotted seat and be excluded from further rounds of counselling.
- Multiple Registrations: Candidates are allowed to register only once for the NEET PG counselling process. Multiple registrations by a candidate will lead to disqualification, and any seats allocated based on such registrations will be cancelled.
Conclusion
NEET PG 2024 reservation policy under the All India Quota (AIQ) is designed to provide equal opportunity and representation for candidates from all sections of society. The MCC lays down transparent and fair norms for the counselling process by enumerating eligibility, non-eligibility, reservation percentage, Gatekeeper staff center roster, etc. They should make sure that they conform to all the rules for participation laid down by these policies. Hence, through having knowledge and keeping in mind these policies eligible candidates can gain an advantage while getting a postgraduate medical seat under the NEET PG 2024 All India Quota.