NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) was first introduced in 2013, and thereafter with its introduction the exam was challenged by respective states. And after a long drawn battle, the Supreme Court mediated and determined the examination as the national level entrance test for all medical and dental undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across the country.
But the legal battle did not end here, in 2017 NEET, CBSE was asked to remove the upper age limit of 25 years. Even the results for NEET 2017 were deferred due to issues regarding regional and English language paper inconsistencies. In 2018 it appeared that CBSE will be coming up with solutions to these issues, but after NEET 2018 application form was released the problem amplified.
Points such as applicants from open school, students who have had biology as an additional subject, those who have taken more than two years to complete their 11th and 12th and students who have studied privately were not eligible to apply for NEET were added. A petition appealed to the court by Jalaludheen T and Suresh stated, “The duration of BAMS and BHMS courses are five and a half years. Now if a person desires to take NEET-UG after completion of his course, it becomes difficult for him to do so due to the upper age limit prescribed infringing their fundamental rights enshrined under our Constitution.”
The plea submitted to the court mentioned that a decision like this is against the Supreme Court’s course which stated that there should not be any age limit for NEET. In the meantime, the interim order directed by the court, made it clear that the applicants can submit their application form, but it does not guarantee that they can sit for the exam.
The court said the interim order will continue till the next date of hearing on April 6, 2018.
NEET Cut Offs Last Year:
NEET Cut off 2017 and category-wise qualified candidates:
| Category | NEET 2017 Qualification Percentile | NEET 2017 Qualifying Score as per qualification percentile (out of 720) | Number of Candidates Qualified |
| UR | 50th Percentile | 131 | 5,43,473 |
| OBC | 40th Percentile | 107 | 47,382 |
| SC | 40th Percentile | 107 | 14,599 |
| ST | 40th Percentile | 107 | 6,018 |
| UR-PH | 45th Percentile | 118 | 67 |
| OBC-PH | 40th Percentile | 107 | 152 |
| SC-PH | 40th Percentile | 107 | 38 |
| ST-PH | 40th Percentile | 107 | 10 |
NEET Qualification Marks
| Candidates | NEET Eligibility Marks 2018 |
| General | 50% |
| ST/SC/OBC | 40% |
| General – PWD | 45% |
| ST/SC/OBC – PWD | 40% |
| Abroad Students Seeking Admission in Indian Medical Colleges | 50% |
NEET Age Limit & Relaxation Rules
| Category | NEET Exam Age Limit (In Years) | DOB |
| General | 17 – 25 | 7th May 1993 – 1st January 2002 |
| OBC/ST/SC/PWD | 17 – 30 | 7th May 1988 – 1st January 2002 |
How many attempts are allowed?
Formerly the number was capped but from 2018 it has been removed. Now, as per new rules students can appear for NEET for any number of times as long as they fulfil the eligibility criteria.
Tie breakers in merit based:
In case two or more aspirants securing equal marks then their merit tie-breaker would work like:
- Marks in Biology in NEET 2018: Applicant who has scored more marks in Biology section of NEET 2018 will be placed higher in the merit order
- Marks in Chemistry in NEET 2018: Next the applicants’ marks in Chemistry section of NEET 2018 will be considered. The one with higher marks in chemistry in NEET 2018 will be given priority
- Number of Wrong Answers: In case the tie still persists after considering the above mentioned factors, then applicants with the least number of wrong answers or incorrect responses will be placed higher
- Age:If tie remains even after considering above preferences, then seniority will be considered. Senior in age will be given precedence
The NEET 2018 exam took place on May 7 and 13,26,725 students sat for the exam conducted at 2,225 centres. The final judgement still awaits, however, students are “still hoping that the court’s judgement is delivered in our favour, so that every year students who prepare for the test do not have to face any more trouble,” said Subhojit Singh, a student appearing from Kolkata.
