NEET results out, time to prepare for what's next

With the declaration of the results of National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Under Graduate 2018 [NEET- UG- 2018], students should be aware of the course of action to be undertaken further to get admission to their preferred courses and colleges. NEET UG result is basically for MBBS, BDS admission in medical, dental colleges in the country except the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER). The number of seats to be filled has not been finalised for the year but it would be a maximum of around 60,000 for MBBS and 26,000 for BDS (subject to approvals by the MCI and DCI). Admissions to all government/management/minority/NRI seats are based on NEET UG rank. 

However, from this year, NEET UG has been made mandatory for admission to the AYUSH courses as well. The courses include the bachelor programmes in Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Sidha and Homoeopathy. Those desiring admission to any college in the country offering these courses have to qualify in NEET UG. Fifteen per cent of all India quota seats for Bachelor of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry in government institutions recognised by the Veterinary Council of India will be filled based on the merit of NEET UG. The details related to this can be expected at the site https://aipvt.vci.nic.in/ From 1st June, 2018, NEET UG has been made mandatory for studying MBBS/BDS in institutions outside the country.

NEET UG is only an eligibility test for admission to these courses. It is the responsibility of the candidates to apply for admissions to these courses and participate in the seat allotment process for a course coming under the purview of NEET. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family welfare, Government of India is the agency authorised by the government to conduct allotments for MBBS/BDS under four streams. Two among them are the allotments to 15% all India quota seats for MBBS/BDS in government medical/dental colleges in the country and all seats in deemed to be /central universities.

The third one is the first stage of allotment to Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune. For all these three processes, filling choices for colleges and courses have to be done through the website of MCC, www.mcc.nic.in, as per the schedule announced by it. All those who have qualified in NEET UG 2018 are eligible to fill choices for these three processes. In case of 15% all India quota and deemed to be/central university, allotments will be made by the MCC. In case of AFMC, the second stage of selection will be done by AFMC based on the choices collected through the MCC website. They would shortlist the applicants for the second stage of selection. Details of the second stage would be available at http://www.-afmcdg1d.gov.in/ and http://afmc.nic.in/

The fourth allotment activity to be undertaken by MCC would be the allotments to the seats reserved for wards of insured persons (IP Quota) in medical and dental colleges run by the Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC). Only those students who are wards of employees having the IP benefit can register options for these seats. Details related to the eligibility for IP quota seats are available at http://www.esic.nic.in/admissions. However, choice filling for seats, has to be done at www.mcc.nic.in

The state quota seats for MBBS/BDS will be filled by the authority authorised by the state governments. In Kerala, the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE) will be conducting the allotment process. The details of the agencies in different states, where information related to the state counseling may be available has been given in the NEET information brochure. In all the states/Union Territories, there would be government seats, management seats and NRI seats. There may be minority seats in some cases. 

Government seats would be offered only to students of the concerned state satisfying their nativity conditions. States offering seats on an all India basis to students from other states, under management/minority/NRI categories will invite applications in the coming days for such seats. Those interested in these seats have to apply to each of them and participate in the allotment process. So the NEET result that the student has received is only eligibility for admission to various courses. It is the responsibility of the qualified students to participate in the process of admissions as per the notification to be issued by different authorities in the coming days. 

(The author is former Joint Commissioner of Entrance Examinations, Kerala)