Ever since the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) announced the revised cut-off scores for General, OBC, SC/ST and PwD categories, there has been nationwide outrage from the general public, doctors' associations and many others who are questioning the authorities' decision, which could lead to long-term damage by undermining merit, medical training and even patient safety. While the decision was aimed at filling over 18,000 vacant seats, the path taken by NBEMS is being criticised left and right.

After a massive cut in the NEET PG qualifying percentile, postgraduate medical seats are getting filled at surprisingly low scores, including high-risk clinical specialties, which has sent shockwaves across the country. The impact was largely visible in the third round of counselling, where candidates bagged government college seats with scores ranging from single to double digits in both clinical and non-clinical disciplines. The top institutions as well as core clinical branches too witnessed enrolment of candidates with poor performance.

An MS orthopaedics seat at a public institute in Rohtak was allotted to a candidate having 4 marks out of 800, while obstetrics and gynaecology at a reputed Delhi medical college was secured by a candidate scoring 44 marks. Moreover, a general surgery seat was filled at 47 marks.

This has enraged the layman, as they are constantly tagging higher authorities, sparking a debate on merit, reservation policy, lowering standards of medical colleges and the quality of specialised doctors.

"An MBBS with 4 marks out of 800 is doing Orthopedics. We are creating innumerable doctor deaths. A colony of serial killers. They will kill with incompetence," one user wrote.

'Will You Get Operated By an Incompetent Surgeon'? X User Questions PM Modi

Another dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to confirm if he would ever get operated on by the same orthopaedic surgeon in case of a fracture or hip replacement.

X User Questions PM Modi Over Low Cut-off Scores

'NEETPG Aspirants Are Qualified MBBS Doctors'

While many have denounced the authorities' move, including FAIMA and FORDA, which have labelled it as “illogical” and damaging to standards, some remain unbothered about their incompetence. They argue that in NEET PG, each and every candidate is a qualified MBBS doctor and not an amateur trying to enter the medical field. They have already cleared NEET UG, survived medical college, internships and exams. Right now, they are only competing for postgraduate specialisation, not to practise medicine.

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