NEET Counselling: Starts July, Malpractice = Cancellation

NEET Shocker! Malpractice Cancellations Could Mean 5 EXTRA Counselling Rounds!

The Centre has notified the Supreme Court that the counselling process for the controversial NEET-UG 2024 will commence in four rounds starting from the third week of July. The Union Government, through the Higher Education department of the Ministry of Education, stated in a 44-page affidavit that any student found to have benefited from malpractice would have their candidature cancelled at any stage of the counselling process or even after its completion.

The government has relied on a data analytics report from IIT (Madras) that ruled out “mass malpractice” in the NEET-UG exam, which has faced numerous allegations of question paper leaks, impersonation, and other illegal activities. In its July 8 order, the Supreme Court stated that the government must make a policy-level decision regarding the counselling process if the NTA and the Centre decide to identify any additional beneficiaries of the question paper leak.

The CBI, which is investigating the NEET-UG paper leak, has already made several arrests.

Counselling for undergraduate medical seats nationwide is conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee under the Ministry of Health for the all-India quota. State quota seat counselling is managed by the respective State counselling authorities.

The timing of seat cancellations for candidates found to have benefited from malpractices will affect seat allocation. Candidates can change seats during the first and second rounds of counselling based on their chosen options. If cancellations occur before the third round, which is expected to begin in the second week of September, there will be no impact on the overall counselling process and seat allocation.

If a candidate’s candidature is cancelled after the third round, the vacant seats can still be offered in the subsequent round. However, candidates who have already been allocated seats in earlier rounds will not be able to participate in these later rounds, the government clarified.

Typically, the counselling process includes four rounds. However, if any candidature is cancelled after these four rounds, the vacated seats could be made available in additional rounds of counselling, the Centre stated.