NEET-UG goes up by 20L aspirants in one decade!

NEET-UG 2024

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: NEET-UG is the gateway for undergraduate medical courses including MBBS and BDS. In general, it is one of the highest-paying fields in India. As a result, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has witnessed a rise in registration for NEET-UG 2024, by around 4 lakh, compared to the last year. Notably, the agency has also witnessed a steep rise in more than 20 lakh students in the last decade (2014-2024).

Less than 21 lakh HSC aspirants and pass-out students had registered for NEET-UG 2023 and around 25 lakh registered this year till the last date (March 16). The National Eligibility-cum- Entrance Test (NEET) for undergraduate medical courses will be conducted on May 5, 2024.

The NEET-UG 2024 has already become the talk of the nation since the National Medical Commission (NMC) has revised the criteria allowing non-biology students to take NEET this year.

A group of aspirants said, “ The test is the right of students passing HSC with the Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology (PCB) subjects. We had studied Biology in XI and XIIth. However, the NMC’s new decision to allow students without Biology to sit for NEET will affect the students in large numbers. Each year, NEET-UG has become stressful since 2016. On the one hand, there is a rise in registration by 4 lakh, and on the other hand, non-biology students will encroach on our rightful seats. Indeed, their entry has made the test tougher for us (PCB group students). Besides, there was registration of 5.79 lakh students in 2014 which spiralled to over 24 lakh in 2024.”

The experts opined, " NMC is supporting students, who had changed their mind later, to pursue Medicine, from this year. Hence there was notable registration of the students having Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM) group. The test will be conducted for 2 lakh seats including over 1.10 lakh MBBS; 26,000 Dental and Others (Unani, Homeopathy, Ayurvedic, Physiotherapy, Nursing, and Veterinary courses) in India. Out of 1.10 lakh MBBS seats, 50 percent are in Government Medical Colleges, and the remaining 50 percent are in private colleges and deemed universities. An average of 50 percent of candidates clear the test every year. Last year, around 11 lakh students (out of around 21 lakh) passed the test. Although the government medical colleges are being opened in each district, but competition is not becoming easier, but stressful.”

Another expert faculty on anonymity

said, “ Needless to say, Biology is the backbone of medical education and without it, the medical students do not get a clear idea of Human Anatomy. It is the core subject for first-year MBBS, BDS, and other course students. The flexibility in criteria will affect the future of medical education. It will also create an adverse impact on the student’s future. We welcome the reforms by NMC, but time will say whether the decision was a boon or bane. Till then the PCB aspirants will be losing their seats to PCM students in the future.”

Box

Yearwise NEET-UG registration

2014 - 5,79,707

2015 - 3,74,386

2016 - 8,02,594

2017- 11,38,890

2018-13,26,725

2019-15,19,375

2020-15,97,435

2021-16,14,777

2022-18,72,343

2023-20,87,462

2024 - over 24 lakh.