NEET Counselling 2021: MCC to conduct 4 rounds of AIQ counselling

NEW DELHI: Now, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) will conduct four rounds of counselling for All India Quota (AIQ) seats in National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG and PG 2021 and vacant seats will not go back to the state quota after the second round of counselling. MCC disclosed its plan of changing the counselling process as part of an affidavit submitted in the Kerala High Court in a case filed against it by a candidate, Nihila PP.

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The apex court's direction comes after two Kerala students, who secured comparatively higher marks in NEET 2020 were denied admission to MBBS because first, there were only two rounds of counselling and second, vacant seats after round 2 were sent back to state (in their case, students under state quota got admission even while having lesser marks).

The Supreme Court has allowed the committee to conduct two more rounds including mop-up and stray vacancy round whereas earlier there were only two rounds, in total.

A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao, BR Gavai, and BV Nagarathna also directed that seats remaining vacant after the completion of the second round will not be sent back to state and rather filled up in the next two rounds.

NEET 2021: AIQ counselling process

In the affidavit filed by MCC in Kerala High Court, the changed AIQ counselling process is as follows:

• MCC will conduct 4 rounds of counselling - AIQ Round 1, AIQ Round 2, AIQ Mop-up round, and AIQ stray vacancy round.
• Remaining seats after completion of Round 2 will be filled in mop-up and stray vacancy round by MCC in online mode.
• The four rounds will only be conducted for AIQ seats having All India character which are contributed by states for 15% UG and 50% PG seats.
• Fresh candidates will only be allowed in the first three rounds and not in the stray vacancy round.
• Candidates will be given an option for upgradation and free exit only in Round 1
• Candidates who join the allotted seat in Round 1 will not be allowed to resign and will be ineligible for participating in further rounds of counseling.
• Candidates who do not join the allotted seat in Round 2 will be eligible for further rounds of counselling by paying a security deposit and fresh registration in mop-up round only.

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Recently, MCC hinted at a delay in NEET UG counselling 2021 as it issued a notice last night informing that a plea challenging EWS and OBC reservation in AIQ quota is still pending in the Supreme Court.