NEET Result 2021: Why are there three NEET toppers, 12 in AIR 5 this year?

NEW DELHI: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has declared the result of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET 2021) at neet.nta.nic.in. Along with the result, NEET 2021 toppers have also been announced.

As per the NEET 2021 toppers list, The top three NEET rank holders scored 720 out of 720 and secured AIR 1. A score of 715 saw 12 medical aspirants getting AIR 5. The erstwhile age factor has been removed from the inter-se-merit for NEET 2021 result. This means that the top 3 NEET 2021 toppers got the same AIR 1 because they scored the same marks not just in the exam but in each subject and also had the same number of attempts. A look at the details below shows the same.

NEET 2021 toppers - AIR 1 holders

The other side of the inter-se-merit being enforced saw some aspirants scoring the same marks but getting different ranks. For example, Khandavally Shashank got AIR 5 by scoring 715 but Gowrishankar S who also scored 715 was given AIR 17. A look at the table below shows 16 students with the same NEET marks but only 12 got the same rank.

NEET 2021 toppers; who hold the same marks but different ranks

To understand the rationale behind this allotment of ranks, we take a quick look at the inter-se-merit guidelines that govern the same.

NEET 2021 result: Tie-breaking criteria

In case two or more candidates score the same marks or percentile, NTA uses the specified tie-breaking process to resolve the tie. Inter-se-merit is decided as follows:

• Candidates obtaining higher marks/percentile scores in Biology (Botany and Zoology) in the test will be awarded the better rank, followed by

• Students with higher marks/percentile scores in Chemistry in the NEET exam

• At last, aspirants with less number of attempted incorrect answers and correct answers in all the subjects in the test

This means that all students who scored the same ranks not just scored the same overall marks in NEET 2021 but also scored the same marks in the subjects and had the same number of attempted answers.

NEET 2020 saw Soyeb Aftab getting AIR 1 and not Akanksha Singh who had the same score. This was due to the age factor of the tie-breaking policy which stands removed this year.

NEET 2021 exam was conducted on September 12 for admission to 83,075 medical, 26,949 dental, 52,720 AYUSH, and 603 veterinary seats across India. From this year, BSc nursing admissions will also be done through NEET 2021 results.