As per the Indian state-appointed admissions regulatory body, private institutes have to abide by tight norms for NRI seat. The candidate or his/her parent must be an NRI to avail the seat. Surprisingly, after the last mop-up round, around 150 seats in private medical colleges are available out of 200 seats. That is the final closure round from seats available after students drop out in the second round.
Another 50 seats in the institutional quota remain vacant too. "These seats will be available in the mop-up round," said Dr Pravin Shingare, head of the Directorate of Medical Education and Research. Deemed universities are governed by the admission regulatory body appointed by them, as per the rights awarded by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
The rule for NRI seats in deemed universities is flexible enough for the seats to get snapped up fast. If your great-grandfather's great-granduncle was an NRI, you are eligible to get admission under the NRI quota in deemed universities. But private colleges have seen most seats under this quota go abegging.
"Things have still not settled down. When parents come to our campus, they start negotiating to pay a component of the fees in cash," said a principal. But colleges felt that the seats may fill up after the latest circular to reduce NEET eligibility.
"It has been decided in consultation with the Medical Council of India (MCI) to reduce the percentile cut-offs for NEET-PG 2017 by 7.5, taking them to 42.5 for general candidates, 32.5 for reserved category candidates and 37.5 for PWD category," said a health ministry note.
Many seats were left vacant, with insufficient candidates having met the qualifying cut-off score. "As per clause 9, sub-clause III, of the Medical Council of India's Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations (PGMER) 2000, when sufficient candidates fail to secure minimum marks, the central government in consultation with MCI, may lower minimum marks, which will be applicable for that academic year only. Representations were received from some state governments that seats in some categories may remain vacant as there are insufficient candidates," added the ministry's note.