Record 67 candidates score 720/720 in NEET-UG

NEW DELHI: A record 67 candidates were announced joint toppers with a perfect score of 720 in this year’s National Eligibility-cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) for admission to undergraduate medical courses. Among the toppers include 53 male candidates, 16 from OBC (non-creamy layer) category, five from economically general weaker section category and two from SC category.The competition also gets tougher this year with higher cut-offs across categories. A total of 13.16 lakh qualified this year, compared to 11.44 lakh in 2023. The number of candidates who appeared also increased significantly from 20.38 lakh in 2023 to 23.33 lakh this year. The National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the results on Tuesday.
Rajasthan got 11 toppers followed by eight from Tamil Nadu and seven from Maharashtra. State-wise once again Uttar Pradesh (1.6 lakh) has the highest number of qualifiers, followed by Maharashtra (1.4 lakh) and Rajasthan (1.2 lakh). Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are the two other States in top five with over 89,000 candidates each qualifying the exam, while from Kerala over 86,000 qualified.
According to a senior NTA official, candidates who scored identical marks are accorded ranks as per the tie-breaker rule where the candidate with higher marks in biology is ranked above the rest. In case of identical marks in biology, the same rule is applied for chemistry followed by physics. Even after this the scores remain identical, the elder candidate gets the higher rank.
According to NTA, a question on “Atoms” was challenged by the candidates contesting that there are two options which are correct, instead of one as stated in the answer key. While the question was picked from the new NCERT textbook where it was stated as “Atoms of most of the elements are stable”, the candidates pointed that the old version stated the answer “Atoms of each element are stable.” “Therefore, both the answers are taken as correct due to which marks of 44 candidates’ jumped from 715 to 720,” said an official.
While the number of female toppers is just 14, of the 13.16 lakh qualifiers 58.4% are females. In continuation of the trend in the past, over 2.2 lakh more female candidates than male qualified. Last year 1.6 lakh more female candidates than male qualified.
With the aspirants scoring high, the range of qualifying marks this year increased significantly as compared to 2023. While the range of qualifying marks for General and EWS category had been set at 137-164 as against 720-137 in 2023, the cut-off for OBC, SC and ST increased to 163-129 from 136-107 last year. Similarly, the qualifying marks range for General/ EWS PwD candidates is 163-146, up from 136-121 in 2023. This year’s qualifying marks range for disabled among OBC and SC candidates is 145-129, up from 120-108.
NEET-UG 2021 was conducted on May 5, 2024 and it an attendance of 97%. The results were announced in less than a month, compared to 37 days in 2023.
For the 15% all-India quota seats, NTA in a statement said: “The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Government of India will conduct the Counselling for 15% All India Quota Seats, Deemed Universities, Central Universities, Seats of ESIC and AFMC, BHU and AMU. Candidates may visit the website www.mcc.nic.in for further information. Candidates will apply for 15% All India Quota seats as per the directions of DGHS and Counselling will be stopped once the seats are exhausted. The details and schedule of counselling would be available on the websites of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education Directorates of States.”