What After NEET? Roadmap To Medical Science Programmes

• NEET Overview
• Next Step Post NEET Exams
• Next Immediate Course Of Action Post NEET
• Results Out, What Next?
• NEET Counselling Process For Admissions – Insights
• Counselling Procedure
• Documents Required for Counselling Process
• NEET State Counselling Authorities
• What to do if I am unable to secure a seat in MBBS after NEET?

Check more: NEET Quiz videos

NEET Overview

Next Step Post NEET Exams

Next Immediate Course Of Action Post NEET

Results Out, What Next?

Once the results are declared, the next step is the counselling process for NEET 2023 exam candidates. Only those candidates are eligible for counselling who have cleared the NEET cut off declared by the NTA. The cut-off score is the minimum score required to clear the NEET exams as the qualifying score. The qualifying percentile for different categories is as mentioned below:

Candidates must have obtained the required aggregate marks in the qualifying examinations:

General category – 50th percentile

OBC/SC/ST category – 40th percentile

Physically handicapped: General category – 45th percentile

Physically handicapped: OBC/SC/ST category – 40th percentile

To summarize, once the results are declared:

• Clear the NEET cut-off score for qualifying
• Apply for the counselling process for NEET exams
• Take part in the counselling process
• Seek admission in medical institutes

At every step, until you finally get admitted to medical institutes, you will be faced with the question of What after NEET. It persists throughout, invoking ambiguity with a multitude of options, especially at this point in time. This dilemma would prevail through the many counselling sessions and even while filling the application form, constantly igniting thoughts through the period before NEET admission.

Although candidates are now accessible to enough information through the different types of counselling, be it, the count of seats or list of eligibility criteria, it often becomes a task to understand. Read further to get complete details.

Availability of MBBS/BDS Seats For Qualifying NEET Candidates

Name Of The Counselling Authority	Seat (type)
DGHS	All AIQ (All India Quota) seats All seats in deemed and central universities
State Counselling Authority	All private colleges across India (except for state quota seats that are to be availed only by domiciled candidates) State quota seats in State government colleges (to be availed only by domiciled candidates)

Process Of Application For Different Types Of Seats for NEET

I. All India Quota (AIQ) seats

The NEET AIQ scheme comprises 15% of MBBS/BDS seats from all the government dental and medical colleges across India except for Jammu and Kashmir state. For this, all the candidates qualifying the NEET exam can apply. Candidates of the J&K state cannot apply except for those who have submitted a self-declaration form during the filling up of the NEET application form. Accordingly, candidates belonging to a particular state can still seek admissions in government institutes of different states, including their own state under AIQ

In order to apply under AIQ counselling, one must provide details for the same in the application form as and when issued by the DGHS (Directorate General of Health Services) representing Medical Counselling Committee (MCC). The tentative time frame for AIQ counselling for NEET is scheduled to take place soon.

Watch this space for the registration of NEET Counselling when released, be the first to enroll.

More here: What is NEET counselling?

II. Seats at Central and Deemed Universities

Here all the seats are permitted for candidates qualifying for the NEET exams. The different universities covered under central universities are

• Banaras Hindu University (BHU)
• Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)
• Colleges affiliated with Delhi University(DU)
• Jamia Milia Islamia (JMI)

Much like AIQ, DGHS is the counselling authority for Central and Deemed Universities. When the counselling for Deemed & Central Universities commences, the application must be submitted, one must fill an application form for Deemed and Central Universities counselling as and when issued by the DGHS.

Counselling for successful candidates for seats under 15% All India Quota and 100% including 85% State quota seats of Central Institutions (ABVIMS & RML Hospital/ESIC/VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital)/ Central Universities (including BHU/ DU/ AMU)/ JIPMER/ AIIMS  and Deemed Universities, will be supervised by the MCC/DGHS for Undergraduate MBBS and BDS courses. MCC only conducts registration for AFMC and passes the data of registered candidates to AFMC Authorities for the admission process.

III. State Government Colleges

Typically, it is very clear with most of the candidates on applying to the preferred state when it comes to the “what after NEET question”. After handing over 15% of seats in AIQ, the remaining 85% seats remain with the government institutes for dental and medical courses coming under the state quota seats. These seats can be typically occupied by those candidates belonging to the respective states. In simpler words, to obtain admission under the state quota seats in Karnataka, candidates belonging to the state Karnataka only are eligible to apply.

Candidates must fill in the form as it is issued by their corresponding state counselling officials in order to apply for state quota seats in their corresponding state government colleges. Some states may commence the process of application before NEET alongside releasing the NEET state quota counselling applications once the results are declared. The links for the same will be updated here as and when it is released.

IV. Seats In Private College

Private colleges serve to be a boon to most of the students as private colleges are flexible to some extent when it comes to the domicile criteria, enabling students to apply under this category in several states preferred by them. All the qualifying candidates of NEET exams are eligible to apply for seats in private institutes (dental and medical) across the country regardless of their state of residence or domicile. This can be achieved by filling application forms of corresponding state counselling officials. But, some of the private colleges lock a certain number of seats for the state quota that exclusively belongs to applicants belonging to particular states hence only they may apply.

The authorities for state counselling and counselling for private colleges are the same. Some states commence their process of applying for state counselling (private colleges) before the NEET results are declared. The direct links for applying to private colleges for medical courses shall be given.

Seats With Particular Eligibility Requirements

Apart from the above-mentioned categories of seats, there are other seats offered such as seats in AFMC (Pune) and seats reserved for Insured Person (IP) wards in ESIC colleges. Initially, for the MBBS admissions into AFMC, Pune, the DGHS is the counselling conducting official and also for all the IP wards that apply in ESIC colleges for MBBS/BDS seats.

Those candidates that are eligible and wish to pursue admissions in AFMC or under the IP wards quota in ESIC are invited to apply for the corresponding counselling processes separately via the DGHS official website.

Check out the special eligibility criteria in AFMC, Pune, and IP wards seats in ESIC below:

Seat type	Eligibility Criteria
AFMC, Pune	AFMC shortlists candidates after it reviews applications through the DGHS application process, after which it conducts screening rounds for candidates to take up admissions. Eligibility criteria – height, age limit criteria etc.
IP Wards seats in ESIC	The DGHS has a different application form for this and hence the admission process. But basic eligibility criteria needs one of the parents to be an Insured Person as specified by the ESI Act, constituting continuous insurable employment for 3, 4 or 5 years as on 2019, 1st January

The counselling process is inevitably an answer when it comes to ‘what after NEET’ question. Once results are out, qualified candidates pick the appropriate application form for counselling following which other formalities take shape with latest updates from the counselling officials. However, the suggestion is to be aware of the basics before the actual event. Consequently, we provide an outline of events occurring in the counselling process, aiding candidates to better justify ‘what after NEET’ query.

Counselling type	Counselling Authority	Procedure
AIQ Seats Counselling	DGHS	The 15% AIQ has two rounds of counselling for MBBS/BDS seats. Post the conclusion of the second round, if any seat remains, it is shifted to the states. In the past, nearly 4591 BDS/MBBS seats in nearly 235 dental and medical institutes were made available under the 15% All India Quota
Central/Deemed Universities	DGHS	Two rounds of counselling for these universities succeeded by a mop-up round
AFMC and IP Wards for ESIC counselling	DGHS	Eligible and interested candidates for these seats are required to register for it through the DGHS portal
State Quota Counselling	State counselling authorities	Comprises 85% of the state quota seats in their respective states which are typically locked for candidates possessing domicile of states. Counselling is carried out in two or three rounds along with a mop-up round
Private College counselling	State counselling authorities	Counselling is carried out in 3-4 rounds along with a mop-up round which depends on the vacancies

Counselling officials shall release the merit list along with state ranks for the candidates that are eligible after candidates who have applied through one of the above-mentioned counselling types. Some of the state counselling officials may even issue 2 sets of NEET Merit lists – one for private and 1 for government medical colleges. One must be well-aware of the basic documents to be carried during the counselling sessions. Here is the list:

• Valid ID proof
• NEET Admit Card
• NEET Rank Letter
• Marksheet and certificate of classes 10 and 12
• Domicile proof – applicable only on state quota seats

The table below provides a list of state admission for NEET exams.

Andhra Pradesh MBBS Admissions	Assam MBBS Admissions
Bihar MBBS Admissions	Chandigarh MBBS Admissions
Chattisgarh MBBS Admissions	DU MBBS Admissions
Goa MBBS Admissions	Gujarat MBBS Admissions
Haryana MBBS Admissions	HP MBBS Admissions
IPU MBBS Admissions	J&K MBBS Admissions
Jharkhand MBBS Admissions	Karnataka MBBS Admissions
Kerala MBBS Admissions	MP MBBS Admissions
Maharashtra MBBS Admissions	Meghalaya MBBS Admissions
Manipur MBBS Admissions	Odisha MBBS Admissions
Punjab MBBS Admissions	Rajasthan MBBS Admissions
Telangana MBBS Admissions	Tripura MBBS Admissions
Tamil Nadu MBBS Admissions	UP MBBS Admissions
Uttarakhand MBBS Admissions	West Bengal MBBS Admissions

Practically, not every person attempting and appearing for NEET exams will be able to crack the exams at the first go. But this does not indicate that you should give up. The latest news on the number of attempts and upper age cap suggests that there is no such restriction on the number of attempts or upper age limit. You can always attempt NEET the next time, the next time with much better preparation and level of confidence.

If one fails to secure an MBBS seat, they can reappear at NEET exams. Candidates must be aware that the NEET score is not only applicable for securing a seat in MBBS/BDS courses but is also a qualifying exam for courses – BAMS, BYMS, BHMS, BSBS and also in veterinary sciences. With a plethora of available options for students, candidates will no more have to fret about the typical what after NEET thoughts.

Apart from this, candidates must also be aware that medicine as a domain is not limited to its conventional streams. There are allied medical fields that are vital for the efficient functioning of the medical field. Some of these programmes which students can pursue without having to attempt NEET exams are – Nursing, Clinical Psychology, Optometry, Medical Lab Technologist, Occupational therapy, Biotechnology, Biomedical Engineering, and more. There is scope for more with the current trends of advancement in the field of science and technology.

With a myriad of opportunities, one does not have to worry about career options when your passion is medicine. Good luck!

See also: NEET Admit card

Stay tuned with BYJU’S for the latest on NEET and to explore the options of career after clearing NEET.