MHCET cut-off likely to be higher; candidates score under additional quota too

Maharashtra: Anxiety of over 950 medical aspirants who appeared for MHCET was put to rest after they were granted extra marks under the sports and NCC based quota. This extra merit to students is given on basis of excelling in sports, participating in any kind of activity conducted by the National Cadet Corps Candidates, candidates who are off-springs of freedom fighters, or if their parents have participated in the Hyderabad & Goa liberation movements. Students falling under these categories are granted 1% mark.

Students implied that this additional quota is so important that even if you score two extra marks, it will make a huge difference for admission. Vaibhav Jagtap from Solapur (198/200), earlier held the 9^th rank in MHCET. However, with the additional quota-under which he was given 2 extra marks, he now holds the 2^nd rank. He was given extra marks for NCC.

Likewise, Pratik Joshi, held the 6^th position, has now been granted 3^rd rank. Rishabh Rawat has however retained the number one rank. The three rank holders now boast of a 200/200 top score. Shrishti Patil is at the 5^th rank and holds the top position among girls. 1^st and 4^th rankers belong to Mumbai.

Director of Directorate of Medical Education and Research Pravin Shingare said to TOI that 950 students have benefited from the sports and NCC marks. "The maximum a few students have got is up to eight marks. Students are usually given two marks for each sport and separate marks for NCC. So ranks of 950 students have gone up from what they were expecting," said Shingare.

On the flip side, there are many students who have been left disappointed. A parent implied that many students have suffered in ranks with sports marks now added to the cut-off scores for admissions under open category for Mumbai based colleges. There are five colleges in Mumbai for open category admissions. An official also implied that there are students whose ranks have dropped now. However, there are 950 students who have gained. Those on the edge may have to opt for admissions outside Mumbai also.

Parents are also worried about the high cut-offs for medical admissions this year. Pranjal Patil, a repeater student, has secured 179 but his State Merit List (SML) rank is 1,400. Anagha Patil, his mother, said to the Express newspaper that, “Last year, if a student secured 179, they stood a chance at getting into Cooper Hospital or Rajiv Gandhi Medical College in Mumbai. But this year, the cut-off marks will be higher.”

Many students feel that their result are beyond their own expectations. Chaitrali Shinde (18), a student was hoping to secure a rank of 700 after scoring 181 out of 200 in the test. However, after the results were out, her rank was 151.

Dr Keyur Cholera, a teacher and medical professional, implied that in the last ten years, government medical colleges in Mumbai closed admission with top 500 students with a cut-off of 182. However, this year the cut off can be as high as 187.

Cholera said to Express that among the three zones — Vidarbha, Marathwada and Rest of Maharashtra (RoM) — an unusually large number of students from Vidarbha and Marathwada fared better than those from RoM. “Had it been a gradual rise, we could have attributed it to better educational infrastructure and coaching institutes,” said Cholera.