NBEMS Lowers NEET-PG 2025 Cut-Off Percentiles to Tackle Massive Seat Vacancies, Explained
NBEMS revises NEET-PG 2025 cut-off percentiles to prevent seat wastage, expand eligibility among MBBS graduates and ensure merit-based allocation.
New Delhi: In a major policy adjustment aimed at preventing thousands of postgraduate medical seats from going vacant, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has revised the qualifying percentiles for NEET-PG 2025. The move comes in the wake of persistent vacancies across government and private medical institutions after multiple counselling rounds.
Officials' familiar with the matter noted that the decision was prompted after Round-2 of counselling concluded with over 18,000 PG seats still unfilled, a situation described as both academically wasteful and detrimental to the country’s healthcare capacity. As one source put it, "This decision follows the completion of Round-2 counselling, where over 18,000 PG seats remained unfilled in government and private medical colleges."
The revised cut-off seeks to widen the pool of eligible candidates without compromising merit. All applicants to NEET-PG are MBBS graduates who have completed their medical degrees and mandatory internships. The NEET-PG exam functions purely as a ranking system for merit-based seat allocation through central counselling.
Revised Percentile Expands Eligibility Without Diluting Standards
Authorities clarified that the updated percentile criteria do not alter academic standards. The revised norms merely extend eligibility to more MBBS-qualified doctors. As sources emphasised, leaving PG training seats vacant limits the number of medical specialists available to the country and results in a loss of key educational resources. Sources added, "The revision aims to ensure optimal utilisation of available seats, which are vital for expanding India's pool of trained medical specialists..."
IMA’s Intervention Helped Accelerate the Decision
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had formally requested a reduction in the qualifying threshold on 12 January 2026, arguing that seat wastage threatened healthcare delivery across India. NBEMS responded the following day on 13 January 2026, issuing its revised notification. The IMA welcomed the move and expressed gratitude to national leadership, stating that it thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Health Minister J.P. Nadda for their visionary leadership and timely intervention in the interest of the medical fraternity and public health."
Process to Remain Merit-Driven and Transparent
Despite the percentile relaxation, the selection and allotment system remains firmly merit-based. No direct admissions, discretionary seat allotments or off-counselling selections will be permitted. As clarified, the mechanism continues to rely on NEET-PG rank, candidate preferences and inter-se merit through authorised counselling channels. Sources reiterated, "Transparency and fairness remain central to the process."
Officials also pointed out that similar measures have been used in previous academic cycles with success, ensuring full seat utilisation without undermining academic integrity or healthcare workforce standards. As sources concluded, "This measure is consistent with past academic years and has proven effective in ensuring seat utilisation while maintaining academic integrity. It reaffirms the government's commitment to strengthening India's healthcare system through fair, transparent, and merit-driven processes."
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