Supreme Court Questions NEET-PG Cut-Off Reduction, Seeks Centre’s Justification

Supreme Court questions NEET-PG cut-off reduction, seeks Centre’s reply on impact on medical education quality.

SC questions NEET-PG cut-off reduction, seeks Centre’s reply on quality impact

Source : ANI

The Supreme Court on Monday (February 23, 2026) said it will examine whether the sharp reduction in the NEET-PG 2025–26 cut-off could impact the quality of medical education. Calling the issue serious, the court was hearing petitions challenging a January 13 notice issued by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS). 

The notice had significantly lowered the qualifying marks for NEET-PG 2025–26. According to the board, the decision was taken on the directions of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, primarily in view of more than 18,000 vacant postgraduate medical seats. 

Court Flags Concerns Over Education Quality 

As reported by Bar and Bench, the matter came up before a bench of Justice P. S. Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe. The court observed that its primary concern was the possible adverse impact on academic standards. 

The bench told NBEMS that it must demonstrate that such a steep reduction in the cut-off would have minimal effect on the quality of medical education. At the same time, the court acknowledged the Centre’s argument that the case differs from undergraduate admissions. 

The court noted that the government’s submission that this is not an MBBS admission process and that applicants are already qualified doctors appears logical. However, it added that the impact of lowering the cut-off still needs careful examination. 

What Changed in NEET-PG Cut-Off 

Following the revision, the qualifying percentile for SC, ST, and OBC candidates was reduced from 40 to zero. This means candidates scoring even minus 40 out of 800 marks can participate in the third round of counselling. 

For the general category, the cut-off was lowered from the 50th percentile to the 7th percentile, allowing candidates with 103 marks out of 800 to be eligible for counselling. 

Centre Defends Decision 

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, referred to the government’s affidavit and said the cut-off was reduced due to a large number of vacant seats. 

She argued that the exam does not certify minimum clinical competence because candidates already hold MBBS degrees. According to the government, the purpose of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Postgraduate) is to compare candidates for limited seats and filter out the ineligible. 

Justice Narasimha remarked that while the Centre’s reasoning that NEET-PG is not an MBBS entrance and candidates are already doctors was valid, the court would still like to assess the consequences of lowering the cut-off. 

Policy Background and Next Hearing 

In its affidavit, the Director General of Health Services under the Health Ministry stated that reducing the qualifying percentile in NEET-PG is not unprecedented. Since the exam’s introduction in 2017, the cut-off has been lowered in appropriate situations to prevent seats from remaining vacant. 

The affidavit also noted that in the 2023 academic year, the qualifying percentile for all categories had been reduced to zero, making the current move consistent with established policy and administrative practice. 

For the 2025–26 academic session, approximately 70,000 seats were available against a total of 2,24,029 candidates. 

The matter is scheduled for further hearing on March 24. 

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