Significant Reduction in NEET-PG 2025 Qualifying Cut-Off Announced
Government Lowers NEET-PG 2025 Cut-Off Marks
New Delhi: The central government has made a substantial reduction in the qualifying cut-off for NEET-PG 2025. Under the new regulations, candidates from SC, ST, and OBC categories can qualify for MD and MS counseling with a score of 0 percentile, which translates to minus 40 marks out of 800.
This decision comes in light of a shortage of doctors and underutilization of training capacities, directly impacting thousands of medical graduates and healthcare services.
Details of the Cut-Off Changes
According to the revised rules, the qualifying percentile for General and EWS categories has been lowered from the 50th to the 7th percentile. For PwBD candidates in the General category, it has been adjusted from the 45th to the 5th percentile. Meanwhile, the cut-off for SC, ST, and OBC candidates has been drastically reduced from the 40th to 0 percentile, allowing for negative marking where candidates can score minus 40 out of 800.
Impact of High Cut-Offs on Seat Availability
According to the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), approximately 2.4 lakh candidates participated in this year's NEET-PG. However, due to the high cut-off, a significant number of seats remained unfilled. There are around 65,000 to 70,000 PG medical seats available across the country, and officials believe that having one out of every seven seats vacant poses a serious issue for teaching hospitals and public health services.
Response from the Indian Medical Association
On January 12, a delegation from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) wrote to Union Health Minister JP Nadda, requesting a revision of the cut-off. The IMA argued that unfilled PG seats would exacerbate the shortage of resident doctors and negatively affect patient care. NBEMS officials also emphasized that the purpose of the entrance exam is to determine merit, not to question the qualifications of already MBBS-qualified doctors.
Eligibility Increased, Rankings Remain Unchanged
NBEMS clarified that the reduction in cut-off will not alter the exam scores or rankings. This change solely determines eligibility for participation in counseling. Officials noted that the admission process had already been delayed, prompting a significant cut to expedite the filling of seats and prevent wastage of medical resources.
Concerns Raised Over the Decision
The decision has faced criticism on social media, with some doctors and experts arguing that compromising on minimum qualification standards in a profession tied to life and death could be perilous. They contend that previously, a 40th percentile was necessary for SC, ST, and OBC candidates, and eliminating this requirement could adversely affect the quality of medical education.