SC to examine if NEET-PG cut-off reduction affects quality of education

The Supreme Court on Monday said it would examine whether the sharp reduction in the qualifying marks for NEET-PG 2025-26 affects the standard of postgraduate medical education.

A bench of Justice PS Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe made the remarks while hearing a batch of petitions challenging the reduction in the percentile cut-off for the current academic year.

"Adversely affecting the quality of education is what we are concerned about more than anything. It is about the quality. You will have to satisfy us that the reduction of the cutoff so drastically...will have little impact on the quality of education. Though you are justified in saying that this is not like entry into MBBS, this is like a post-graduation. It stands on a different footing because those who apply are already doctors. We will have to reflect on this issue," the top court said.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, referred to the reasoning set out in the government's affidavit and submitted that the decision was taken in view of vacancies.

She submitted that the examination does not certify minimum clinical competence since candidates have already obtained MBBS degrees, and NEET-PG is meant to compare and filter out candidates in view of limited seats.

Justice Narasimha said that although the Union was justified in stating that NEET-PG was not an entry into MBBS and that candidates are already doctors, the court would still like to consider the effect of reducing the cut-off.

It posted the matter for further hearing on March 24.

The petitioners have challenged the January 13 notice issued by the National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), by which the minimum qualifying percentile cut-off for counselling of the third round of NEET PG 2025-2026 was reduced.

The director general of health services of the Union health ministry, in its affidavit filed in the matter, said that the challenge by petitioners pertains to an academic and policy determination taken by competent statutory authorities under the National Medical Commission Act 2019, in public interest and within the domain of expert regulation.

"It is respectfully submitted that the reduction of qualifying percentile NEET-PG is not unprecedented. Since the inception of NEET-PG in 2017 percentile reductions have been affected in appropriate circumstances to prevent seat wastage. In the academic year 2023 as well, the qualifying percentile was reduced to zero across categories. The present decision is thus consistent with the established policy and administrative practice," it said.

The Centre said scores in NEET-PG examination are a function of relative performance and examination design, which cannot be construed as determinative of clinical incompetence.

"It is pertinent to note that purpose of the NEET-PG is not to certify minimum competence which stands established by the MBBS qualification itself of the candidates but to generate an inter se merit list for allocation of limited postgraduate seats," it said.

The Centre submitted that the eligibility criterion to appear in NEET-PG requires a candidate to possess a recognised MBBS degree and to have completed the compulsory rotating internship.

It said for the academic session 2025-26, total seats available were approximately 70,000, corresponding to the total number of candidates 2,24,029, while 31,742 seats were under All-India Quota (AIQ) across various specialities.

It pointed out that after Round 2 of NEET-PG counselling, 9,621 seats remained vacant under the AIQ.

"Out of these, 5,213 seats were vacant in Government medical colleges alone (including AIQ and DNB seats). This factual position conclusively demonstrates that the reduction of percentile was not undertaken to benefit private medical institutions, but to prevent large-scale vacancy of seats, including in Government institutions created through public expenditure," it said.

The government said it is a settled principle that courts ordinarily refrain from interfering in academic and policy decisions taken by expert bodies unless such decisions are shown to be manifestly arbitrary, mala fide, or violative of statutory or constitutional provisions.

Earlier, the NBEMS told the top court that 95,913 additional candidates had become eligible for NEET-PG 2025 counselling after the qualifying cut-off percentile was reduced.

According to the notice published by NBEMS, the NEET PG cut-off for the general category has been reduced to the seventh percentile from 50.

Pleas have been filed in the apex court by social worker Harisharan Devgan, Dr Saurav Kumar, Dr Lakshya Mittal and Dr Akash Soni claiming that the cut-off reduction violates articles 14 and 21.