The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has informed the Supreme Court of India that 95,913 additional candidates have become eligible to participate in NEET-PG 2025 counselling following a sharp reduction in qualifying cut-off percentiles.
In an affidavit filed before the top court, the examination body stated that “it is ex-facie apparent” that the lowering of the cut-off has significantly expanded the pool of eligible candidates. The board cautioned that any judicial interference at this stage would directly affect these candidates, many of whom are set to participate in the third round of counselling.
The affidavit clarified that NBEMS had no role in the decision to reduce the cut-off. According to the board, the decision falls within the exclusive domain of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the National Medical Commission.
The controversy stems from a plea challenging the “drastic reduction” in qualifying percentiles for NEET-PG 2025–26 admissions. A bench comprising Justices P. S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe had on February 4 issued notices to the Centre, NBEMS, the National Medical Commission and others seeking their responses.
With more than 18,000 postgraduate medical seats reportedly lying vacant across the country, authorities revised the cut-off criteria. The qualifying percentile for the general category was reduced from 50 to 7, while for reserved categories it was lowered from 40 to zero. The move effectively allows candidates with extremely low scores — including negative marks — to participate in the counselling process.
The petitioners, including social worker Harisharan Devgan and doctors Saurav Kumar, Lakshya Mittal and Akash Soni, have argued that the reduction violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution, contending that it undermines merit and compromises standards in medical education.
The matter is expected to be heard further as the court weighs the legality of the decision against the urgency of filling vacant postgraduate medical seats.