NEET-PG Cut Off Reduction Won't Affect Doctors' Competence As They Already Qualified MBBS : Centre To Supreme Court

Defending the cutoff reduction for NEET PG 2025, the Centre has submitted before the Supreme Court that NEET-PG does not certify minimum competence, which is established by the MBBS qualification, but is merely a filtering mechanism for allocation of limited postgraduate seats.

“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. The NEET PG scores are a function of relative performance and examination design which cannot be construed as determinative of clinical incompetence”, the affidavit filed by Union of India states.

Addressing concerns of patient safety, the affidavit states that during postgraduate training, candidates function under constant supervision of senior faculty and specialists, and final competence is assessed at the exit level through MD/MS examinations.

“It is respectfully submitted that concerns regarding patient safety are misplaced. All candidates admitted to postgraduate courses are already licenced MBBS practitioners. As MBBS doctors, they are entitled to practice independently. During postgraduate training candidates' function under constant supervision of senior faculty and specialists. The Postgraduate education is a structured three-year supervised training program and final competence is rigorously assessed at the exit level through MD/MS examinations where candidates must secure at least 50% marks separately in theory and practical examinations without any relaxation preserving standard at the point of certification”, the affidavit states.

The affidavit states that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the National Medical Commission decided to reduce the percentile cut-off in view of the large number of anticipated vacant seats. It states that the decision would make an additional 1,00,054 candidates eligible for the third round, increasing the total eligible candidates to 2,28,170.

The affidavit has been filed in a writ petition challenging the Notice dated January 13, 2026 issued by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences, whereby the minimum qualifying percentile cut-off for counselling of the third round of NEET-PG 2025-2026 was reduced.

In the affidavit, Dr Praveen Kumar Dass, Assistant Director General (Medical Education), Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, stated that for the academic session 2025-26, around 70,000 postgraduate seats were available and 2,24,029 candidates had appeared.

Of the 31,742 seats under the All-India Quota, 9,621 remained vacant after Round 2. The government said 5,213 of these vacant seats were in Government medical colleges, including AIQ and DNB seats.

The affidavit highlights that eligibility to appear in NEET-PG requires a recognised MBBS degree and completion of compulsory rotating internship. MBBS candidates must secure at least 50 percent marks separately in theory and practical examinations to qualify for the MBBS degree.

The affidavit highlights that all candidates appearing in NEET-PG are academically meritorious individuals who have completed 4.5 years of medical training across 16 to 17 modern medical specialties followed by one year of compulsory internship. Every candidate is a duly qualified medical graduate legally entitled to practice modern medicine, the affidavit highlights.

The affidavit states that because of negative marking, some NEET PG candidates may obtain low, zero or even negative scores, and scores reflect relative performance and examination design and cannot be construed as determinative of clinical competence.

The Union has stated that reduction of the qualifying percentile is not unprecedented as since the inception of NEET-PG in 2017, percentile reductions have been effected in appropriate circumstances to prevent seat wastage. In the academic year 2023 as well, the qualifying percentile was reduced to zero across categories.

The Union further submitted that policy matters are outside the scope of judicial review unless shown to be manifestly arbitrary, mala fide or violative of statutory or constitutional provisions.

The affidavit further states that postgraduate seats represent substantial national investment in infrastructure, faculty and hospital facilities, and leaving such seats vacant would result in wastage of public resources and training capacity, thereby affecting patient care and healthcare delivery.

“reduction of qualifying percentile is a proportionate administrative measure intended to prevent seat wastage and strengthen specialist healthcare capacity. The reduction of qualifying percentile widens the pool of eligible candidates and hence, after completion of Round 3 of (AIQ) NEET-PG counselling, the seat allotted candidates have reported (joined) to their respective institutes and only 2988 seats have remained vacant, which will be available in next round of counselling. It is pertinent to mention that even after reduction of percentile, the allotment of seats is done on the basis of merit and preference submitted by the candidates. Thus, this measure does not compromise academic standards, does not alter inter se merit, and does not confer any undue advantage upon any class of institutions. The policy aligns with the broader objective of expanding access to healthcare and strengthening medical infrastructure nationwide”, the affidavit concludes.

Case no. – W.P.(C) No. 136/2026 and connected matters

Case Title – Harisharan Devgan v. Union of India and connected matters