The decision has sparked widespread discussion, particularly in Haryana and Tamil Nadu, where low-scoring candidates were admitted to prestigious government institutions. For instance, a candidate with a -12 score secured a Physiology seat in a Tamil Nadu medical college, while other specialties like Biochemistry, Orthopedics, and Transfusion Medicine saw admissions for candidates with scores as low as -8, -4, and 10, respectively.
Revised Cut-Off Details
The cut-off percentiles for various categories were lowered significantly:
-
General and EWS: from 50th to 7th percentile (minimum score reduced from 276 to 103)
-
General PwD: from 45th to 5th percentile
-
SC, ST, OBC: from 40th to 0 percentile, enabling candidates with scores as low as -40 to secure PG medical seats
The move follows a Supreme Court hearing in 2022 where the Delhi High Court had addressed petitions challenging the lowering of NEET PG cut-offs. At the time, authorities emphasized maintaining minimum standards to safeguard the quality of medical education, warning that reduced benchmarks could impact patient safety.
This year, the government and NBEMS informed the Supreme Court that nearly 18,000 seats remain vacant, making the cut-off reduction necessary. However, the Court expressed concerns over admissions of low-scoring candidates and requested clarification regarding the maintenance of medical education standards.
The third round of NEET PG 2026 counseling is currently underway. The Supreme Court is expected to hold its next hearing in March, and any intervention could potentially affect the ongoing admission process. For now, the seat allocation continues for eligible candidates under the revised criteria.
