Supreme Court Takes Note Of The Sharp Reduction In The Qualifying Marks for NEET-PG 2025-26 ; Next Hearing March 24

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The Supreme Court has  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.