National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has officially announced major reduction in NEET-PG 2025 qualifying cut-off percentiles to address large number of vacant postgraduate medical seats remaining after earlier rounds of counseling. This decision has been taken to ensure optimal utilisation of available PG medical seats and to allow eligible MBBS graduates to participate in further counseling rounds, particularly Round 3 of NEET-PG 2025 counseling.
Revised NEET-PG 2025 Cut-Off Percentiles
As per the latest NBEMS notification, the qualifying cut-off has been revised as follows:
- General & EWS Categories: Reduced from 50th percentile to 7th percentile, making candidates with scores around 103 marks and above eligible.
- Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD): Reduced to 5th percentile.
- SC, ST, and OBC Categories (including PwBD): Reduced to 0 percentile, allowing candidates with scores as low as –40 marks (out of 800) to participate in counselling.
Reason Behind the Cut-Off Reduction
NBEMS and the Ministry of Health have taken this step due to:
- More than 18,000 postgraduate medical seats remain vacant after multiple counselling rounds.
- Need to ensure the timely commencement of postgraduate medical training.
- Addressing the shortage of specialist doctors by fully utilising the existing medical education infrastructure.
Important Clarification for Candidates
Despite a reduction in qualifying cut-off percentiles:
- Admissions remain strictly merit-based.
- Seat allotment will depend on the candidate’s NEET-PG rank, category, preferences, and seat availability.
- Lower cut-offs do not guarantee admission, but only eligibility to participate in further counselling rounds.
Student Advisory
Candidates are advised to:
- Regularly check official NBEMS website for notifications.
- Monitor updates on Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) portal (mcc.nic.in) regarding counselling schedules, seat matrices, and allotment results.
- Carefully review eligibility and choice-filling guidelines before participating in subsequent counselling rounds.
Concerns Raised by Medical Bodies
While the move has been welcomed for improving seat utilisation, several medical associations, including FAIMA and FORDA, have raised concerns. They argue that extremely low qualifying thresholds may impact overall quality of postgraduate medical education and, in the long term, patient care standards.
Conclusion
The revised cut-off marks significant policy decision aimed at preventing wastage of medical seats and strengthening the healthcare workforce. Candidates are encouraged to stay informed through official channels and make counselling choices carefully, keeping merit and long-term career goals in mind.