NEET-PG 2025 Cutoff Controversy: This decision has sparked a new debate on social media and in the medical community. Critics believe this move will harm the quality of medical education. People argue that making doctors who fail to even score the minimum marks in the entrance exam into specialists could be a threat to the lives of patients.
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NEET-PG Cutoff 2025: We often hear that becoming a doctor requires intense study and difficult exams. However, the Central Government and the National Board of Examinations (NBEMS) have taken a decision that seems to contradict this. Even candidates with negative scores in the entrance exam are eligible for NEET-PG admission. In fact, NBEMS has virtually eliminated the qualifying cutoff for NEET-PG 2025. Following this decision, even candidates with negative scores (-40) will be able to participate in counseling for MD and MS seats. This decision is being widely discussed on social media.
What has changed in the cutoff?
The Central Government has significantly reduced the qualifying cutoff for NEET-PG 2025 to fill over 9,000 vacant PG seats in medical colleges. Under this revised policy, the percentile for the General/EWS category has been reduced from 50th to 7th, and for the Persons with Disabilities (Gen-PwBD) from 45th to 5th. The most shocking change is for the SC, ST, and OBC categories, where the percentile has been reduced from 40 to 0 (zero), meaning that due to negative marking, even candidates scoring -40 will now be considered eligible for counseling. The government and NBEMS argue that this move has been taken to address the shortage of resident doctors and prevent the country’s precious medical resources from being wasted, although experts have strongly criticized it for the declining standards of medical education.
I don’t know how to react on this , but now candidates scoring “Minus – 40”marks are also applicable to get NEET PG seat .
In simple language if you have money or specific category then even if you slept in the exam and scored negative marks = someone who topped /worked hard. pic.twitter.com/6O9r1o0NIJ
— Dr.Dhruv Chauhan (@DrDhruvchauhan) January 13, 2026
Why was this decision taken?
The government and medical bodies have their own rationale behind this move. There are approximately 65,000-70,000 PG seats in the country. This year, due to high cut-offs, approximately 1 in 7 seats remained vacant. Government hospitals rely on resident doctors. Unfilled seats negatively impact patient care and put existing doctors under heavy workload. On January 12, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) wrote to Health Minister J.P. Nadda demanding that the eligibility criteria for counseling be expanded. Officials say the exam is only for creating a “merit list,” not for assessing a doctor’s “qualification,” as they have already passed the MBBS.
‘Standards being compromised’
This decision has sparked a new debate on social media and in the medical community. Critics believe this move will harm the quality of medical education. People argue that making doctors who fail to even score the minimum marks in the entrance exam into specialists (MD/MS) could be a threat to patients’ lives. Experts on social media noted that India may be the only country in the world accepting “zero” or “negative” qualifications to become a doctor. Critics say this compromise on merit in the rush to fill seats could prove dangerous.
NBEMS clarified
The board clarified that lowering the cut-off does not change a candidate’s original score or rank. It only makes candidates eligible to participate in counseling for vacant seats. Admissions will still be based on rank, but more people will be able to join the counseling queue.
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