The Central government has told the Supreme Court of India that lowering the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET PG) cut-off marks cannot define a doctor’s capability. The move further stated that NEET PG does not verify whether a student qualifies as a doctor. A student is qualified as a doctor after he/she completes the MBBS degree. The Centre told the apex court that NEET-PG is simply a ranking system used to distribute postgraduate medical seats.
According to the Centre, NEET-PG functions as a merit-based filter for MD/MS admissions rather than a certification of skill, as candidates have already proved their proficiency by completing their MBBS degree.
A low NEET score does not mean a doctor is unskilled.
All students giving the NEET PG exam are already qualified MBBS doctors, as they have completed 4.5 years of an MBBS degree and 1.5 year of mandatory internship. A student must score at least 50% marks separately in theory and practical to pass MBBS.
The government also replied to patient safety concerns. It said that during postgraduate medical studies, doctors learn under the guidance of senior doctors and specialists. They appear for the exams again at the end of the three-year course, where they must score atleast 50% marks in theory and practical to pass.
Why was the NEET PG cut-off reduced?
With a surplus of vacant PG seats, the government reduced the cut-off to expand the candidate pool. This move allowed over one lakh more students to enter the third counseling round, ensuring that the 70,000 available seats for 2025-26 are fully utilized by the 2.24 lakh examinees.
It’s important to note that this is not the first time the cut-off has been lowered. In 2023, it was lowered to zero to avoid wasting any seats. It further explained that medical seats are funded by public money, and leaving them vacant would be a waste of resources and result in a decrease in healthcare services.
