The Supreme Court (SC) has taken up the issue of NEET PG 2025 cutoff reduction for MD, MS, and MDS admissions. The apex court is reviewing whether lowering the qualifying percentile might compromise the quality of postgraduate medical education or dilute standards in the system.
NBEMS and Centre’s Stand on Cutoff Reduction
During the hearing, the Centre told the SC that lowering the cutoff will not impact education quality, as all candidates appearing for NEET PG are licensed MBBS graduates. After Round-2 counselling, out of 31,742 All India Quota (AIQ) seats, 9,621 remained vacant. The reduction in cutoff allowed 1,00,054 candidates to be eligible for Round-3 counselling, thereby utilising more PG seats and strengthening the healthcare system. The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) highlighted that the step was aimed at preventing seat wastage at the postgraduate level.
NEET PG Fee Concerns in Private Colleges
A separate concern raised during the hearing is the fee disparity between government and private medical colleges. While government college fees range from INR 8,000 to INR 30,000, private institutions charge between INR 95 lakh and 1.5 crore for PG courses. This restricts admission opportunities for meritorious candidates who cannot afford high fees. The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued directives for private colleges to cap admission fees at 50% of government college fees. Reports suggest some private institutions are violating these rules, prompting legal scrutiny.
Impact on Round-3 NEET PG Counselling
The NEET PG 2025 Round-3 counselling has become crucial as more candidates meet the revised eligibility criteria. Experts suggest that careful monitoring is needed to maintain education standards while filling vacant seats efficiently.
