NEET SS Cutoff 2025: Check Cutoff Downgrade, Vacant Seats and Stray Round Here

The NEET SS Cutoff 2025 has been reduced from the existing 50th percentile to the 30th percentile for the proposed Special Stray Vacancy Round, bringing around 6,000 additional candidates into the counselling pool. The Centre informed the Supreme Court about the decision after 1,857 NEET-SS seats remained vacant following two rounds of counselling.

The development could significantly expand the pool of candidates eligible for NEET SS counselling 2026, particularly for DM, MCh and DrNB-SS seats that remain vacant after regular counselling. The Supreme Court has also approved the Centre's decision to reduce the qualifying percentile to 30 for filling these vacant super-speciality seats.

NEET SS Cutoff 2025: From 50th to 30th Percentile

Under the earlier qualifying criteria, candidates needed to secure at least the 50th percentile in NEET SS to qualify for counselling. For the proposed Special Stray Vacancy Round, the qualifying threshold has been brought down to the 30th percentile.

The reduction is specifically linked to the special stray round and should not be interpreted as a permanent change to the regular NEET SS qualifying criteria. The move is aimed at widening the candidate pool and filling seats that remained vacant after the second round of counselling.

The revised cutoff creates a much larger pool of eligible candidates for the vacant-seat round, although becoming eligible does not guarantee admission.

How to Check NEET SS Special Stray Vacancy Round Updates?

Candidates should follow these steps when MCC opens the special round:

1. Visit the official MCC counselling portal.
2. Open the NEET SS counselling section.
3. Check the latest special stray vacancy notice.
4. Read the eligibility and participation conditions carefully.
5. Register within the notified deadline, if required.
6. Check the updated NEET SS seat matrix.
7. Complete choice filling and locking according to the schedule.
8. Download the allotment result and follow the reporting instructions if a seat is allotted.

The NEET SS 2025 counselling dates for this special round are awaited, so candidates should rely on the official MCC notice rather than unofficial counselling schedules.

NEET SS 2025 Counselling: Tamil Nadu Gets 40 Seats Back

Alongside the cutoff reduction, the Centre agreed to return 40 vacant in-service super-speciality seats in Tamil Nadu to the state government.

Tamil Nadu will be allowed to conduct its own stray vacancy round for these seats for one week. Any seats still vacant after that process will be returned to the MCC pool and considered along with other seats in the national Special Stray Vacancy Round.

This makes the Tamil Nadu process a separate but connected part of the overall effort to fill the remaining NEET SS vacant seats.

NEET SS 2025 Eligibility and Counselling: What Candidates Should Check?

Candidates who become eligible because of the revised NEET SS cutoff 2025 should carefully check their counselling eligibility before participating. NEET-SS is the single eligibility-cum-ranking entrance examination for admission to various DM, MCh and DrNB Super Specialty courses, subject to the applicable eligibility conditions.

Once MCC publishes the special stray vacancy schedule, candidates should check:

• Eligibility after the 30th percentile revision
• Special stray vacancy seat matrix
• Registration and fee-payment dates
• Choice filling and locking dates
• Course and institute-wise vacant seats
• Rules for candidates who already joined seats
• Reporting and admission deadlines

The lower cutoff increases the number of candidates who can compete for vacant seats, so candidates should not assume that qualifying at 30 percentile automatically means a seat will be allotted.

NEET SS Cutoff 2025 FAQs