Supreme Court Issues Notice on NEET‑PG 2025 ‘Negative Cut‑Offs’ PIL; Hearing on Feb 13
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• Updated on 4 Feb, 2026, 6:29 PM, by Arman Kumar
The Supreme Court of India has issued a notice in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the reduction of qualifying cut‑off percentiles for the NEET‑PG 2025‑26 exam, taking note of concerns over merit standards and possible constitutional issues. The case is scheduled for further hearing on 13 February 2026, with government and medical education authorities directed to respond.
The Supreme Court of India has issued a notice in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) questioning the decision to drastically reduce the qualifying cut‑off percentiles for the NEET‑PG 2025‑26 admissions cycle. The matter is now slated for **further hearings on 13 February 2026, with responses sought from the Union government, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), the National Medical Commission (NMC) and other relevant authorities. The PIL, filed under Article 32 of the Constitution of India, challenges a notification dated 13 January 2026 issued by NBEMS which reduced qualifying cut‑offs to unusually low levels – including zero percentiles and negative marks in some cases – to allow more candidates to be eligible for counselling after significant numbers of postgraduate medical seats remained vacant.
What the Legal Challenge Argues?
Petitioners argue that the sharp reduction in qualifying percentiles undermines the merit and standards expected in postgraduate medical education, potentially impacting patient safety and public health by lowering admission thresholds below traditional benchmarks. They contend that altering eligibility criteria after the examination and initial rounds of counselling is administratively arbitrary and unconstitutional, violating Articles 14 (equality before law) and 21 (right to life and personal liberty) of the Constitution. The PIL also claims the reduction in cut‑offs contravenes the statutory framework governing medical education, including norms under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, and that such dilution of academic standards cannot be justified merely to fill vacant seats.
Next Steps in the Supreme Court
A Bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe has taken up the matter and directed the Additional Solicitor General to appear for the authorities involved. During the next hearing scheduled for 13 February 2026, the court is expected to examine the arguments and the legality of the notification reducing qualifying requirements. The legal proceedings come amid substantial debate within the medical community and among student groups regarding what constitutes acceptable qualifying criteria in competitive medical admissions, especially when such rules are altered after the exam and part‑way through the counselling process.
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