NEW DELHI: In a significant move to address the large number of vacant postgraduate medical seats across the country, National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has revised the qualifying percentiles for NEET-PG 2025 admissions.
According to sources, “This decision follows the completion of Round-2 counselling, where over 18,000 PG seats remained unfilled in government and private medical colleges”.
“The revision aims to ensure optimal utilisation of available seats, which are vital for expanding India’s pool of trained medical specialists. Leaving such seats vacant undermines national efforts to improve healthcare delivery and results in the loss of valuable educational resources”, sources said.
All NEET-PG candidates are MBBS-qualified doctors who have completed their degrees and internships. NEET-PG serves as a ranking mechanism to facilitate transparent, merit-based allocation of seats through centralised counselling. The previous percentile thresholds had restricted the pool of eligible candidates despite the availability of seats.
The key highlights of the decision is that admissions remain strictly merit-based, determined by NEET-PG rank and candidate preferences. Allotments will be made only through authorised counselling mechanisms; no direct or discretionary admissions are permitted. Inter-se merit and choice-based allocation will continue to guide seat distribution. No dilution of academic standards.
The revised percentile merely expands eligibility among already-qualified MBBS doctors. On fairness and transparency, the sources said, “Transparency and fairness remain central to the process.”
Earlier, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) had formally requested a revision of the qualifying cut-off on January 12 2026, citing the urgent need to prevent seat wastage and strengthen healthcare services. The decision, issued on January 13, 2026, reflects responsiveness to this appeal.
The IMA has expressed heartfelt thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Health Minister J P Nadda for their visionary leadership and timely intervention in the interest of the medical fraternity and public health.
“This measure is consistent with past academic years and has proven effective in ensuring seat utilisation while maintaining academic integrity. It reaffirms the government’s commitment to strengthening India’s healthcare system through fair, transparent, and merit-driven processes”, the sources explained. (ANI)
