NEET-PG qualifying percentile revised: Govt lowers cut-off score at -40 out of 800

The Centre on Wednesday decided to revise the cut-off for NEET-PG 2025 exams to address over 18,000 vacant postgraduate medical seats after Round-2 counselling. The qualifying percentile revision aims to expand eligibility among MBBS-qualified doctors without diluting academic standards.

Under the revised government criteria, the qualifying percentile for general and EWS candidates has been reduced from 50th to 7th percentile, and for the general category with benchmark disability (PwBD) from 45th to 5th percentile. For SC, ST and OBC candidates, the percentile has been reduced from 40 to zero, with the corresponding cut-off score fixed at -40 out of 800 (due to negative marking), as reported by TOI.

"National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has revised the NEET-PG 2025 qualifying percentiles to address over 18,000 vacant postgraduate medical seats after Round-2 counselling," sources told ANI.


The measure is aimed at ensuring optimal utilisation of available seats, strengthening India’s pool of medical specialists, and upholding transparency and merit-based admissions. The NBEMS clarified that NEET admissions will continue strictly through authorised counselling, with inter-se merit and candidate choice guiding allocations. Allotments will be made only through authorised counselling mechanisms; no direct or discretionary admissions will be permitted. Inter-se merit and choice-based allocation will continue to guide seat distribution with no dilution of academic standards.

On fainess and transparency, ANI sources said, "Transparency and fairness remain central to the process."

"The Indian Medical Association had formally requested this change, and has expressed gratitude to PM Narendra Modi and Health Minister JP Nadda for their timely intervention in the interest of medical education and public health," sources told ANI.