NEET PG Cut-Off Reduction Expanded Seats Without Diluting Merit: Centre Tells Supreme Court

The Centre has defended its decision to sharply reduce the NEET-PG qualifying cut-off, telling the Supreme Court of India that the move followed detailed data analysis and did not compromise merit. In an affidavit based on inputs from the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences, the government said admissions remain strictly rank-based under the All India Quota. The revised cut-off expanded the eligible pool from about 1.28 lakh to over 2.24 lakh candidates, with percentile thresholds reduced significantly across categories to address vacant seats.

The government maintained that lowering the percentile only widened eligibility without altering inter se merit, as final seat allotments depend on rank through a transparent online system, reports The Print.

It highlighted that over 9,600 seats, including more than 5,200 in government colleges, remained vacant after Round 2 counselling, necessitating intervention. However, petitioners argued that reducing the cut-off to near zero dilutes academic standards. The court has sought clarity on how such changes align with maintaining quality in medical education.