Can a -40 score make a specialist? Doctors slam NEET PG 2025 cutoff reduction, warn of merit compromise

New Delhi: Doctors have expressed their concerns over the recent decision of the National Board of Examinations (NBE) to reduce the qualifying cut-off for the NEET PG 2025 admissions.

Doctors have pointed out that due to this decision, even those who scored -40 marks in the exam will be eligible to take admission in the highly sought-after clinical specialities, which, according to doctors, will compromise merit.

NBE in a notice dated 13.01.2026, reduced the minimum qualifying percentile cut-off for counselling of the third round of National Eligibility-Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET-PG) 2025-2026 for various categories of candidates.

"The result of NEET-PG 2025 was declared on 19th August 2025. In accordance with the directions of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India vide letter No. U-12021/11/2025-MEC (FTS- 8363852) dated 09.01.2026, the minimum qualifying percentile cut-off for counseling of the third round of NEET-PG 2025-26 for various categories of candidates has been reduced," NBE mentioned in the notice dated 13.01.2026.

As per the revised qualifying percentiles for NEET-PG 2025, for the academic session 2025-2026, for the General/EWS, General PwBD, SC/ST/OBC(Including PwBD of SC/ST/OBC) categories, the revised qualifying cut-off is 7th, 5th, and 0th percentile, respectively. Therefore, the revised cut-off score after lowering the cut-off percentile is 103 for General/EWS, 90 for General PwBD, and -40 for SC/ST/OBC(Including PwBD of SC/ST/OBC) categories, respectively.

"The information bulletin of NEET-PG 2025 should therefore be read accordingly," NBEMS mentioned in the notice.

Reaction from Medical Fraternity:

NBE's decision to reduce the cut-off for the NEET-PG 2025 has been strongly opposed by the members of the medical fraternity.

Reacting to this development, the Chief Patron of the FAIMA Doctors Association and a Health Activist, Dr. Rohan Krishnan stated that reducing the cut-off to such an extent is actually killing merit.

"When qualifying cut-offs are dropped to 7th, 5th & even 0th percentile, what is the purpose of a national merit exam???????????? This is not reform — this is surrender of standards.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Instead of diluting merit just to fill seats, authorities must: Conduct an additional exam if required. Reduce the unnaturally inflated PG seats in sub-standard private colleges —many lack faculty, patient load & basic infrastructure, yet run 20–30 seats per clinical department only to mint money.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When exams lose meaning, money fills seats, not merit!!!!!!!!!! Middle-class doctors lose. Crorepati admissions win!!!!! Compare with MRCP(UK) — over 20,000 candidates appear yearly, with only ~40–50% clearing on first attempt. That is what real filtering looks like.!!!!!!!!! Two exams are better than destroying merit," Dr. Krishnan mentioned in an X (formerly Twitter) post.

Speaking to Medical Dialogues, Dr. Krishnan said, "It is very bad that the qualifying criteria has been reduced to zero percentile. So, someone who has scored -40 is also eligible to take admission in clinical seats and work as a specialist doctor in the country. I think it is a move that should be reconsidered; it should be reevaluated from the highest level because it is a question mark on the whole integrity and the system itself."

"So, while we consider that filling of seats and clinicians are required in this country, we must understand that healthcare should not become a business model for people because substandard colleges which are not having faculties, which are not having teachers, patients are getting permission for PG seats for more than 20 in each of the clinical subjects. They are not getting candidates because a good candidate who studies well understands that he does not go in such colleges. And after that also, they want students because at the end of the day they want money and that is all they are interested in. So, it is very serious issue. We have to work on this," he added, emphasizing that standards of medical education cannot be compromised.

Referring to the revised cut-off percentile, another doctor wrote in an X post, "These candidates who scored -40 could have stopped at zero by not attempting anything. But they wanted to show the value of hard work to those who grill for years to secure a PG seat. That's a deliberate attempt to spit on the faces of hardworking students."

Commenting on the medical education system and highlighting how it has become a business, another doctor pointed out, "If you have ₹2cr Fill #NEETPG formgo to exam center, enjoy 3 hrs of nap or mark tukkagot negative marks(-40)no worries you have caste & ₹2crfill counselling form,pay MONEYCongratulations you became Radiologist/Surgeon/physician…play with lives of innocent."

"I honestly don’t even know where to start. I used to say “my country, my country” with so much pride, but today. I’m just staring at this NEET PG news and feeling completely betrayed. Think about it. A single aspirant kills themselves for 2, 3, maybe 4 years. Endless nights, zero social life, absolute burnout, all just to see the eligibility bar dropped to ZERO. And the math? It’s a joke. Because of negative marking, 0 percentile literally means we are qualifying "specialists" with a score of minus 40. How is that a qualification? How can you answer more questions wrong than right and still be told you’re “eligible” to be a surgeon? While the rest of the world is doing crazy innovations in AI and biotech, we’re out here lowering the bar to the floor just to fill seats. Is this what we’re rewarding now? Is a specialist’s seat just a political pawn for a vote bank? I’m so tired of the "work hard" narrative when the system is busy making merit look like a crime. If we have a crisis of unskilled doctors in five years, don’t act shocked. We’re literally inviting it. I love India, but this? This is not the reward anyone who actually grinds for their dreams deserves," wrote an X user, addressing the revised cut-off and venting out at the system.

A Medical Officer named Dr. Deepak Aanjna wrote, "New Process of getting any Pvt medical PG seat in India if you have ₹2–3 crore: Step 1: Register for the NEET PG exam (mandatory). Step 2: Go to the exam centre. Step 3: Enjoy a 3 hour peaceful nap in the exam hall. Step 4: Don’t waste energy solving any questions Step 5: Come back home relaxed and refreshed. Step 6: Pay the 2-3 crore fees (zero marks or even −40 accepted). Step 7: Congratulations — welcome to Radiology / Medicine / Surgery in a private college. Merit? Optional add-on. Rank? Decorative only. Knowledge? Can be adjusted during residency… maybe. So why this sudden obsession with “you must give NEET PG”? If money already decides the seat, just skip the exam drama and allow direct entry. Also why are we discriminating against people who haven’t even given NEET PG? Just allow them as well. At least be honest about how the system actually works."

Announcing the NEET-PG 2025 revised qualifying cut-off, NBE in the notice dated 13.01.2026 mentioned the following points:

• It may be noted that there is no change in the NEET-PG 2025 rank as published vide NBEMS result notification dated 19.08.2025.
• Candidature is purely provisional subject to fulfilment of eligibility criteria as mentioned in the NEET-PG 2025 Information Bulletin and verification of Face ID/Biometric wherever required.
• Candidates are advised to remain in touch with the website of Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for the latest information related to the counseling.
• The aggregate marks (in percentage) in all MBBS Professional Examinations/marks obtained in FMGE as provided by the candidate in his/her NEET-PG application form shall be verified against the original credentials at the time of admission by the counseling/ admitting authority. Score Cards issued to candidates shall have a mention of the MBBS/FMGE Aggregate marks as provided by the candidates in their application form wherever such aggregate marks have been used to break the tie of NEET-PG 2025 Rank. In an event it is noted that the information provided in the NEET-PG 2025 application form is incorrect and this criterion has been utilized to resolve the tie of the concerned candidate, his/her candidature for NEET-PG 2025 shall be cancelled.
• If at any stage, candidates are found to have resorted to use of any unfair means in the exam, such candidates shall be liable for penal action as deemed appropriate by NBEMS/MCC/Counseling authority. In the event of any such candidates being declared successful in the NEET-PG 2025, the results/candidature of such candidates shall be cancelled and/or are deemed to be cancelled.
• For any queries, please contact NBEMS at 011-45593000 or write to NBEMS at its Communication Web Portal https://exam.natboard.edu.in/communication.php?page=main

To view the NBE notice, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/nbe-neet-pg-cut-offjpg-321238.pdf

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