New Delhi, Jan 14: The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences has implemented an unprecedented reduction in NEET-PG 2025 qualifying scores, allowing candidates with zero or even negative marks to qualify for postgraduate medical admissions. This decision, mandated by the Union Health Ministry, seeks to prevent a massive waste of resources as 18,000 specialist seats sit empty in hospitals and colleges nationwide.
The revised eligibility criteria mark a total departure from traditional merit-based thresholds. While the original cut-off for the General category stood at the 50th percentile, the new directive has slashed it to the 7th percentile. This ensures that the vast majority of test-takers can now vie for the remaining MD and MS seats during the upcoming third round of counseling.
Reserved category candidates under the SC, ST, and OBC brackets are the most significantly impacted, with their eligibility floor dropping from the 40th percentile to the 0th percentile. This technical change means that any candidate who appeared for the exam, regardless of their final score, is now legally eligible to seek a seat.
“The Ministry has essentially moved from a competitive merit threshold to a near-zero threshold to ensure all postgraduate seats are filled,” officials noted regarding the policy shift.
The move also benefits PwBD candidates in the general category, whose entry requirement was adjusted from the 45th percentile to the 5th percentile. By removing the percentile barrier, the government intends to address the acute shortage of specialists without requiring doctors to reassess their foundational MBBS knowledge.
