The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has reduced the minimum qualifying percentiles for NEET-PG 2025 counselling, with the threshold now set at zero percentile for reserved categories. This adjustment comes in response to the significant number of vacant postgraduate medical seats, exceeding 18,000, following the Round-2 counselling in government and private medical colleges nationwide.
Previously, the percentile requirements had limited the pool of eligible candidates despite available seats, prompting the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to formally request a revision of the cut-off on January 12. The aim is to prevent seat wastage and enhance healthcare services by ensuring optimal utilization of the available seats, crucial for expanding the country’s cadre of trained medical specialists.
NEET-PG plays a pivotal role as a ranking mechanism for transparent, merit-based seat allocation through centralized counselling. Although the qualifying cut-off has been adjusted, the ranks for NEET-PG 2025 will remain unchanged from the initial publication, as confirmed by the NBEMS. Eligibility is provisional and will be verified during admission through MBBS/FMGE aggregate marks, Face ID, or biometric checks, as stated in the official notice by the board.
To maintain transparency and fairness, allotments will strictly adhere to authorized counselling channels, prohibiting any direct or discretionary admissions. The process will continue to follow inter-se merit and choice-based allocation for seat distribution, ensuring no compromise on academic standards. The revised percentiles aim to broaden eligibility among already-qualified MBBS doctors.
