The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) informed the Supreme Court that it was not involved in the decision to lower the qualifying cut-off percentile for NEET-PG 2025–26. NBEMS stated that its responsibility is limited to conducting the exam and releasing results as per directives. The petition challenging the reduction in cut-off percentiles was deemed “not maintainable” by NBEMS.
The NBEMS emphasized that the decision to reduce the qualifying percentile for NEET-PG 2025 fell under the jurisdiction of other bodies like the Directorate General of Health Services, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the National Medical Commission. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare directed NBEMS to adjust the cut-off scores for the third round of NEET-PG 2025–26 counseling.
Following the directive, NBEMS published revised cut-off scores, making changes such as lowering the minimum qualifying percentile for different categories of candidates. This adjustment allowed an additional 95,913 candidates to become eligible for counseling. The NBEMS highlighted that any decision made in the ongoing petition would directly impact these candidates who are not part of the Supreme Court proceedings.
The Delhi High Court had previously dismissed a similar challenge related to the reduction in eligibility percentile for NEET-PG. The High Court found no arbitrariness in the decision and stated that concerns about patient safety and merit dilution were unfounded. It emphasized that the actual admission would still be based on merit, even with a lower eligibility criterion.
The Supreme Court had issued notices to various authorities following a PIL seeking the restoration of the original qualifying standards for NEET-PG 2025. The petition argued that the reduction in cut-off percentiles was arbitrary, unconstitutional, and posed risks to patient safety and medical education integrity. It contended that allowing candidates with zero or negative scores to enter specialist training undermined professional competence standards.
