Supreme Court to Hear Pleas Challenging NEET-PG 2025 Cut-Off Reduction on April 28

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a batch of petitions challenging the reduction in the qualifying percentile for NEET-PG 2025–26 on April 28, 2026. The matter raises important questions regarding the standards of postgraduate medical education in the country.

On the previous hearing date, a bench comprising Justice P. S. Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe indicated that it would examine whether the sharp reduction in the cut-off percentile could adversely impact academic standards in postgraduate medical courses.

During the brief proceedings held recently, Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for the petitioners, argued that there was no need to lower the qualifying percentile. He submitted that a sufficient number of candidates had already qualified the NEET-PG examination to fill all available seats.

However, he pointed out a critical issue affecting admissions: many qualified candidates are unable to secure seats due to the high cost of medical education. According to him, the problem lies not in the lack of eligible candidates but in affordability, which prevents students from taking admission despite qualifying the exam.

On the other hand, Senior Advocate D. S. Naidu, representing a candidate supporting the cut-off reduction, backed the Centre’s decision. He argued that lowering the cut-off would not dilute the quality of medical education, as all candidates appearing for NEET-PG have already cleared the MBBS qualification, ensuring a basic standard of competence.

Despite hearing initial submissions from both sides, the bench did not conduct a detailed hearing and decided to list the matter for comprehensive arguments on April 28.

The controversy stems from a notification issued on January 13, 2026, by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences. The notice reduced the minimum qualifying percentile for candidates participating in the third round of counselling for NEET-PG 2025–26.

The decision has sparked debate among stakeholders, with some arguing that it is necessary to fill vacant seats, while others fear it may compromise the quality of medical education.

The outcome of the case is expected to have significant implications for medical admissions and education standards across India.


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