Will NEET PG Cut-offs Be Cut Again? What the Supreme Court Expert Panel Said

The short answer: nobody can promise either way. But a 12-member expert committee has now told the Supreme Court that NEET PG qualifying standards should not be diluted, and that cut-offs should not be lowered just to fill empty seats. If you are counting on another deep cut this year to become eligible for a later round, plan as if it may not come.

What the Supreme Court expert panel said

The committee is chaired by the Director General of Health Services, Dr Loveneesh G. Krishna. It was formed on 23 July 2026 after petitions challenged the sharp cut to the NEET PG 2025-26 qualifying percentile. It reports to a bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe.

According to Medical Dialogues' report of 11 November 2026, the panel said:

• minimum standards should not be lowered so far that candidates with "grossly inadequate or negative performance" become eligible;
• cut-offs should not be reduced merely to fill vacant seats or for institutional convenience;
• the value of a competitive exam should not shrink to an administrative formality.

The panel also noted how the system works today: the competent authority lowers percentiles after consulting stakeholders, depending on how many seats are vacant. That is the step it wants reined in.

What it did not say

The report, as covered so far, does not set a new minimum score or ban future reductions. The Supreme Court has not yet issued a final order on it. So the panel's view is a strong signal, not a rule. We will update this page if the court or NBEMS acts on it.

Why this matters: what happened last time

On 13 January 2026, NBEMS lowered the qualifying percentile for the third round of NEET PG 2025-26 counselling. This is the cut the court case is about.

Source: NBEMS notice of 13.01.2026, as reported by Medical Dialogues, 4 and 11 Nov 2026.

A score of -40 means a candidate who got more answers wrong than right still qualified. That is the outcome the panel calls "negative performance".

Our analysis: how far ranks stretched after the 2025 cut

Lower cut-offs mainly helped non-clinical branches, where seats stayed empty. Our Know Your Branch database compares the last government All India Quota (Open) seat in the final round of the NEET PG 2025 cycle with the last seat in Round 1 of the 2026 cycle.

Source: MCC allotment data, analysed by Career Paathshala. 2026 figures are Round 1 only; Round 2 results are due on 17 Nov 2026, so 2026 numbers will move.

Two things stand out. First, the 2025 final rounds went 50,000 to 60,000 ranks deeper than this year's Round 1 in most of these branches. Part of that depth came from extra rounds and the January cut. Second, it is too early to compare like with like: 2026 still has Round 2 and later rounds to run, and NMC has added more than 5,000 seats since September (68,305 broad-speciality seats in the 6 Nov 2026 matrix).

The honest reading: later rounds usually go deeper than Round 1 even without a cut-off change. A cut-off change decides who is eligible to take part. It does not create seats.

Money check: is a late-round non-clinical seat worth it?

The same committee suggested that fee committees consider bond exemptions and slightly lower fees for pre- and para-clinical seats to reduce vacancies. No state has adopted this yet, and bonds remain a state subject.

Here is the indicative maths from our database for a three-year MD:

Indicative only. Check the college's fee notice, bond terms and stipend before you choose.

Dr Ashwani Kumar, speaking on the Nachiket Bhatia Show, puts the career question plainly: choose Anatomy only if you enjoy teaching, because college faculty posts after senior residency are not automatic. Our database also flags that NMC's 2025 rule allows up to 30% non-medical faculty in pre-clinical subjects, and that some seats carry Rs 20-50 lakh seat-leaving bonds.

What this means for you

If your rank already makes you eligible (you cleared the original cut-off): nothing changes for you. Fill Round 2 choices on merit and keep realistic non-clinical and DNB options lower in your list.

If you did not clear the cut-off and are waiting for a reduction: do not plan your year around it. Prepare for NEET PG 2027 in parallel. If a cut is announced, it will come as a formal NBEMS notice; act on that, not on social media.

If you are a low-rank but eligible candidate (roughly 80,000 and beyond): later rounds are where your seats are. Read the bond and fee terms of every non-clinical and deemed seat before you fill it, because leaving a seat later can be costly.

If you are an intern or 2027 aspirant: the system is moving toward tighter standards and a possible rank-only result. Read our explainer on the percentile-to-rank change.

Unsure where your rank can realistically land? Compare branches on Know Your Branch or book a counselling call with our team.

Change log: Published 14 Nov 2026