SC Hears PIL on NEET-PG 2025 Cut-Off Percentile Reduction
The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, is set to hear a batch of pleas challenging the controversial reduction in qualifying cut-off percentiles for the NEET-PG 2025–26 examination, in a case that has ignited a fierce debate over medical education standards, patient safety, and the integrity of India's postgraduate medical admissions process.
Key Developments in the NEET-PG Cut-Off Case
A bench comprising Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe had earlier issued notice to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), the National Medical Commission (NMC), and the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC). The bench had previously declined to go into the merits of the matter during a brief preliminary hearing, reserving its detailed examination for today's proceedings.
The PIL was filed by advocate Satyam Singh Rajput, who contended that slashing qualifying standards to abnormally low, zero, or even negative percentiles — after results were declared and two rounds of counselling completed — is arbitrary and unconstitutional, violating Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India.
Arguments From Both Sides
Senior advocate Gopal Sankarnarayanan, appearing for the petitioners, argued that a sufficient number of candidates had already qualified the NEET-PG examination to fill all available postgraduate seats. He maintained that vacant seats persisted not due to a shortage of eligible candidates, but because many qualified aspirants were unable to secure admission owing to prohibitively high fees — a systemic issue that a cut-off reduction does nothing to address.
On the other side, senior advocate D.S. Naidu, appearing for a candidate supporting the reduction, backed the Centre's position, contending that lowering the percentile would not dilute academic standards since all candidates are still required to have cleared the MBBS qualification examination.
The petition described the move as
