NEET PG 2025 Controversy: Debate Erupts Over Revised Cut-Off Allowing Scores as Low as -40 for Reserved Categories

New Delhi: The revised NEET PG 2025 cut-off issued by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has sparked a heated debate regarding the qualification of doctors and the potential impact on patient care. The controversial revision lowers the minimum qualifying marks for SC, ST, and OBC candidates to 0 percentile, effectively allowing candidates with scores as low as -40 out of 800 to be eligible for medical postgraduate counseling.

Details of the Revised Cut-Off

• For SC, ST, and OBC candidates, the qualifying percentile has been reduced from 40th percentile to 0 percentile, allowing even extremely low scores to qualify for the third round of counseling for the 2025–26 academic session.
• General and EWS candidates now have a cut-off reduced from 50th percentile to 7th percentile, translating to a score drop from 276 to 103.
• General PwD candidates see a cut-off reduction from 45th percentile to 5th percentile, with scores falling from 255 to 90.
• NBEMS clarified that while eligibility criteria have changed, the overall NEET PG ranking of candidates remains unaffected.

Public Concerns and Reactions

The drastic reduction in qualifying marks has triggered concerns over the competence of future doctors. Many social media users have questioned whether candidates scoring negative marks should be entrusted with patient care.

One user wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
“NEET-PG 2025 cut-off for ST/SC/OBC is -40 marks. Would you let such doctors treat your parents, spouse, or children?”

Another user called the move a serious academic crisis, highlighting that allowing negative scores undermines merit and could compromise medical standards.

The controversy reflects wider debates on academic standards, reservation policies, and healthcare quality, with many questioning the implications for patient safety and the integrity of medical education.