New Delhi: The Union Government has submitted an affidavit before the Supreme Court of India defending the decision to reduce the qualifying cut-off for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET-PG). The Centre stated that the reduction, including allowing candidates with low or negative scores to participate in counselling, does not compromise clinical competence or academic standards.

Government’s Stand

In its submission, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare clarified that NEET-PG functions primarily as a ranking and seat-allocation mechanism for postgraduate medical admissions. Clinical competence, the Centre noted, is already established through completion of the MBBS degree and mandatory internship, with further competency development occurring during structured postgraduate training.

Rationale for Cut-Off Reduction

The Centre informed the Court that the qualifying percentile was lowered to address the issue of vacant postgraduate medical seats after counselling rounds. The policy decision aims to prevent wastage of training capacity in medical institutions and ensure optimal utilisation of public resources, while preserving merit-based allocation among eligible candidates.

Role of the Exam Conducting Authority

The affidavit also referred to the position of the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences, stating that the examination framework is designed to facilitate transparent merit ranking and does not, by itself, determine professional competence to practise medicine independently.

Petitioners’ Concerns

Petitioners have challenged the cut-off reduction, arguing that a significant relaxation could dilute academic standards and potentially impact the quality of postgraduate medical education. They have sought judicial scrutiny of the policy decision, terming it arbitrary and detrimental to merit-based admissions.

Court’s Observation

The Supreme Court has indicated that while candidates entering postgraduate programmes are already qualified medical graduates, the implications of a substantial reduction in qualifying criteria on the quality of medical education require careful examination. The matter remains under judicial consideration.

What Candidates Should Know

  • The revised qualifying cut-off is applicable for the current admission cycle as notified by the authorities.
  • Counselling and seat allotment will continue to follow existing merit and reservation norms.
  • Candidates are advised to track official notifications for updates on counselling schedules and admission procedures.