NEET-PG Cut-Offs Plummet
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Postgraduate courses (NEET-PG) has witnessed a drastic reduction in qualifying scores, leading to a concerning trend where postgraduate medical seats are being filled at alarmingly low scores. As of February 2026, candidates have secured positions in esteemed government medical colleges with scores as low as four out of 800, prompting serious concerns within the medical community.
This issue became glaringly evident during the third round of PG counselling, where numerous seats, including in critical clinical specialties, were awarded to candidates with single-digit or barely double-digit scores. This trend raises questions about the standards of medical education and the implications for patient safety.
Significance of the Declining Standards
The decision to lower NEET-PG cut-offs significantly has been attributed to a systemic strain within medical education. A senior faculty member from a government medical college remarked, “This signals a serious breakdown in medical education and workforce planning. Filling surgical specialties at near-zero scores indicates a system under severe strain.” Such developments not only threaten the integrity of medical training but potentially compromise patient care as well.
Impact of New Cut-Off Standards
Specific Cases of Concern
Specific instances highlight the severity of the issue. For example, an MS orthopaedics seat in Rohtak was allotted to a candidate who scored just four marks, while a spot in obstetrics and gynaecology at a prominent Delhi institution went to someone with 44 marks. In general surgery, a candidate secured a seat with a score of 47 marks. Such instances exemplify the extreme lowering of standards across various disciplines, including both clinical and non-clinical fields.
Overall Trends
Across several medical specialties, alarming instances include seats filled with scores as low as ten marks in transfusion medicine, 11 in anatomy, and even minus eight in biochemistry. Many of these candidates qualified under reserved categories, including Persons with Disabilities (PwD), ensuring that seats did not remain vacant. However, medical professionals have expressed deep concerns that such policies prioritize filling seats over ensuring competence, thus endangering health care standards.
Professional Reaction and Warnings
In light of these developments, many healthcare professionals have voiced their alarms. A senior doctor emphasized, “Marks as low as 4, 11, 44 or 47 out of 800 point to a lack of basic aptitude. Removing cut-offs altogether directly risks patient safety.” This sentiment echoes throughout the medical community, as doctors and educators stress that the traditional rigor of medical training is affected.
Government’s Protective Stance
Despite the rising concerns, a senior health ministry official defended the revised qualifying standards. They noted that the current framework ensures that PG seats are filled according to updated eligibility rules, asserting that competence will ultimately be assessed through rigorous training and exit examinations. The official emphasized the responsibility of medical colleges to filter candidates during training, stating, “Colleges are certified by regulators and are responsible for failing unsuitable candidates.”
Underlying Structural Challenges
The low cut-offs hint at broader issues affecting the quality of medical education in India. Rapid expansion of postgraduate seats has not been matched by an increase in qualified faculty, leading to overcrowded classrooms and a lack of essential teaching resources. According to a senior academician, “Without strong faculty, robust exit exams, and a system to weed out unsuitable candidates, anyone who enters medicine eventually gets a degree.” This deterioration raises long-term doubts about the preparedness of future medical practitioners.
Quality of Training at Risk
The impact of these lax standards is already evident in the current cohort of postgraduate students. Reports indicate that many new entrants to medical programs lack essential theoretical knowledge, clinical skills, and self-discipline. Over-reliance on online learning has diluted training quality, while pressure to pass a growing number of students contributes to a decreased commitment to excellence.
As a doctor noted, “Easy entry has reduced seriousness, even at top institutions. Despite the rising number of graduates, training quality is falling, posing long-term risks to patient care.” The implication is clear: today’s lax admission policies could lead to a future where poorly trained doctors are licensed to practice, risking patient safety and undermining public trust in the healthcare system.
Long-Term Consequences for Health Care
Experts express concern that shortcomings in medical training might not be immediately apparent. The repercussions of inadequate preparation could become evident years later when these doctors operate independently, with potential safety risks for the patients they serve. As a result, many in the healthcare profession are calling for an urgent reevaluation of the policies governing medical education and standards.
Future Challenges and Solutions
Moving forward, discussions on how to maintain standards in medical education are essential. Policymakers must balance the necessity of filling seats against the imperative of producing competent healthcare professionals. Ensuring that there are adequate regulations and guidelines to cultivate a qualified workforce should take precedence over merely filling available slots.
Authorities are urged to consider establishing stricter criteria for entry into medical education as well as improving the quality of existing programs. Addressing these challenges may involve re-evaluating faculty recruitment, enhancing training methodologies, and introducing more stringent exit examinations.
Conclusion
The recent changes in NEET-PG cut-offs signal a troubling trend that could have significant implications for the future of healthcare in India. While the government has made efforts to ensure that medical seats do not remain unfilled, experts caution that trading competence for convenience poses a much larger risk to public health.
As the medical community continues to grapple with these changes, the call for a more sustainable and competence-driven approach to medical education has never been clearer. Without addressing the root causes of these challenges, the foundation of India’s healthcare system could be at stake.