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The recent news items appearing in print media regarding the shocking and irrational move by the Union Health Ministry of lowering cut-off marks in NEET-PG 2025 to ZERO and NEGATIVE to certain categories of seats left the nation stunned and speechless.
This reduction in the qualifying marks has been effected without application of mind and without visualizing the future disastrous implications on the health care system and on the hapless patients at large in our country.
The following are the revised qualifying for the high-risk clinical branches and other disciplines;
| Branch | Revised Qualifying Marks | % |
| Orthopaedics (MS) | 4/800 | 0.5 |
| Obstetrics & gynaecology | 44/800 | 5.5 |
| General Surgery | 47/800 | 5.87 |
| Transfusion Medicine (Other disciplines) | 10/800 | 1.25 |
| Anatomy (Other disciplines) | 11/800 | 1.37 |
| Bio Chemistry (Other disciplines) | (-)8/800 | Negative |
The percentile for General Candidates, PwD and SC\ST\OBC is as follows:
General Candidates: 7
PwD:5
SC\ST\OBC: 0 (Zero)
Source: Times of India 9-02-2026
The decision appears motivated more by commercial interests than any genuine concern for improving the health care system in the country. A deeper analysis would reveal the sinister motive behind this dilution of the cut-off marks.
The reduction of the NEET PG 2025-26 qualifying percentile to “ Zero” for SC/ST/OBC categories, 5 for PwD and 7 for the General/EWS category would help the medical colleges fill over 18,000 vacant seats. A ball mark figure of Rs.2.00 crore per seat works out to a mindboggling Rs.36000 crores. The primary beneficiaries are the following states with a high number of private, deemed and management quota seats. It is an open secret that most of these colleges are owned by political leaders including ministers.
- Karnataka
- Maharashtra
- Uttar Pradesh
- Bihar
- Tamil Nadu
- Andhra Pradesh
- Telangana
- Uttarakhand
- Chattisgarh
- Himachal Pradesh
The sharp increase in the availability of seats helps these colleges to auction these seats for crores of rupees and fill their coffers. For example: A candidate with Zero to six percentile can buy a seat in MD Dermatology in Rajasthan at a price of Rs.4 crores under management quota.
The National Medical Commission (the apex medical education regulator) which is the consultant body for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is notorious for rampant corruption and bribery. The Commission was hit by a severe corruption scandal in the year 2025 involving senior doctors and officials facilitating favourable inspection reports for sub-standard and dubious medical colleges lacking basic infrastructure and manpower. The CBI has arrested 34 individuals including NMC assessors, Union Health Ministry officials and private medical college administrators in this regard.
“ As you sow, so you reap”. The doctors caution that the entire health care system is on the brink of collapse with frivolous entry and exit exams, diluted qualifying marks, sale of seats, lack of experienced faculty, pressure on the faculty to qualify ineligible students, stage-managed patient attendance by the medical colleges lacking basic infrastructure facilities and rampant corruption. With serious implications of patient safety and public trust the profession is going to suffer a lot of indignity in future and so would be the gullible patients who walk into the hospital without being aware that the doctor treating him for some serious ailments secured only a “ Zero or Negative” mark in NEET and his life is now at his mercy.
Fortunately these media reports have attracted serious attention and concern of the Supreme Court and it sought an explanation from the National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences. But it remains to be seen how the Supreme Court can help cleanse the system ridden with deceit, manipulation, money power and muscle power.
V.Subramanian
PS: Don’t be shocked if your orthopedic surgeon says that the root cause for your knee-pain is the knee itself and recommends amputation. Pardon him. He may be from NEET-PG 2025.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.