The Union government has established a high-level committee headed by the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) to conduct a comprehensive review of the NEET-PG admission framework. This development follows Supreme Court hearings on petitions challenging the recent reduction in qualifying percentiles for the third round of NEET-PG 2025–26 counselling. The court has given the 12-member panel eight weeks to submit its findings and recommendations before proceeding with a detailed examination of the policy. For NEET-PG aspirants and recent MBBS graduates, this review could shape how future admission cycles operate and whether qualifying cut-offs remain flexible or are standardised.
A government-appointed DGHS committee will review NEET-PG admission rules over the next eight weeks, with the Supreme Court expected to examine its recommendations before deciding on the legality of reduced qualifying percentiles.
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Unlock My College ListWhat the DGHS Committee Will Do
The Centre notified the formation of this 12-member committee on 23 July 2026. The panel, chaired by the DGHS, has been tasked with conducting a detailed internal audit of the current NEET-PG admission system to identify gaps and inefficiencies. The committee's mandate includes reviewing the existing admission process, pinpointing shortcomings, and recommending practical, implementable reforms to improve transparency and operational efficiency.
The Supreme Court bench hearing the case (Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe) noted that the committee may also include experts from the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) and the National Commission for Homeopathy (NCH) if required. This suggests the review may extend beyond allopathic medicine to cover broader postgraduate medical education frameworks. The court has directed the committee to submit its report within eight weeks, after which the bench will take up the matter for detailed consideration.
Why the Supreme Court Is Examining NEET-PG Cut-Offs
The Supreme Court is hearing a batch of petitions filed by social worker Harisharan Devgan and doctors Saurav Kumar, Lakshya Mittal, and Akash Soni. These petitions challenge the decision to lower the qualifying percentile for the third round of NEET-PG 2025–26 counselling, specifically targeting a notification issued by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) on 13 January 2026. The petitioners argue that the reduction violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution by compromising fairness and educational standards.
The court has acknowledged that while NEET-PG is a merit-based entrance examination for postgraduate seat allocation and not a test of basic medical competence, it will still examine whether a sharp reduction in qualifying marks could affect the overall standards of postgraduate medical education. This signals the court's concern that lowering barriers to entry might inadvertently compromise the quality of doctors entering specialised training programmes.
The Cut-Off Reduction: From 50th to 7th Percentile
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Under the revised notification, the qualifying cut-off for the general category was reduced from the 50th percentile to the 7th percentile. This dramatic shift expanded the pool of eligible candidates substantially. According to NBEMS submissions to the Supreme Court, an additional 95,913 candidates became eligible to participate in NEET-PG 2025 counselling following this reduction. For NEET-PG aspirants, this means a significantly larger number of doctors competing for the same postgraduate seats, which could affect merit-based ranking and seat allocation in future rounds.
The government justified this reduction by citing a substantial number of vacant postgraduate seats after the second round of counselling. For the 2025–26 academic session, approximately 2.24 lakh candidates appeared for around 70,000 postgraduate seats (including 31,742 under the All India Quota). Despite two rounds of counselling, 9,621 AIQ seats remained vacant, including 5,213 seats in government medical colleges and DNB programmes. The Centre argued that lowering the percentile was necessary to fill publicly funded seats and was not designed to benefit private institutions.
Government's Defence: Historical Precedent and Policy Rationale
In its affidavit before the Supreme Court, the Union government defended the cut-off reduction as an academic and policy matter falling within the authority of expert regulatory bodies under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019. The Centre argued that reducing the qualifying percentile is not a new practice. Since NEET-PG was introduced in 2017, the cut-off has been lowered whenever necessary to avoid vacant postgraduate seats. Notably, during the 2023 admission cycle, the qualifying percentile had been reduced to zero across all categories.
The government also clarified that NEET-PG scores reflect relative performance among candidates rather than minimum professional competence. It emphasised that every applicant appearing for the examination already possesses a recognised MBBS degree and has completed the mandatory rotating internship, meaning their eligibility as qualified medical graduates has already been established. According to the Centre, the purpose of NEET-PG is to prepare an inter se (relative) merit list for allocating limited postgraduate seats rather than to certify medical competence. This distinction is important for aspirants to understand: NEET-PG is not a competency test but a ranking tool for seat distribution.
What This Means for NEET-PG Aspirants and Counselling
For MBBS doctors preparing for NEET-PG, the ongoing review introduces uncertainty about future cut-off policies. If the DGHS committee recommends standardising or raising the qualifying percentile, future counselling rounds may become more competitive. Conversely, if the committee endorses the current flexible approach, aspirants can expect cut-offs to remain responsive to seat vacancy rates. The eight-week timeline means a decision is likely by early October 2026, which could influence how candidates approach the remaining counselling rounds of the current cycle.
The expansion of the eligible candidate pool (95,913 additional doctors) has immediate implications for merit ranking and seat allocation. Even if an aspirant's NEET-PG score remains unchanged, their rank may shift downward due to the larger pool, potentially affecting their choice of college and speciality in counselling. Aspirants should monitor the Supreme Court's final ruling and the DGHS committee's recommendations closely, as these could reshape counselling protocols for the 2026–27 cycle and beyond.
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The Broader Question: Merit vs. Seat Filling
At the heart of this dispute is a tension between two competing objectives: maintaining rigorous merit-based selection for postgraduate medical education and ensuring that publicly funded seats do not remain vacant. The government's position prioritises seat utilisation, arguing that unfilled government seats represent a loss of public investment and training capacity. The petitioners' position prioritises educational standards, contending that lowering barriers could admit doctors who are not adequately prepared for specialised training.
The Supreme Court's decision to form a review committee rather than immediately ruling suggests the court recognises the complexity of this balance. The DGHS committee's recommendations will likely propose a framework that addresses both concerns—perhaps by introducing transparent, predictable cut-off policies that are set in advance rather than adjusted reactively, or by exploring alternative mechanisms to fill vacant seats without compromising merit. For aspirants, this means the final policy may be more structured and predictable than the current ad-hoc approach.
Timeline and Next Steps for Aspirants
The DGHS committee must submit its report within eight weeks of the Supreme Court's order (issued in early August 2026), placing the deadline around early October 2026. After receiving the report, the Supreme Court bench will take up the matter for detailed consideration. This means a final ruling on the legality of the reduced cut-off is unlikely before late October or November 2026. During this period, the third and potentially fourth rounds of NEET-PG 2025–26 counselling may proceed under the current reduced cut-off policy.
Aspirants currently in counselling should focus on securing seats in the ongoing rounds rather than waiting for the Supreme Court's decision, as the outcome may not affect the current cycle. However, those planning to appear for NEET-PG in future years should stay informed about the committee's recommendations and the court's final judgment, as these will likely shape admission policies for 2026–27 and beyond. Monitoring official announcements from NBEMS, the MCC (Medical Counselling Committee), and the Supreme Court's website is essential.
Implications for DNB and Government Medical College Seats
The data cited by the government highlights that a significant portion of vacant seats were in government medical colleges and DNB programmes (5,213 out of 9,621 vacant AIQ seats). This suggests that the cut-off reduction was particularly aimed at filling these seats. For aspirants targeting government colleges or DNB positions, the review outcome could determine whether future counselling remains flexible or becomes more stringent. If the committee recommends a standardised, higher cut-off, competition for these seats may intensify.
DNB (Diplomate of National Board) is a broad-speciality qualification equivalent to MD/MS and is counselled alongside NEET-PG seats through the MCC. The DGHS committee's review may also examine whether DNB seat allocation and cut-off policies should be harmonised with MD/MS policies or remain distinct. Aspirants interested in DNB should note that the committee's recommendations could reshape the relative competitiveness of DNB versus MD/MS seats in future cycles.
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See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
What is the DGHS committee and why was it formed?
The DGHS (Director General of Health Services) committee is a 12-member panel formed by the Centre on 23 July 2026 to conduct a comprehensive review of the NEET-PG admission process. It was formed in response to Supreme Court hearings on petitions challenging the reduction of the qualifying percentile from 50th to 7th percentile for the third round of NEET-PG 2025–26 counselling. The committee will audit the current admission system, identify shortcomings, and recommend reforms to improve transparency and efficiency.
How much time does the DGHS committee have to submit its report?
The Supreme Court has granted the committee eight weeks to submit its report. The order was issued in early August 2026, placing the deadline around early October 2026. After receiving the report, the Supreme Court bench will take up the matter for detailed consideration before issuing a final ruling.
Why did the government reduce the NEET-PG qualifying percentile?
The government reduced the qualifying percentile to fill vacant postgraduate seats. For the 2025–26 cycle, approximately 2.24 lakh candidates appeared for around 70,000 postgraduate seats. Despite two rounds of counselling, 9,621 AIQ seats remained vacant, including 5,213 in government medical colleges and DNB programmes. The Centre argued that lowering the percentile was necessary to ensure publicly funded seats were not left unfilled and was not designed to benefit private institutions.
How many additional candidates became eligible after the cut-off was reduced?
According to NBEMS submissions to the Supreme Court, an additional 95,913 candidates became eligible to participate in NEET-PG 2025 counselling following the reduction of the qualifying percentile from 50th to 7th percentile for the general category. This significantly expanded the pool of eligible doctors competing for postgraduate seats.
Will the Supreme Court's decision affect the current NEET-PG 2025–26 counselling rounds?
The Supreme Court's final ruling is unlikely to affect the current counselling cycle, as the decision is expected around late October or November 2026, after the third and possibly fourth rounds have already concluded. Aspirants currently in counselling should focus on securing seats in ongoing rounds rather than waiting for the court's decision. However, the ruling will likely shape admission policies for the 2026–27 cycle and beyond.
What does the government say about NEET-PG being a competency test?
The government clarified that NEET-PG is not a test of basic medical competence but a merit-based ranking tool for allocating limited postgraduate seats. Every applicant already possesses a recognised MBBS degree and has completed the mandatory rotating internship, so their eligibility as qualified medical graduates is already established. NEET-PG scores reflect relative performance among candidates rather than minimum professional competence.
Has the government reduced NEET-PG cut-offs before?
Yes. The government argued in its affidavit that reducing the qualifying percentile is not a new practice. Since NEET-PG was introduced in 2017, the cut-off has been lowered whenever necessary to avoid vacant postgraduate seats. Notably, during the 2023 admission cycle, the qualifying percentile had been reduced to zero across all categories.
What are the petitioners arguing against the reduced cut-off?
The petitioners—social worker Harisharan Devgan and doctors Saurav Kumar, Lakshya Mittal, and Akash Soni—argue that lowering the qualifying percentile violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution by compromising fairness and educational standards. They contend that a sharp reduction in qualifying marks could affect the overall standards of postgraduate medical education.
Could the DGHS committee's recommendations affect DNB seats?
Possibly. The committee's review may examine whether DNB (Diplomate of National Board) seat allocation and cut-off policies should be harmonised with MD/MS policies or remain distinct. Since a significant portion of vacant seats were in DNB programmes (part of the 9,621 vacant AIQ seats), the committee's recommendations could reshape the competitiveness of DNB seats in future cycles.
The DGHS committee's eight-week review will be crucial in determining whether NEET-PG cut-off policies become more standardised and predictable or remain flexible and responsive to seat vacancy. Aspirants currently in counselling should proceed with securing seats in ongoing rounds, while those planning future attempts should monitor the committee's recommendations and the Supreme Court's final judgment closely, as these will likely define admission policies for 2026–27 and beyond.
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