Two private medical colleges have approached India's Supreme Court asking for permission to lower the qualifying percentile for NEET UG 2026, citing a sharp rise in unfilled MBBS seats across the country. This move reflects a broader crisis in medical admissions: over 3,400 seats remained vacant after the third counselling round in 2026, compared to just 802 the previous year. The petition highlights a growing affordability problem, with private and deemed universities charging fees that many families cannot sustain. If the court agrees, it could open doors for more aspirants to secure MBBS seats—but it also raises questions about what happens when colleges struggle to fill seats despite lowering entry barriers.
Medical colleges are asking courts to lower NEET UG qualifying percentile to fill thousands of vacant MBBS seats, signalling that high fees and strict cutoffs are keeping seats empty—which could work in your favour if the petition succeeds.
Your matched MBBS & BDS colleges
LockedEnter your NEET rank to unlock the real colleges you can get — All India Quota and every state — with official closing ranks and fees.
Unlock My College ListWhat exactly are medical colleges asking the Supreme Court to do?
Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute and Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute have filed a petition invoking Clause II(b) of the NEET UG 2026 information bulletin. This clause allows the competent authority (the government body overseeing admissions) to exercise discretion in reducing the qualifying percentile if circumstances warrant it. The colleges argue that a large number of seats have gone unfilled and that lowering the percentile requirement would help fill these vacancies.
The petition was heard by a Supreme Court bench on November 5, 2026, and the court has issued a notice. The matter is scheduled for hearing on November 16, 2026, when the respondents—including the Union of India, Directorate General of Health Services, Medical Counselling Committee, and National Medical Commission—are expected to present their response. No reduction has been ordered yet, so the outcome remains uncertain.
How many MBBS seats are actually lying vacant in 2026?
The numbers are striking. After the third round of All India counselling in 2026, 3,426 MBBS seats remained vacant—a dramatic jump from 802 vacant seats at the same stage in 2025. Even after the special stray vacancy round (the final chance to fill remaining seats), 837 MBBS seats across the country were still unfilled. In the stray vacancy round's provisional allotment list, only 537 MBBS seats were filled against 946 reported vacancies, leaving a significant gap.
The vacancy problem is particularly acute in deemed universities. According to Medical Counselling Committee data, 824 of the 837 remaining vacant MBBS seats after final counselling were in deemed universities located in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Maharashtra also reported 84 vacant MBBS seats and 54 vacant BDS seats after six rounds of centralised counselling. These numbers suggest that the issue is not a shortage of seats, but rather a mismatch between what colleges are offering and what aspirants can afford or are willing to accept.
Why are so many MBBS seats going unfilled?
The primary culprit is affordability. Private and deemed universities are charging annual MBBS fees ranging from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 35 lakh at some institutions in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. When you factor in hostel fees, examination charges, and other expenses over a four-and-a-half-year course, the total cost can exceed Rs 1 crore. For most Indian families, this is simply out of reach, even for aspirants who have qualified for admission.
Know the exact MBBS/BDS colleges your rank can get
Official 2023–2025 closing ranks and fees, matched to your rank.
To combat these vacancies, several private medical colleges have begun offering fee concessions. In one documented case, an aspirant received a 40% reduction in annual tuition at a deemed university in Tamil Nadu, bringing the fee down from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 15 lakh per year. Another student received a Rs 4.5 lakh concession at a self-financed medical college in Rajasthan. While these discounts help, they come late in the counselling process and are not widely advertised, leaving many aspirants unaware of such options.
- Annual MBBS fees at some deemed universities: Rs 25–35 lakh
- Total four-and-a-half-year course cost: often exceeds Rs 1 crore
- Fee concessions offered: up to 40% in some cases
- Timing of concessions: typically offered in final counselling rounds
What does this mean for your NEET UG admission chances?
If the Supreme Court agrees to lower the qualifying percentile, it could significantly expand your chances of securing an MBBS seat. A lower percentile requirement means more aspirants would become eligible for counselling, and with thousands of seats currently vacant, there would be more opportunities for allotment. However, this benefit comes with a caveat: you would likely be allotted a seat at a private or deemed university with high fees, unless you secure a government college seat through the regular process.
The petition also highlights a systemic issue: the medical education system is expanding (the National Medical Commission approved 13,636 additional undergraduate medical seats in 2026), but affordability remains a barrier. If you are an aspirant from a middle-income or lower-income family, a lower qualifying percentile might open a door, but you would still need to navigate the financial burden of private medical education. This is why understanding fee structures, available concessions, and loan options is crucial before accepting an allotment.
How does this affect counselling strategy for NEET UG 2026 aspirants?
If the qualifying percentile is reduced, the counselling process could become more competitive in unexpected ways. More aspirants would become eligible, which means the merit order for seat allotment could shift. Seats that were previously considered 'safe' at certain colleges might become harder to secure. Conversely, seats at private and deemed universities—currently going unfilled—might see increased competition if more aspirants become eligible.
For aspirants currently in the counselling process or preparing for future rounds, this development suggests a few practical steps: first, do not assume that a lower percentile automatically guarantees a seat at your preferred college; second, actively research fee structures and concession policies at colleges you are interested in; third, if you are allotted a private college seat, negotiate for fee waivers or concessions before accepting the allotment. The fact that colleges are offering discounts in the final rounds shows there is room for negotiation.
What is Clause II(b) of the NEET UG 2026 information bulletin?
Clause II(b) is a provision within the NEET UG 2026 information bulletin that grants the competent authority (typically the government body overseeing medical admissions) discretionary power to reduce the qualifying percentile under specific circumstances. This clause exists precisely for situations like the current one—when a large number of seats remain unfilled despite the normal counselling process. It is not a new rule; it has been part of NEET UG guidelines for several years, but invoking it requires a formal petition and court approval.
Every kind of MBBS/BDS seat, one rank
See the real seats your NEET rank can reach.
The clause is designed to balance two competing interests: ensuring that admission standards are maintained while also ensuring that available seats are filled. By allowing flexibility in the qualifying percentile, the provision acknowledges that sometimes external factors (such as high fees or economic conditions) can prevent qualified aspirants from securing seats, even though seats are available. However, using this clause is not automatic; it requires the competent authority to exercise judgment and the courts to approve any changes.
What happened in Maharashtra's NEET UG 2026 counselling?
Maharashtra faced a similar seat-filling challenge, with 84 MBBS and 54 BDS seats remaining vacant after six rounds of centralised counselling. The state government took a different approach to address admission issues: it discontinued institution-level counselling (where individual colleges conducted their own admission process) and mandated that all admissions be conducted through the CET Cell (the centralised counselling authority). This decision followed complaints about admission denials and excessive fee demands during college-level rounds in previous years.
When a private medical college in Maharashtra sought permission to conduct its own counselling, the Bombay High Court rejected the plea as premature but allowed the college to approach the Supreme Court if seats remained vacant after the centralised process. This suggests that while courts are open to flexibility, they are also cautious about allowing individual colleges to bypass centralised systems. For aspirants, this means that centralised counselling—despite its challenges—is seen as a safeguard against arbitrary fee demands and admission denials.
Is the National Medical Commission expanding MBBS seats?
Yes. The National Medical Commission approved 13,636 additional undergraduate medical seats in 2026, on top of the existing capacity of approximately 1.27 lakh seats. This represents a significant expansion of medical education capacity in India. However, the expansion has not solved the vacancy problem, which suggests that the issue is not a shortage of seats but rather affordability and accessibility.
The expansion is intended to increase the number of doctors in India and address regional disparities in medical education. However, if most of these new seats are in private and deemed universities with high fees, the expansion may not benefit aspirants from economically weaker sections. This is why the petition to lower the qualifying percentile is significant: it acknowledges that simply creating more seats is not enough if aspirants cannot afford to study at those institutions.
What should you do if you are currently in NEET UG 2026 counselling?
First, monitor the Supreme Court hearing scheduled for November 16, 2026. If the court agrees to lower the qualifying percentile, it could affect your eligibility and the seats available to you. Second, if you have been allotted a seat at a private or deemed university, do not immediately accept it without understanding the full financial commitment. Request a detailed fee breakdown, ask about available concessions or scholarships, and explore education loan options. Third, if you are still waiting for allotment, be prepared for the possibility that more aspirants might become eligible if the percentile is lowered, which could affect your rank and seat availability.
Additionally, actively research colleges you are interested in. Look up their fee structures, check if they have offered concessions in previous years, and reach out to current students or alumni to understand the real cost of studying there. If you are from an economically weaker background, prioritise government colleges or colleges with lower fees, and be aware that accepting a seat at a high-fee private college should be a deliberate choice, not a default option due to lack of awareness.
See the exact MBBS colleges your NEET rank can get
Free 2-minute preview — official closing ranks and fees for every seat your rank can reach, All India and your state.
See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
What is the Supreme Court petition about NEET UG 2026 qualifying percentile?
Two medical colleges—Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute and Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute—have petitioned the Supreme Court to reduce the qualifying percentile for NEET UG 2026. They argue that thousands of MBBS seats remain vacant and that lowering the percentile requirement would help fill these seats. The petition invokes Clause II(b) of the NEET UG 2026 information bulletin, which allows the competent authority to reduce the qualifying percentile under specific circumstances. The Supreme Court heard the petition on November 5, 2026, and scheduled a hearing for November 16, 2026, when respondents are expected to present their response.
How many MBBS seats were vacant in NEET UG 2026 counselling?
After the third round of All India counselling in 2026, 3,426 MBBS seats remained vacant, compared to 802 vacant seats at the same stage in 2025. Even after the special stray vacancy round (the final counselling round), 837 MBBS seats across the country remained unfilled. In the stray vacancy round's provisional allotment list, only 537 MBBS seats were filled against 946 reported vacancies. Of the 837 remaining vacant seats, 824 were in deemed universities in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Why are so many MBBS seats going unfilled in 2026?
The primary reason is affordability. Private and deemed universities are charging annual MBBS fees ranging from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 35 lakh at some institutions in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. When hostel fees and other expenses are included, the total cost of a four-and-a-half-year MBBS course can exceed Rs 1 crore. For most Indian families, this is financially unaffordable, even for aspirants who have qualified for admission. To address this, some colleges have begun offering fee concessions of up to 40%, but these are typically offered late in the counselling process and are not widely advertised.
What does a lower qualifying percentile mean for my NEET UG admission chances?
If the Supreme Court agrees to lower the qualifying percentile, more aspirants would become eligible for counselling, and with thousands of vacant seats available, your chances of securing an MBBS seat could improve. However, the seats you would likely be allotted would be at private or deemed universities with high fees, unless you secure a government college seat through the regular process. A lower percentile does not guarantee a seat at your preferred college; it simply expands the pool of eligible aspirants, which could increase competition for certain seats.
What is Clause II(b) of the NEET UG 2026 information bulletin?
Clause II(b) is a provision in the NEET UG 2026 information bulletin that grants the competent authority (the government body overseeing medical admissions) discretionary power to reduce the qualifying percentile under specific circumstances. This clause exists for situations when a large number of seats remain unfilled despite the normal counselling process. It is designed to balance the need to maintain admission standards with the need to fill available seats. Using this clause requires a formal petition and court approval; it is not automatic.
How much fee concession are medical colleges offering in 2026?
Several private medical colleges have offered fee concessions to attract students during the later stages of NEET UG 2026 counselling. In one documented case, an aspirant received a 40% reduction in annual tuition at a deemed university in Tamil Nadu, bringing the fee down from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 15 lakh per year, with the total four-and-a-half-year course cost remaining below Rs 80 lakh (compared to the original cost of over Rs 1 crore). In another case, a student received a Rs 4.5 lakh concession on a course fee of Rs 94.5 lakh at a self-financed medical college in Rajasthan. These concessions are typically offered in final counselling rounds and are not widely advertised.
What happened with Maharashtra's NEET UG 2026 counselling?
Maharashtra reported 84 vacant MBBS seats and 54 vacant BDS seats after six rounds of centralised counselling. The state government discontinued institution-level counselling (where individual colleges conducted their own admission process) and mandated that all admissions be conducted through the CET Cell (the centralised counselling authority). This decision followed complaints about admission denials and excessive fee demands during college-level rounds in previous years. When a private medical college sought permission to conduct its own counselling, the Bombay High Court rejected the plea as premature but allowed the college to approach the Supreme Court if seats remained vacant after the centralised process.
Is the National Medical Commission expanding MBBS seats?
Yes. The National Medical Commission approved 13,636 additional undergraduate medical seats in 2026, on top of the existing capacity of approximately 1.27 lakh seats. This represents a significant expansion of medical education capacity in India. However, the expansion has not solved the vacancy problem, which suggests that the issue is not a shortage of seats but rather affordability and accessibility. If most of these new seats are in private and deemed universities with high fees, the expansion may not benefit aspirants from economically weaker sections.
The Supreme Court's decision on the qualifying percentile petition, expected after November 16, 2026, could reshape NEET UG 2026 counselling outcomes. Whether or not the percentile is lowered, the underlying message is clear: affordability is now a critical barrier to MBBS admission in India. As an aspirant, focus on understanding the true cost of studying at any college you are allotted, actively negotiate for fee concessions, and prioritise government colleges or affordable private institutions whenever possible.
Plan your admission with free AI tools
Turn your NEET score into a rank, then into the exact colleges you can get.