NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to examine a public interest litigation challenging the decision of the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) to lower the qualifying cut-off percentiles for NEET-PG 2025–26—a move that could allow candidates with zero or even negative scores to qualify.
A bench comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe issued notice to the Centre on the plea and scheduled the matter for hearing on February 6.
The petitioners contended that the relaxation of the cut-off compromises patient safety, public health and the integrity of the medical profession. They argued that the decision, taken largely to fill vacant postgraduate medical seats, effectively eliminates merit as a qualifying standard and reduces a competitive examination to an administrative formality.
Medicine, the plea stated, has a direct bearing on human life, bodily integrity and dignity, and any dilution of professional standards in the field is impermissible.
More than 18,000 postgraduate medical seats across the country are currently lying vacant.
