Supreme Court Takes Up NEET-PG Cut-Off Controversy
The Supreme Court of India has issued formal notice on a significant public interest litigation that questions the recent reduction of qualifying cut-off percentiles for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Postgraduate Medical Courses (NEET-PG) for the academic year 2025-26. This development marks a crucial judicial intervention in a matter that has sparked widespread debate within India's medical education sector.
Bench Schedules Hearing for February 2026
A distinguished Bench comprising Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe has officially scheduled the matter for detailed hearing on February 6, 2026. The court has called for comprehensive responses from all concerned authorities, with the issue to be taken up on the fixed date and further proceedings to follow as per the judicial calendar.
Petition Challenges "Abnormally Low" Standards
The petition specifically assails a controversial notice issued by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences that substantially lowered the cut-off percentiles for postgraduate medical admissions. The petitioners have described these new standards as reaching "abnormally low levels" that include zero and even negative percentiles, raising fundamental questions about the integrity of medical education standards.
Constitutional and Legal Concerns Raised
According to the detailed plea presented before the court, the decision to reduce qualifying standards for postgraduate medical education has been characterized as arbitrary and unconstitutional. The petitioners argue that this move infringes upon Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantee the right to equality and the right to life and personal liberty respectively.
Patient Safety and Merit-Based Selection at Stake
The litigation presents compelling arguments regarding the broader implications of reduced cut-offs. The petitioners have emphasized that lowering qualification standards directly impacts:
- Patient safety and healthcare quality
- Public health standards across the nation
- The professional integrity of the medical community
Furthermore, the petition contends that this reduction, undertaken primarily to fill vacant postgraduate seats, effectively abolishes merit as a fundamental criterion for medical education. This transformation, according to the petitioners, converts what should be a rigorous competitive examination into a mere administrative formality.
Statutory Framework and Professional Standards
The plea emphasizes the unique nature of medical education, noting that medicine directly implicates human life, bodily integrity, and human dignity. The petitioners argue that institutionalizing any dilution of professional standards in such a critical field is fundamentally impermissible and contrary to public interest.
Additionally, the petition highlights that dilution of merit at the postgraduate level runs contrary to the statutory mandate established by the National Medical Commission Act of 2019, which was enacted specifically to maintain and enhance the quality of medical education in India.
Background of NEET-PG Examination System
NEET-PG is administered by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences for admission to various postgraduate medical programs across India. The examination serves as the primary gateway for medical graduates seeking specialization, with cut-off percentiles traditionally determining eligibility for counseling and seat allocation.
Core Legal Issues Before the Court
The fundamental issue before the Supreme Court involves examining the legality of the lowered cut-offs and their compatibility with existing statutory frameworks. The court's notices specifically call for respondents to place their detailed positions on record, setting the stage for a comprehensive legal examination of this critical educational policy decision.
This judicial scrutiny comes at a crucial time when India's medical education system faces multiple challenges, including concerns about maintaining excellence while addressing practical considerations of seat allocation and institutional capacity.
