The proposed NEET PG rank-based system could significantly change postgraduate medical admissions from 2027, with the National Medical Commission (NMC) giving in-principle approval to replace the existing percentile-based qualifying system with a rank-based merit process. The proposal also covers NEET-SS admissions and follows concerns over reduced qualifying cut-offs and delays in postgraduate medical counselling.
However, several important questions remain unanswered. Medical aspirants are waiting for clarity on minimum marks, category-wise eligibility, zero and negative scores, and whether colleges will be allowed to fill every available seat regardless of candidates' performance.
Key Questions the NMC Must Clarify
The final regulations will need to address several issues before candidates can understand how the proposed system will operate:
- Minimum marks: Will candidates need to secure a minimum score irrespective of their rank?
- Zero and negative scores: Will candidates with zero or negative marks automatically become ineligible?
- Category-wise eligibility: Will separate qualifying requirements continue for General, EWS, SC, ST, OBC and PwBD candidates?
- Vacant seats: Will admissions continue down the merit list until all available seats are filled?
- NEET-SS coverage: Will the same rules apply to both NEET-PG and NEET-SS?
- Unfilled seats: What happens if all eligible candidates are exhausted but seats remain vacant?
Until formal regulations are issued, the proposal should not be treated as a final admission rule.
What Is Changing in NEET-PG Admissions?
Currently, candidates must meet a specified percentile to become eligible for postgraduate medical counselling. Under the proposed system, ranks would instead determine merit for admission.
According to the information reported by LiveLaw, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) proposed the change following recommendations from a 12-member expert committee constituted by the Centre.
The NMC has approved the proposal in principle. Draft regulations are expected after stakeholder consultations. Its implementation will also depend on the regulatory process and further proceedings in the Supreme Court, where the committee's report was submitted on November 3.
Why Has the Rank-Based System Been Proposed?
The debate intensified after qualifying cut-offs for the 2025-26 admission cycle were sharply reduced to address vacant postgraduate seats.
The General and EWS qualifying threshold fell from the 50th percentile, equivalent to 276 marks out of 800, to the seventh percentile, or 103 marks.
For General PwBD candidates, the threshold dropped from the 45th to the fifth percentile. For SC, ST and OBC candidates, including PwBD candidates in these categories, it was reduced from the 40th percentile to zero, equivalent to minus 40 marks.
These reductions made additional candidates eligible for counselling and triggered concerns about academic standards in postgraduate medical education.
The Centre has argued that NEET-PG primarily creates a merit list for allocating limited postgraduate seats, while basic medical competence is established through the MBBS qualification. Petitioners, however, have questioned whether candidates with extremely low or negative scores should qualify.
The expert committee has recommended against diluting minimum qualifying standards to the extent that candidates with grossly inadequate or negative performance become eligible.
What Could Change for Students and Colleges?
A rank-based merit list could simplify admission procedures and potentially reduce delays between the second and third rounds of postgraduate counselling.
The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) is also working towards digitising counselling with minimum human intervention. Proposed portal changes include 'Freeze' and 'Float' options, allowing candidates accepting seats under the Float category to complete certain procedures online while seeking an upgraded seat.
Candidates may also be required to pay fees only once, at the institution where they finally take admission.
Other measures under consideration include KYC or biometric verification to prevent candidates from appearing in examinations merely to block seats, and online sharing of results with state counselling authorities.
The NMC is also being included in counselling software to help manage and verify the seat matrix. The expert committee has recommended structured timelines for examinations, counselling and approvals for new courses or additional seats.
Separately, recommendations reportedly include reduced fees for non-clinical postgraduate courses, revised stipends for residents, equal salary treatment across clinical and non-clinical branches, and incentives for doctors willing to work in rural areas.
For medical aspirants, the most important development will be the final regulations. These will determine whether rank alone decides eligibility or whether minimum marks and category-wise qualifying conditions remain part of the admission process.
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