0 months ago
Centre forms expert panel to audit NEET-PG admission system
Every year, many doctors in India take a big test called NEET-PG to get admission into special training programmes for postgraduate medicine.
The test helps decide who gets to become a specialist doctor.
This year, the people in charge lowered the passing score a lot, which made many more doctors eligible.
Some people thought this was unfair and asked the Supreme Court, the highest court of India, to look into it.
The Supreme Court is like a referee that makes sure the rules are followed fairly.
The government told the court that it has set up a special group of experts to check how NEET-PG admissions work.
This group is led by the Director General of Health Services and has twelve members.
The group will listen to everyone involved and give its report in eight weeks.
The court will hear the matter again after the report is submitted.
Supporters of the change say it fills empty training seats, while critics worry it could lower the quality of doctors.
The Centre informed the Supreme Court that it has constituted an expert committee chaired by the Director General of Health Services to audit the NEET-PG 2025-26 admission system.
The 12-member panel, formed through a July 23 DGHS office order, will invite stakeholder suggestions and submit its report within eight weeks.
The bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe posted the matter for further hearing after eight weeks.
Petitioners allege the drastic cut in qualifying percentiles is arbitrary and unconstitutional, violating Articles 14 and 21 and risking patient safety and medical education standards.
The government says the reduction, consistent with a zero-percentile move in 2023, was needed to fill nearly 20,000 vacant postgraduate seats and made over one lakh additional candidates eligible.
- Who
- The Union government (Centre), the Supreme Court bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe, and petitioners challenging the NEET-PG cut-off reduction.
- What
- The constitution of a 12-member expert committee, chaired by the DGHS, to conduct a comprehensive audit of the NEET-PG admission system following a PIL against the lowered qualifying percentiles.
- Where
- Supreme Court of India in New Delhi.
- When
- Tuesday's Supreme Court hearing; the committee's office order is dated July 23, and its report is due within eight weeks.
- Why
- To decide whether the sharp reduction in NEET-PG 2025-26 qualifying percentiles is arbitrary and to address large numbers of vacant postgraduate medical seats.
Petitioners (PIL challenging the cut-off reduction)
Union Government (defending the cut-off reduction)
Validity of cut-off reduction
Petitioners (PIL challenging the cut-off reduction)
Lowering qualifying percentiles to abnormally low, zero or even negative levels after results and two counselling rounds is arbitrary and unconstitutional, violating Articles 14 and 21.
Union Government (defending the cut-off reduction)
The reduction followed detailed deliberations by expert bodies to fill vacant seats and utilise healthcare infrastructure; similar reductions, including to zero percentile in 2023, are established policy.
Effect on medical education and patient safety
Petitioners (PIL challenging the cut-off reduction)
Admitting candidates with such scores into postgraduate training compromises patient safety, public health and the integrity of medical education.
Union Government (defending the cut-off reduction)
NEET-PG does not certify minimum competence, which is established by the MBBS qualification; the exam only generates an inter se merit list for allocating limited postgraduate seats.
Changing rules mid-process
Petitioners (PIL challenging the cut-off reduction)
The 'rules of the game' cannot be altered after the selection process has commenced.
Union Government (defending the cut-off reduction)
The revision made over one lakh additional candidates eligible without altering inter se merit, and was needed because nearly 20,000 seats would otherwise remain vacant.
Key facts
- Committee chairman
- Director General of Health Services (Dr Loveneesh G. Krishna)
- Committee size
- 12 members including the chairman
- Committee notification
- DGHS office order dated July 23
- Report deadline
- Within eight weeks, after inviting stakeholder suggestions
- Vacant seats estimate
- Nearly 20,000 postgraduate medical seats nationwide
- Additional candidates eligible
- Over one lakh (Health Ministry); 95,913 (NBEMS)
- General category cut-off
- Reduced to 7th percentile from 50
- 2023 precedent
- Qualifying percentile reduced to zero across categories
Quotes
Supreme Court (Bench of Justice Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe)
Supreme Court bench directing the expert committee
“"The committee will call for suggestions from various stakeholders and, after detailed consideration, submit a report within eight weeks."”
thehansindia.com
“"We have set up a committee as per your lordships' directions. We will do the exercise and submit a report."”
thehansindia.com
thehansindia.com
Director General of Health Services
Head of India’s National Health Administration
“"It is respectfully submitted that the reduction of qualifying percentile for NEET‑PG is not unprecedented. Since the inception of NEET‑PG in 2017 percentile reductions have been affected in appropriate circumstances to prevent seat wastage."”
indianexpress.com
“"The purpose of the NEET‑PG is not to certify minimum competence which stands established by the MBBS qualification itself of the candidates but to generate an inter‑se merit list for allocation of limited postgraduate seats."”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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