Health · Healthcare & Policy · 5 hrs ago
India Lowers NEET-MDS Cut-Off for Second Year Amid Vacant Seats
India has lowered the NEET-MDS qualifying cut-off for the second year in a row, as postgraduate dental seats remain vacant.
The cut-off is the minimum score candidates need to qualify for admission to Master of Dental Surgery programmes.
The 2026 cut-off fell by 20.576 points across categories; for General and EWS candidates, it dropped from 308 to 234 out of 960.
A Union health ministry official estimated that around 1,200 MDS seats remain vacant nationwide.
The counselling committee lists 460 confirmed vacancies and 762 virtual vacancies, but virtual seats may open only if candidates move to other seats.
The cut-off change does not alter candidates’ ranks, and the counselling committee has listed the vacancies for Round 2 of admissions.
India has lowered the NEET-MDS 2026 qualifying cut-off by 20.576 percentile points across categories for the second consecutive year.
The reduction comes as postgraduate dental seats remain vacant, with a Union health ministry official estimating around 1,200 vacancies nationwide.
The Medical Counselling Committee listed 460 clear vacancies and 762 virtual vacancies for Round 2 of MDS counselling.
The cut-off revision will not change candidates’ ranks, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences said.
- Who
- The government lowered the cut-off for candidates seeking postgraduate dental admissions through NEET-MDS.
- What
- The qualifying cut-off was reduced by 20.576 percentile points across categories.
- When
- The revision was made in 2026, following a ministry letter dated October 12. NEET-MDS results were declared on June 2.
- Where
- India.
- Why
- The move came against a backdrop of vacant MDS seats. The NBEMS notice did not explicitly state that vacancies prompted the decision.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The qualifying cut-off was reduced by 19.863 percentile points.
NEET-MDS 2026 results were declared.
The health ministry sent a letter concerning the cut-off revision.
NBEMS issued a notice revising the cut-off; it said candidates’ ranks would not change.
- Cut-off reduction
- 20.576 percentile points across categories
- Estimated vacant seats
- Around 1,200 nationwide
- Round 2 clear vacancies
- 460
- Round 2 virtual vacancies
- 762
- MDS colleges and seats
- 287 colleges with 7,716 seats