Supreme Court Challenge: Doctors Protest NEET-PG Cut-Off Reduction

A Public Interest Litigation led by Dr. Lakshya Mittal challenges the reduction of NEET-PG qualifying percentiles. Filed in the Supreme Court, the PIL argues the decision endangers public health and the integrity of the medical profession, seeking to restore original standards.

In a significant move, Dr. Lakshya Mittal, President of the United Doctors Front, has approached the Supreme Court of India challenging the sudden reduction in qualifying cut-off percentiles for NEET-PG 2025-26, including allowances for zero and negative scores. The Public Interest Litigation (PIL), filed under Article 32 through Advocate Satyam Singh Rajput, seeks judicial intervention against the decision made by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) in its notice dated January 13, 2026, citing it as an arbitrary dilution of postgraduate medical standards.

The petition, representing a collective concern of public interest, underscores the risks posed by admitting candidates with abnormally low scores into postgraduate medical programs. This, the PIL argues, compromises patient safety, undermines public health, and threatens the integrity of the medical profession. Insisting the decision violates constitutional principles under Articles 14 and 21, it calls for the quashing of the NBEMS notification and demands a reinforcement of minimum qualifying standards as ordained by the National Medical Commission Act, 2019.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Resident Doctors' Associations (FORDA), echoing similar concerns, has appealed to Health Minister JP Nadda to retract the contentious decision. In a letter, FORDA emphasized the move's potential to deteriorate the merit-based selection process, urging the formation of a high-level committee to reassess cut-off policies. They argue that such arbitrary reductions demoralize top-performing aspirants and jeopardize the effective delivery of healthcare services.

(With inputs from agencies.)