NEET PG 2025: Supreme Court Directs Govt To File Affidavit Explaining Negative Marks

The Supreme Court of India expressed concern over the reduction of NEET PG 2025 qualifying marks to zero  and negative marks. The court raises a question over the minus 40 benchmark, even as the centre repeatedly cited vacant postgraduate seats to justify the reduction in marks.

As per the advocate Satyam Singh Rajput, appearing for the petitioners, the Bench was not convinced by the government’s argument that the cut-off lowering was necessary to ensure that no seat remains vacant.

Earlier, the Bench comprising Justice P S Narasimha and Justice Aradhe heard the matter and directed Additional Solicitor General to appear later in the week, on behalf of the NBEMS, NMC, and others.

The court reportedly flagged the dilution of eligibility norms, from lowering cut-off margins to permit admissions at zero and then negative marks, as a matter of concern. The bench noted the reduction in marks from 50 to 47, then to zero, and now to minus 40 as worrisome.

The judge also took note of the centre’s submission that candidates admitted under the relaxed category are already ‘MBBS qualified’.

The petitioners rsied the issue of competency, and raises concerns on those candidates who have qualified the MBBS degrees but unable to qualify the NEET PG exam.

Considering the matter, the bench has directed the central government to file a detailed affidavit responding to the concerns raised. While no specific date was fixed for filling the affidavit. The petitioners are likely to approach the court for a fresh directive, to set the timeline for the affidavit by the government.

Notably, Supreme Court did not grant any interim stay on the ongoing NEET PG 2025 counselling proecess.

A PIL was filed on January 13 Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) notification reducting the qualifying percentile for NEET PG 2025 admissions allowing candidates with zero and negative marks to get PG seats in medical colleges.