The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has lowered the qualifying percentile for NEET-PG 2025, a move that will directly affect postgraduate medical admissions in Guwahati and across Assam, where several seats remain unfilled after multiple rounds of counselling.
The decision follows directions from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued on January 9, aimed at filling more than 18,000 vacant PG medical seats nationwide, including those in government and private medical colleges in Guwahati.
NBEMS has lowered the NEET-PG 2025 qualifying cut-off to fill over 18,000 vacant postgraduate medical seats after two counselling rounds. For the third round, the cut-off has been reduced to zero percentile for reserved categories, a move that will impact PG admissions in Guwahati’s medical colleges as well.
What the revised cut-off means
For the third round of counselling, the qualifying percentile has been reduced to zero for reserved categories, making all candidates, including those with negative scores, eligible to participate in seat allotment.
Health Ministry officials clarified that admissions will continue to be rank-based, determined strictly by NEET-PG rank and counselling preferences, and that academic eligibility norms remain unchanged.
Relevance for Guwahati medical colleges
Medical colleges in Guwahati, including state-run and private institutions, have also witnessed vacant PG seats this year, particularly in non-clinical and diploma courses. Faculty members say the revised cut-off could help ensure that training capacity in the city’s hospitals is fully utilised.
Doctors in Guwahati note that unfilled PG seats not only affect institutions financially but also reduce the availability of resident doctors in government hospitals, which are already under pressure due to high patient loads.
Background of NEET-PG 2025
NEET-PG 2025 results were declared on August 19, 2025. The examination was conducted in a single shift across 301 cities, with over 2.42 lakh MBBS graduates appearing for the test.
Despite two full rounds of counselling, a large number of seats remained vacant, prompting both state governments and professional bodies to seek intervention.
IMA’s request and past precedent
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had written to the Health Ministry on January 12, urging a revision of the cut-off to prevent seat wastage. Officials pointed out that similar measures were taken in 2023, when the cut-off was also lowered to zero percentiles to fill vacant seats.
Health authorities argue that the move will help strengthen India’s healthcare workforce, including in regional hubs like Guwahati, where postgraduate doctors form the backbone of tertiary care hospitals.
Concerns from the medical community
However, the decision has triggered debate among doctors and medical educators. Some senior practitioners in Guwahati expressed concern that repeatedly lowering cut-offs could affect the perceived credibility of NEET-PG and long-term quality of specialist training.
Others counter that the ranking-based counselling system ensures relative merit is still maintained, even with a lower qualifying threshold.
What happens next
The third round of NEET-PG counselling will proceed with the revised eligibility criteria. Colleges in Guwahati and Assam are expected to see fresh allotments in the coming days, potentially reducing the number of vacant seats before the academic session progresses further.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Why was the NEET-PG 2025 cut-off lowered?
The cut-off was lowered to fill over 18,000 postgraduate medical seats that remained vacant after two rounds of counselling.
Q2. How does this affect Guwahati medical colleges?
The revised cut-off may help fill vacant PG seats in Guwahati’s government and private medical colleges, improving hospital staffing and training capacity.