**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to a parliamentary question regarding the reduction of cost for NEET PG 2025. It clarifies the process of NEET PG counselling and addresses concerns about vacant seats in medical colleges. The key revision is the reduced qualifying percentiles for NEET PG 2025 eligibility, aiming to maximize seat utilization. This response was provided on 13th February, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **NEET PG Counselling Process:**
* The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) conducts counselling for postgraduate medical courses following Supreme Court guidelines.
* MCC covers 50% All India Quota seats and 100% seats of Central/Deemed Universities.
* State quota PG seats are counselled by State Governments, while private medical colleges fall under State counselling authorities.
* **Reduction of Qualifying Percentiles:**
* The Government reduced qualifying percentiles for NEET PG 2025 after Round-2 counselling revealed significant vacant seats (9,621 out of 29,476).
* Approximately 20,000 seats (including DNB) were vacant after two rounds.
* Revised percentiles are:
* UR Category: Reduced to above 7 percentiles.
* UR-PwD Category: Reduced to above 5 percentiles.
* SC / ST / OBC Categories: All candidates declared qualified.
* **Fee Structure:**
* Medical course fee structure varies across states and is determined by State Fee Regulatory Authorities.
* Government medical colleges have subsidized fees to enhance accessibility.
* Guidelines for fee determination in private medical institutions were issued by the National Medical Commission on 03.02.2022 but are currently under legal challenge.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: NEET PG 2025 Aspirants (UR Category)**
**Impact:**
Aspirants under the Unreserved (UR) category with scores above the 7th percentile can now be eligible for NEET PG 2025 counselling, expanding their opportunities for securing a postgraduate seat.
**Action Required:**
Evaluate eligibility based on the revised percentile and prepare for counselling.
**Stakeholder: NEET PG 2025 Aspirants (UR-PwD Category)**
**Impact:**
Unreserved Physically Disabled (UR-PwD) candidates with scores above the 5th percentile are now eligible for NEET PG 2025 counselling, creating more opportunities for admission.
**Action Required:**
Assess eligibility according to the new percentile and prepare for counselling.
**Stakeholder: NEET PG 2025 Aspirants (SC / ST / OBC Categories)**
**Impact:**
All candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) categories are now considered qualified for NEET PG 2025 counselling, increasing their chances of securing a seat.
**Action Required:**
Prepare for counselling and seat allocation.
**Stakeholder: Medical Colleges (Government & Private)**
**Impact:**
Government medical colleges should benefit from increased seat utilization due to reduced qualifying percentiles. Private medical colleges' fee structures are subject to ongoing legal challenges.
**Action Required:**
Follow guidelines issued by the respective State Fee Regulatory Authorities.
Key Entities Referenced
NEET PG 2025: National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Postgraduate medical courses, specifically for the 2025 academic year, and policies regarding cut-off percentile and seat availability.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The primary government body responsible for matters related to health and family welfare in India.
Medical Counselling Committee (MCC): A committee under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) that conducts counselling for postgraduate medical courses.
National Medical Commission Act, 2019: The Act under which guidelines for fees and other charges for private medical institutions were framed.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH ANDFAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2397
TOBE ANSWERED ON 13th FEBRUARY,2026
REDUCTION OFCOSTFORNEET PG2025
2397.COM. SELVARAJ V:
SHRI SUBBARAYANK:
Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a) whether it is a fact that the Government has decided to reduce the cut off for NEET PG
2025 to zero percentage level on the ground that thousands of seats in medical colleges are
lyingvacant,if so, the details thereof;
(b) the number of vacant seats in Government medical colleges and private medical colleges
separately;
(c) whether it is a fact that the majority of seats are vacant in private medical colleges where
the feesrun intocroreswhich most candidates cannotafford;
(d) if so, the detailsthereofalong with the Government'sreaction thereto;
(e) whether the Government’sattention has beendrawn tothe opinionof the former principal
health secretary of Andhra Pradesh Dr. P.V. Ramesh that this decision is shameful and must
be condemnedasunadulterated corruption; and
(f) if so, the detailsthereofalong with the Government'sreaction thereto?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE
(SMT. ANUPRIYAPATEL)
(a) to (f): The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) of the Directorate General of
Health Services (DGHS) conducts counselling for postgraduate medical courses as per the
scheme laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. NEET PG counselling
conducted by MCC covers 50% All India Quota seats and 100% seats of Central/Deemed
Universities across the country. Counselling for State quota PG seats is conducted by the
respective State Governments andcounselling for private medical collegescomes underthe
purviewof State counselling authorities.The decision to revise the qualifying percentiles follows the completion of Round-2
counselling by MCC wherein it was reported that of the 29,476 seats offered by MCC for
counselling, 9,621 seats remained vacant. Further, as counselling for 50% seats is
conducted by respective state authorities, it was assessed that approximately 20,000
seats(including DNB seats) were vacant after two rounds. Hence, conistent with past
academic years which had proven effective in ensuring maximum seat utilisation, the
Government reduced the qualifying percentile for eligibility to PG Counselling 2025 to
ensure precious PG medical seats do not remain vacant. The revised qualifying percentiles
for NEET PG2025are asunder:
UR Category: Eligibility reducedtoabove 7percentiles
UR–PwDCategory: Eligibility reducedtoabove 5percentiles
SC/ ST/ OBC Categories: All candidatesdeclaredqualified
The fee structure for medical courses in Government and private medical colleges varies
across States and is determined in accordance with the guidelines issued by the respective
State Fee Regulatory Authorities. The fee structure in Government medical colleges is
subsidized in order to enhance accessibility. Also, guidelines for the determination of fees
and other charges in respect of 50% of seats in private medical institutions and deemed-to-
be universities were framed under clause (i) of sub-section (1) of section 10 of the National
Medical Commission Act, 2019, and were issued by the National Medical Commission on
03.02.2022. However, these guidelines have been challenged before various courts and the
matteriscurrentlysub judice.
****