From rank-based admissions to lower fees: Decoding NMC's proposed NEET-PG reforms

Postgraduate medical admissions in India could undergo a significant overhaul starting with the 2027 counselling cycle, with the National Medical Commission (NMC) proposing to replace the existing percentile-based qualifying system for NEET-PG and NEET-SS with a rank-only system.

The proposals are part of the recommendations of a 12-member expert committee constituted by the Union health ministry on July 23, following the Supreme Court’s intervention in a case challenging the sharp reduction in NEET-PG qualifying cut-offs.

(Representative)The proposed changes also include greater digitisation of counselling, lower fees for non-clinical courses, a review of residents’ stipends and biometric verification to prevent candidates from blocking seats.

The proposals are part of the recommendations of a 12-member expert committee constituted by the Union health ministry on July 23, following the Supreme Court’s intervention in a case challenging the sharp reduction in NEET-PG qualifying cut-offs.

The Centre has submitted the committee’s report containing findings and recommendations to the court in an affidavit on Tuesday. The reforms aim to address two recurring concerns: vacant postgraduate medical seats and delays in counselling that affect the start of the academic session.

However, the rank-only proposal is yet to be incorporated into final regulations and formally notified. Here is what could change and how it would differ from the current system. Under the existing system, candidates must secure a prescribed minimum percentile to become eligible for postgraduate medical counselling.

A percentile indicates a candidate’s relative performance compared with other test-takers. The authorities can lower the qualifying percentile when seats remain vacant, thereby expanding the pool of candidates eligible for admission.

This was at the centre of the controversy following the NEET-PG 2025 counselling process. On January 13, 2026, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) reduced the qualifying percentile for reserved-category candidates to zero, making candidates scoring as low as minus 40 out of 800 eligible for admission.

For general and Economically Weaker Section candidates, the cut-off was reduced from the 50th percentile to the seventh percentile. The decision followed around 9,000 postgraduate seats remaining vacant after the second round of counselling.

It was challenged in the Supreme Court by social worker Harisharan Devgan and doctors, who argued that allowing candidates with zero or negative scores to qualify could dilute minimum standards in medical education. What is proposed: Instead of declaring qualifying percentiles and lowering them to make more candidates eligible, candidates would be ranked according to their performance, with counselling conducted based on these ranks.

The affidavit states: “NMC is in the process of issuing new regulations, which are yet to be finalised, wherein only a rank-based system for NEET-PG and NEET-SS counselling will be adopted; no percentile marks will be declared in results; only ranks will be given to candidates.” NMC secretary Dr Raghav Langer communicated the decision to the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) on October 1, according to the affidavit.

A senior NMC official told HT that the proposal had been approved in principle, but “the commission would wait for the court’s final directions before proceeding with the next steps, including seeking stakeholders’ suggestions.” The panel has also cautioned that the change should not compromise minimum standards.

“The sanctity of NEET examinations should be maintained, and minimum qualifying standards in postgraduate medical education are not diluted to the extent of permitting candidates with grossly inadequate or negative performance to become eligible for admission,” the affidavit said.

The committee found that counselling delays were partly linked to manual processes and to gaps in coordination among the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), the NMC, colleges, and state authorities. Two preliminary MCC audit meetings, held on May 20 and June 3, flagged the reliance on colleges for manual verification of seat matrices, delays in adding newly approved seats and repeated extensions of counselling timelines.

Until 2025, MCC depended on colleges to provide and verify seat details. The process was complicated by the fact that newly approved seats could be added by NMC after the first round had begun, requiring further verification and changes to the counselling schedule.

Candidates also had to physically visit colleges to complete admission formalities, submit original documents and seek their return when upgrading to another seat. The committee flagged delays and inconvenience linked to document release and fee refunds.

What is proposed: The panel has recommended that NMC share an updated and verified seat matrix with MCC well before counselling begins. It has also proposed online sharing of NEET-UG, NEET-PG, MDS and super-speciality examination results with state counselling authorities.

A feasibility study for sharing results online with state authorities is under way for the 2027 academic year. The committee has called for counselling to be digitised with minimal human intervention and for MCC to develop standard operating procedures and a project charter that define the responsibilities of different stakeholders.