The Health Ministry and National Medical Commission (NMC) have again lowered cut-off scores for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Post Graduation (NEET PG) before the third round of MD/MS admissions. This recurring move aims to fill over 10,000 vacant medical postgraduate seats across India. Critics argue the cut-off reduction dilutes medical education standards, while officials state it is necessary to address significant vacancies, especially in non-clinical and para-clinical branches.
NEET PG Cut-Off Changes
The admission threshold for general category students dropped from the 50th percentile to the seventh percentile, requiring 90 marks. For historically marginalized communities (SC, ST, OBC), the cut-off is now zero percentile, equivalent to -40 marks, down from the 40th percentile. Persons with disabilities require a fifth percentile score. While admission requirements are lower for disadvantaged students, unreserved students have more available seats under this revised arrangement, particularly in central Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) counselling.
Thousands of Vacant MD/MS Seats
The Directorate General of Health Service’s (DGHS) Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) manages all-india quota admissions. Its seat matrix for the third counselling round shows 10,101 ‘clear’ vacancies. This represents almost one-third of over 31,000 total seats available in central counselling. Additionally, 18,092 ‘virtual’ vacancies exist, meaning seats potentially available if current holders choose other options. Another 292 new seats have also been approved for central counselling. State quota seats will add to these figures.
Vacancies Across All Medical Specializations
Analysis of the vacant seats reveals openings in all specializations, not only non-clinical or para-clinical branches. Clinical disciplines account for the highest number of unfilled seats.
| Branch | Type | Vacant Seats |
|---|---|---|
| MD Anaesthesiology | Clinical | 689 |
| MS General Surgery | Clinical | 650 |
| MD/MS Obstetrics and Gynaecology | Clinical | 575 |
| MD General Medicine | Clinical | 567 |
| MD Paediatrics | Clinical | 510 |
| MD Pathology | Para-clinical | 500 |
| MD/MS Anatomy | Non-clinical | 439 |
| MS Orthopaedics | Clinical | 399 |
| MD Preventive and Social Medicine / Community Medicine | Non-clinical | 393 |
| MD Microbiology | Para-clinical | 359 |
Impact on Private and Government Colleges
The cut-off reduction benefits both private and government medical colleges. Vacancies in the All India Quota (AIQ) are present across central universities, state government colleges, deemed-to-be universities, and DNB institutions.
Deemed universities, primarily private and often expensive, show a higher concentration of unoccupied seats within individual courses. However, their aggregate share of vacant seats is slightly lower than that of state government colleges, which constitute the largest group in MCC NEET counselling.
Colleges with Most Vacant AIQ Seats (Round 3)
| Institute | Institute Type | Vacant Seats |
|---|---|---|
| Sri Siddhartha Medical College, Tumkur | Deemed University | 100 |
| Rajarajeswari Medical College and Hospital, Bengaluru | Deemed University | 99 |
| Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, Kelambakkam | Deemed University | 86 |
| MM Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Ambala | Deemed University | 85 |
| Santosh Medical College and Hospital, Ghaziabad | Deemed University | 81 |
| Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad | State College | 80 |
| Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Wardha | Deemed University | 78 |
| ACS Medical College and Hospital, Tamil Nadu | Deemed University | 74 |
| BJ Medical College, Ahmedabad | State College | 71 |
| Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry | Deemed University | 67 |
Public institutions like Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad; BJ Medical College, Ahmedabad; and Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (AMU) also feature among colleges with significant unfilled spots.
Vacancy Rates by Institution Type
Overall vacancy rates show similar trends between major college types.
| Institute Type | Seats in Rounds 1, 2 | Vacant Seats in Round 3 | Round 3 Vacancy (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NBEMS DNB institutes | 9,411 | 2,287 | 24 |
| State + central universities (AIQ) | 14,162 | 5,213 | 37 |
| Central (internal quota) | 834 | 204 | 24 |
| Deemed universities | 7,095 | 2,397 | 34 |
| Total | 31,502 | 10,101 | 32 |
State and central colleges, combined, show a 37% vacancy rate (5,213 out of 14,162 seats). Deemed universities have a 34% vacancy rate (2,397 out of 7,095 seats). DNB courses perform better with a 24% vacancy rate. General category students are a clear beneficiary of the relaxed entrance criteria, as open category seats account for 59% of the total vacancies.