NEET PG: Telangana doctors’ body opposes zero cut-off for 2025-26

The Telangana Senior Resident Doctors Association has strongly criticized the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences’ recent decision to lower the NEET-PG 2025-26 cut-off percentile to zero, saying it could compromise the quality of medical education and patient safety.

In a letter to Union Health Minister JP Nadda, the association raised concerns over the NBEMS notification issued on Jan 13, which allows candidates with scores as low as minus 40 marks to be eligible for postgraduate medical admissions.

“The unprecedented reduction in cut-off undermines the credibility and purpose of the test. Allowing candidates with negative marks to qualify for postgraduate training cannot be justified under any academic or ethical standards and risks diluting the quality of future specialists,” the letter stated.

The T-SRDA warned that the decision could set a precedent where merit-based national competitive exams lose significance, with admissions granted regardless of rank or eligibility.

The association has called on the Union government to withdraw the notification and reinstate a merit-based cut-off.

The doctors’ body further cautioned that failure to take prompt corrective action may force it to organize nationwide protests in coordination with resident doctors and medical associations across India.