NEET-PG Cut-Off Controversy: Merit vs. Money, Vacant Seats Spark Debate

• The Union health ministry sharply lowered the NEET-PG 2025 qualifying cut-off, including reducing it to zero percentile for certain categories, allowing candidates with negative marks (-40) to be eligible for counseling.
• Aspirants like Abhishek Kashyap and Raghav Bansal express frustration, feeling the system prioritizes money over merit, leading some to consider re-attempting the exam or exploring expensive options abroad.
• Government officials justify the decision by stating it's not unprecedented and aims to utilize vacant postgraduate medical seats, which are critical for expanding India’s pool of trained medical specialists.
• Critics argue that the vacancy problem is concentrated in private medical colleges due to high fees (starting around Rs 75 lakh), and in government colleges for less-demanded non-clinical subjects.
• Doctors' bodies like FAIMA and FORDA criticize the cut-off reduction, arguing it undermines credibility and demoralizes aspirants, urging focus on structural issues like high fees and seat distribution.

Why It Matters: NEET-PG cut-off reduction sparks debate over merit, money, and vacant seats, frustrating aspirants and doctors' associations.