NEET PG Cut-Off Slashed: Negative Scores Now Eligible for Counselling, 18,000 Seats Open

• The government has significantly reduced the NEET-PG 2025 qualifying cut-off to address the doctor shortage and fill over 18,000 vacant PG medical seats.
• NBEMS released the new cut-off on January 13, 2026, setting the qualifying percentile for some categories to 0 and the score to -40 (out of 800).
• The new cut-offs are: General/EWS 7th percentile (from 50th), General PwBD 5th percentile (from 45th), and SC/ST/OBC 0 percentile (from 40th, score -40).
• This change applies to the third round of counselling for the 2025-26 academic session, allowing more MBBS doctors to participate.
• While negative scores are now eligible, admission is still merit-based and depends on rank and preferences, not guaranteed by qualification alone.

Why It Matters: NEET PG cut-offs are drastically reduced, even to negative scores, to fill vacant seats and address doctor shortages.