NEET PG 2025 Seats: In a significant update on postgraduate medical admissions in India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has informed the Rajya Sabha that 1,140 NEET PG 2025 seats remained vacant even after the stray round of counselling. The government also made it clear that there is no plan to scrap the NEET examination, reaffirming its role as a uniform entrance test for medical education across the country.
NEET PG 2025 Vacancy & Policy Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Vacant Seats | 1,140 seats remained vacant after stray round |
| Exam Name | NEET PG 2025 |
| Conducting Authority (Counselling) | Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), DGHS |
| All India Quota (AIQ) | 50% seats are handled by MCC |
| Central/Deemed Universities | 100% seats handled by MCC |
| State Quota Seats | Managed by respective State Governments |
| Private College Counselling | Conducted by State Counselling Authorities |
| Final Counselling Round | Stray Round |
| Reason for Vacancies | Limited eligible candidates despite multiple rounds |
| Government Action | Reduced qualifying percentile |
| UR Category Cut-off | Above 7 percentile |
| UR-PwD Cut-off | Above 5 percentile |
| SC/ST/OBC Cut-off | All candidates qualified |
| Legal Status of NEET | Mandatory under the NMC Act, 2019 |
| Government Stand on NEET | No plan to scrap NEET |
| Purpose of NEET | Single, transparent, merit-based admission system |
Key Highlights
- 1,140 PG medical seats vacant after the stray round
- Seats include government and private medical colleges
- The governmentreduced qualifying percentile to fill seats
- No plan to discontinue NEET, says Centre
- NEET remains mandatory under the NMC Act, 2019
Related Article: NMC Issues New Guidelines for PG Medical Courses in India; Updated Standards Effective Immediately
To view the questionnaire, click the link below
Why Did Seats Remain Vacant?
According to the official reply, postgraduate counselling is conducted under a structured system:
The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) handles:
- 50% All India Quota seats
- 100% seats of Central and Deemed Universities
State governments conduct counselling for:
- State quota seats
- Private medical colleges
Despite multiple rounds, including the final stray round, 1,140 seats could not be filled, highlighting gaps in the counselling or eligibility process.
Government’s Action: Cut in NEET PG Qualifying Percentile
To avoid wastage of medical seats, the government reduced the qualifying percentile for NEET PG 2025.
Related Article: NMC Announces 43,250 CRMI Internship Seats for Foreign Medical Graduates in 2026–27
Revised Eligibility Criteria:
- UR Category: Above 7 percentile
- UR-PwD Category: Above 5 percentile
- SC/ST/OBC: All candidates declared qualified
This move was aimed at expanding the eligible candidate pool and ensuring maximum seat utilization.
No Plan to Scrap NEET
Responding to concerns about NEET being exclusionary, the government clarified that:
- NEET is mandatory under Section 14 of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019
- It ensures a single, uniform entrance system
- It improves:
- Transparency
- Merit-based admissions
- Reduction in multiple entrance exams
The government described NEET as a “historic reform” that has streamlined medical admissions across India.
What This Means for Medical Aspirants
- NEET will continue as the sole entrance exam for PG and UG medical courses
- Future counselling may see further policy adjustments to reduce vacant seats
- Lower cut-offs may continue in exceptional situations
- Candidates should actively participate in all counselling rounds, including stray rounds
Bigger Concern: Seat Utilisation vs Merit Balance
The issue of vacant seats raises an important question:
- How to balance strict merit criteria with maximum seat utilization
- Whether counselling reforms are needed
- How to ensure equal access without compromising quality
With over a thousand seats remaining unused, policymakers may need to revisit the counselling structure in upcoming sessions.
Conclusion
The Centre’s response makes two things clear:
- Vacant PG medical seats remain a concern, even after multiple counselling rounds
- NEET is here to stay, with no plans for removal
While steps like lowering qualifying percentiles have been taken, the challenge of ensuring full seat utilization without diluting standards continues to be a key issue in India’s medical education system.
