Health & Medicine4 Nov 2026 · about 6 min

Rank-based merit list to replace percentile for NEET PG: Panel to SC

The brief

The National Medical Commission has approved in principle a major change in counselling for NEET-PG and NEET-Super Speciality. It wants to replace the present percentile-based system with a rank-based merit system. This matters because counselling decisions would rely on candidate ranks rather than displayed percentile scores. The proposed regulation would stop declaring percentile marks in results. Candidates would receive ranks, which would be used to create the merit order for postgraduate and super-speciality medical seats. The change is intended to address problems arising from the existing system. The approval is not yet the final rule. The NMC is still preparing and finalising the regulation. A 12-member expert committee reported the proposal to the Supreme Court, and an October 1, 2026 letter informed the DGHS about the planned change.

What change has the National Medical Commission approved in principle for NEET-PG and NEET-SS counselling?

The proposed regulation would stop declaring percentile marks in results. Candidates would receive ranks, which would be used to create the merit order for postgraduate and super-speciality medical seats. The change is intended to address problems arising from the existing system.

The approval is not yet the final rule. The NMC is still preparing and finalising the regulation. A 12-member expert committee reported the proposal to the Supreme Court, and an October 1, 2026 letter informed the DGHS about the planned change.

What is the difference between a percentile-based result and a rank-based merit list?

A percentile-based result expresses relative performance as a percentage of candidates who scored at or below a particular result. It is not the same as a percentage of marks. A rank-based merit list instead gives each candidate a position, such as first, second, or tenth, according to the ordering used for admissions.

For example, a candidate might receive a high percentile because the score exceeds most other candidates. In a rank system, that candidate would receive a numerical place in the merit order. Counselling can then proceed by considering rank from the top downward, subject to applicable rules and seat availability.

The NMC’s proposal would remove percentile marks from declared results and provide only ranks. The article says the change is intended to address issues in the existing percentile-based system, but the new regulation remains under consideration.

What will candidates see in their results if the proposed system is implemented?

Under the proposed system, NEET-PG and NEET-SS results would display candidate ranks only. Percentile marks would no longer be specified. This would change the information candidates receive, even though the examination would still be used to create an admission merit order.

The key mechanism is ranking. Each candidate would receive a position in the ordered list, and counselling would use those positions to guide admission decisions. The expert committee’s report describes this as a rank-based merit system intended to address issues connected with the current percentile-based process.

Candidates will not see this change immediately as a final rule. The NMC has given the proposal in-principle approval, but its new regulation is still being prepared and has not been finalised. The NMC secretary informed the DGHS about the proposal in a letter dated October 1, 2026.

How sharply were the NEET-PG 2025 qualifying cut-offs reduced for general-category and SC/ST/OBC candidates?

The NEET-PG 2025 qualifying cut-off was reduced sharply for every category mentioned in the article. For general-category candidates, the qualifying score moved from 276 to 103. That is a reduction of 173 points. For SC, ST, and OBC candidates, it moved from 235 to minus 40, a reduction of 275 points.

These figures describe the minimum qualifying scores, not the final admission ranks. A candidate crossing the qualifying standard becomes eligible under the stated threshold, while counselling and seat allocation involve the broader admission process. The article focuses on the scale of the cut-off change and its effect on examination standards.

The Supreme Court is examining petitions challenging the Centre’s decision to make these reductions. The expert committee said the sanctity of NEET should be maintained and that standards should not be diluted enough to allow grossly inadequate or negative performance to qualify.

Why is the Supreme Court examining petitions about the reduced NEET-PG qualifying cut-offs?

The Supreme Court is examining petitions against the Centre’s decision to reduce the NEET-PG 2025 qualifying percentiles sharply. The challenge concerns whether such a major reduction is appropriate for a competitive postgraduate medical examination and whether it weakens the meaning of the qualifying standard.

The changes were substantial. The general-category qualifying score was reduced from 276 to 103. For SC, ST, and OBC candidates, the score was reduced from 235 to minus 40. The report specifically warned against allowing candidates with grossly inadequate or negative performance to become eligible for admission.

The expert committee made these observations while reporting to the Court. It said the sanctity of NEET should be maintained and that competitive examinations should not become merely an administrative formality. The Court’s examination of the petitions is therefore linked to standards, eligibility, and the consequences of the reduced cut-offs.

What are NEET-PG and NEET-Super Speciality, and how do they determine entry into postgraduate medical training?

NEET-PG is the examination used for entry into postgraduate medical education, while NEET-Super Speciality is used for entry into more advanced specialist training. The article discusses both examinations in the context of counselling, qualifying standards, and merit order. It does not provide their full examination structures or course details.

Their admission mechanism has two stages. First, a candidate must meet the minimum qualifying standard. Then, candidates are ordered for counselling through a merit system. The NMC is considering replacing displayed percentiles with ranks, so candidates would receive positions in the merit order rather than percentile marks.

The current dispute concerns NEET-PG 2025 qualifying cut-offs. The general score was reduced from 276 to 103, while the SC/ST/OBC score fell from 235 to minus 40. The Supreme Court is examining petitions about those reductions, while the NMC considers new regulations.

How do competitive examinations use ranks, percentiles, and minimum qualifying standards to distinguish eligibility from merit?

A minimum qualifying standard answers an eligibility question: has a candidate reached the required threshold? It does not by itself determine the final order of all candidates. A rank then places candidates in sequence, while a percentile describes how a candidate performed relative to others.

For example, a candidate may cross the minimum score and become eligible for counselling. Among eligible candidates, a merit list can order candidates by rank for consideration of seats. A percentile can also show relative standing, but it is a comparative score rather than a position number. The proposed NMC system would use ranks and stop declaring percentiles.

The article stresses that eligibility standards must remain meaningful. After cut-offs were reduced to 103 for general candidates and minus 40 for SC/ST/OBC candidates, the committee warned against allowing grossly inadequate or negative performance to qualify. It said competitive examinations should not become administrative formalities.

This brief was written by AI from the original reporting and checked by other models. Names, figures and quotes come from the source; read it for full context.