NEET-PG Reforms: Merit Over Percentile Now

An expert panel has proposed significant changes to India's national postgraduate medical entrance examination, NEET-PG, aiming for implementation by the 2027 counseling cycle. The existing percentile-based qualifying system will be replaced with a rank-based merit system, eliminating percentile declarations and focusing solely on candidate ranks. This shift is intended to maintain the sanctity of the examinations and prevent the admission of candidates with inadequate performance.

Further recommendations include reducing fees for non-clinical courses to encourage admissions and addressing disparities in medical residents' stipends. The panel also suggested incentives for doctors serving in rural areas. To combat seat blocking, biometric verification during entrance examinations is proposed, alongside greater digitization of the counseling process with minimal human intervention.

These reforms were initiated following concerns over vacant postgraduate medical seats, particularly after the significant reduction in qualifying cut-offs for the 2025-26 NEET-PG cycle, which sparked controversy and a Supreme Court challenge. The goal is to prevent recurring issues and ensure a more efficient admission architecture by improving coordination among medical authorities and digitizing processes.