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NEET-SS Seats Vacant: Delhi Offers Solution
28 Sep
Summary
- NEET-SS is India's sole entrance exam for super-specialty medical courses.
- Over 1,800 NEET-SS seats remained vacant in 2026 after counselling rounds.
- Qualifying percentile reduced to 30% to fill the remaining seats.
The NEET-SS examination, India's exclusive entrance for super-specialty medical courses like DM and MCh, is grappling with a significant number of vacant seats. As of September 28, 2026, over 1,857 seats remained unfilled for the 2025 cycle. In response to Supreme Court recommendations, the Union government reduced the qualifying percentile from 50% to 30% for the 2025 NEET-SS admissions. This decision led to the commencement of a stray round of counselling starting September 25, 2026.
The NEET-SS comprises 15 different question papers covering various specialty groups, with varying cut-offs. Seats often go vacant in less competitive fields like cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, or paediatric surgery, due to shifting demands and competition. High fees in private institutions also contribute to unfilled positions. The Supreme Court has previously flagged these vacancies as a 'wastage of resources'.
Doctors from Tamil Nadu had sought protection for their state's quota of 50% for in-service doctors, which saw over 111 candidates on the waiting list in 2025. The Centre has since returned 40 vacant seats to the state. While the percentile reduction may help, experts suggest that increasing government seats and improving employment opportunities for super-specialists are also crucial for a comprehensive solution.
