New Delhi: In a significant escalation of concerns over the recent reduction in NEET-PG qualifying percentiles, at least 15 prominent medical associations across the country have written to the National Medical Commission (NMC), warning that the move risks undermining public trust in India’s healthcare system and compromising patient safety.
Among the leading signatories are the Indian College of Physicians (ICP), the academic wing of the Association of Physicians of India (API), and the Indian Association of Clinical Medicine (IACM). In separate but similarly worded letters addressed to the Chairperson of the NMC on February 8 and 9, 2026, senior office-bearers expressed “serious concerns” over what they described as a steep and repeated dilution of eligibility criteria for postgraduate medical admissions.
Dr. Girish Mathur, Dean of the ICP, writing on behalf of the President of the API and a broad body of practicing physicians and academic leaders, stated that while vacant postgraduate seats have posed administrative and financial challenges, lowering the qualifying percentile to “dramatically low levels” is not a sustainable or academically sound solution.
Over the past few years, a recurring trend has emerged in the NEET-PG examination process, where a substantial number of postgraduate seats, including in premier government institutions, have remained vacant due to poor candidate performance. According to the associations, this has resulted in a financial burden on the government, which continues to maintain sanctioned seats that go unfilled.
In response, authorities have repeatedly lowered the qualifying percentile to ensure seat utilization. However, the associations argue that the latest reduction marks a tipping point.
“Such a steep dilution of eligibility criteria risks allowing candidates with inadequate aptitude, foundational knowledge, and clinical readiness to enter postgraduate medical training,” the letters state. The signatories warn that this could have “far-reaching implications” not only for the quality of specialist education but also for patient safety and the credibility of India’s medical institutions.
The IACM, in its communication signed by Honorary General Secretary Dr. Suresh Kushwah on behalf of its President and governing body, echoed similar concerns. The association emphasized that short-term administrative or financial relief should not come at the cost of long-term damage to medical standards.
“As clinicians and educators, we find this trend alarming and potentially dangerous for the future of healthcare delivery in the country,” the letter noted. It further stressed that repeatedly lowering cut-offs as a routine corrective measure could erode meritocracy and weaken the foundation of postgraduate medical training.
The associations have strongly opposed the approach of sharply reducing qualifying percentiles and urged the NMC to review its decision. Instead, they have called for alternative, academically robust strategies to address the issue of vacant seats, strategies that balance seat utilization with uncompromised educational and clinical standards.
Medical leaders argue that postgraduate training is not merely an academic progression but a crucial stage in producing specialists responsible for high-risk clinical decisions. Any compromise at the entry stage, they contend, could have cascading effects on the healthcare system, particularly in critical specialties where expertise and clinical judgment directly impact patient outcomes.
Beyond academic standards, the associations have framed the issue as one of public trust. They caution that visible dilution of entry norms could lead to broader societal concerns about the competence of future specialists, thereby damaging confidence in the medical profession.
At the same time, the signatories have expressed willingness to engage constructively with the NMC. Both ICP/API and IACM have invited the regulatory body to open a dialogue and collaborate on solutions that preserve merit, ensure quality training, and safeguard the integrity of postgraduate medical education.
