Merit vs Money? How -40 Marks Can Now Get You a Seat after NEET PG 2025 Revised Cutoff

The National Board of Examinations (NBEMS) has issued a controversial notification for NEET PG 2025, drastically lowering the qualifying cutoffs to ensure all vacant seats are filled. The most alarming statistic is for reserved categories (SC/ST/OBC), where the cutoff has been dropped to -40 marks (0th percentile). This effectively means candidates who scored negatively, potentially by getting most answers wrong, are now eligible to apply for postgraduate medical seats.

Devaluation of Merit: This move has triggered intense backlash among doctors and aspirants, who feel it makes a mockery of the entrance exam. The viral sentiment is that the rigorous preparation of top rankers is being devalued, as the eligibility bar has been set so low that “sleeping during the exam” or guessing blindly now yields the same eligibility status as genuine effort.

Money Over Talent?: The primary criticism is that this policy benefits wealthy students and private colleges rather than the healthcare system. By widening the eligibility pool to include the lowest-performing candidates, the system allows students with deep pockets to “buy” expensive Management or NRI quota seats that would otherwise remain empty, prioritizing financial capability over medical competence.

Concerns for Healthcare Quality: While the government aims to prevent “seat wastage” (leaving resources unused), the medical community fears this compromises the standard of future specialists. There are serious concerns that allowing candidates with negative knowledge to enter specialized fields like Surgery or Medicine could eventually degrade the quality of patient care in India.