Committee Presents Proposal to Judicial Bench to Replace Percentage System with Ranking System for NEET PG

Significant changes may occur in the process of admission to postgraduate medical programs as the National Medical Council (NMC) has given preliminary approval to transition from the existing percentile-based system to a ranking-based system for NEET-PG and NEET-Super Speciality (SS) counseling.

A twelve-member expert committee, established to analyze the NEET-PG admission and counseling process, informed the Supreme Court in its report on Tuesday that the committee is working on a new regulation whereby only rankings will be announced, and percentage scores will no longer be indicated.

The proposal received preliminary approval at the NMC meeting on September 23, which is confirmed by a letter dated October 1, 2026, from the NMC secretary to the Director General of Health Services (DGHS).

Consideration of Petitions in the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is examining various petitions challenging the Central Government's decision to sharply reduce the threshold percentages for NEET-PG 2025. Under the revised criteria, the qualifying score for the general category was lowered from 276 to 103, and for SC/ST/OBC categories—from 235 to minus 40.

The report was submitted following detailed discussions and consideration of proposals by senior advocate Maninder Singh, who is acting as an amicus curiae before the Supreme Court.

The report states: 'The NMC is in the process of issuing new rules, which are not yet finalized, in which only a ranking system will be adopted for NEET PG and SS counseling; percentage scores will not be published in the results; candidates will only be assigned ranks. The letter dated October 1 was written by the NMC secretary to the Director General of Health Services, informing about the proposal to change the existing percentage-based system to a merit-based ranking system for NEET-PG and NEET-SS, which is under review by the Commission.'

The report also mentions that the committee provided preliminary approval to the proposed changes to address issues arising from the current system.

Regarding the reduction in minimum requirements, the report emphasizes that 'the sanctity of the NEET examinations must be maintained, and the minimum standards of qualification in postgraduate medical education must not be diluted to such an extent as to allow candidates with extremely inadequate or negative performance to apply for admission; the value of competitive examinations should not be reduced to an administrative formality.'

Furthermore, the report proposed eliminating any salary discrimination between residents in clinical and non-clinical specialties, as well as providing incentives for doctors to work in rural areas.

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www.aajtak.inNovember 3, 16:53

Expert Commission Presents Report to Supreme Court on Transition of NEET-PG Admission System from Percentiles to Ranking

A twelve-member expert commission has prepared and submitted a report to the Supreme Court with proposals for significant changes to the NEET-PG and NEET-SS admission systems. According to this report, the ranking-based system is recognized as fairer and more appropriate.

The commission recommended abolishing the current percentile-based qualification system and replacing it with a meritocracy system based on rank. The National Medical Commission (NMC) has preliminarily approved the implementation of this system starting in 2027, although the final rules still require approval.

In its recommendations, the commission emphasized that significant lowering of minimum admissibility standards should not occur when filling vacant seats, and any relaxation of the rules is unacceptable. Furthermore, important proposals were presented regarding the reduction of fees for non-clinical postgraduate courses and exemption from service obligations.

Previously, the NEET-PG system was often criticized for excessively lowering the percentile threshold under the pretext of filling vacancies, which led to legal challenges before the Supreme Court. The court expressed concerns that such lowering of thresholds would negatively affect the quality of medical education. This expert commission was formed specifically at the direction of the Supreme Court and has now presented its new report.

The Supreme Court has granted applicants time to respond to this report and has postponed the hearing on the case for further consideration.

timesofindia.indiatimes.comOctober 28, 02:37

General Medicine Leads Among Top 100 Choices in NEET-PG 2026

General Medicine secured more allocated seats than Radiological Diagnostics among the leading candidates in the first round of NEET-PG 2026 counseling. This fact highlights the competitive appeal of both sought-after specialties after graduation.

According to Anuj Jaiswal, General Medicine ranked 51st out of the top hundred spots in the first round of NEET-PG 2026 distribution, surpassing Radiological Diagnostics among the top applicants.

Professor Niraj Nishal, an Internal Medicine specialist at AIIMS, noted that although financial rewards may not materialize immediately, the potential for super-specialization and professional growth in this field is immense. He emphasized that the choice of specialization should be based on what brings satisfaction to the doctor, rather than solely on the speed of earning.

www.aajtak.inOctober 27, 12:12

In NEET PG consultations, general medical education has overtaken radiology as the preferred choice for doctors

Among the most talented young doctors vying for top rankings, there is a significant shift in their views on their career path after graduation. General Medicine has taken the first choice spot, significantly surpassing Radiology among the most capable graduates of Indian medical universities.

In the first round of allocation for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - Postgraduate (NEET-PG) 2026, 51 doctors in the top 100 chose General Medicine, while the number of applicants who chose Radiology dropped to only 28.

This shift is not sudden nor does it signify a complete rejection of radiology. It indicates what the country's most gifted young doctors desire: the opportunity to follow a path of super-specialization, take on broad clinical responsibilities, shield themselves from the influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and have the ability to treat patients directly.

Rise in Popularity of Medicine in Previous Cycles

Analysis shows a gradual increase in interest in General Medicine. In 2024, the difference was small: 48 top performers chose medicine, and 45 chose radiology. In 2025, the ratio was 46 to 40. However, in 2026, this gap increased substantially, reaching 51 to 28.

Medicine as a Career Launchpad

Experts monitoring trends in medical education note that this change challenges the old idea that the most sought-after specialties are those with fixed working hours or higher salaries. Dr. Aviral Mathur, an associate consultant at Sar Ganga Ram Hospital and former chairman of FORDA, believes that medicine has transformed from merely an end goal into a 'launchpad' for a career. By obtaining an MD in medicine, doctors can pursue further training in fields such as cardiology, neurology, nephrology, gastroenterology, and critical care, earning a DM qualification, thereby not limiting themselves to a narrow scope.

Serious Issues Facing Radiology

Despite radiology remaining a prestigious field, students are showing caution due to several new problems. One such factor is the fear of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Fear of AI

Rapidly developing AI tools in medical imaging are making students question how the work of radiologists will change or suffer over the next decade.

Furthermore, there is the issue of expensive infrastructure. Dr. Satendra Singh from the University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS) points out that equipping and installing equipment for radiology is very costly, and the risk of long-term radiation exposure is also one of the factors.

The limited number of seats should also be noted: there are about 1200 seats for MD in Radiology in India, whereas there are over 4000 for General Medicine. Sometimes students choose medicine over radiology even if they fail to get into their desired college.

The Sense of a Real Doctor and Patient Connection

Dr. Harjit Singh Bhatti, a geriatric specialist from Sitaram Hospital and former chairman of AIIMS RDA, emphasizes that the growing burden of lifestyle diseases, the increase in the elderly population, and the increasing complexity of healthcare needs have heightened the importance of the physician's role. He argues that 'the sense of a real doctor comes from medicine.' This allows for long-term patient care by combining symptoms, test results, and medical history. The attraction to this field has also been strengthened by the central role of the physician in caring for critically ill patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The experts' conclusion is clear: modern young doctors are choosing their specialty not only based on ease of life or initial income but are also investing in a broad clinical foundation that will open up numerous career opportunities for them in the future.