Reports claiming that candidates with minus 40 marks could get admission created confusion among students and the public. Doctors clarified that minus 40 marks referred only to raw scores under NEET PG’s negative marking system and did not mean automatic admission. A 0 percentile only made a candidate eligible for counselling, while final seat allotment depended on rank, choices filled and seat availability. Former KGMU teacher Prof Narsingh Verma said all NEET PG candidates are already MBBS graduates and lowering the cut-off does not end merit-based admissions. He said 0 percentile does not guarantee admission and higher-ranked candidates will always get preference during counselling. A senior KGMU faculty member said percentile figures have little meaning for competence and are lowered only to fill less preferred seats. “Admission doesn’t mean the candidate will get an MD, MS or DNB degree; the candidate has to learn and clear exams for that,” he added. Experts said delays in the NEET PG exam and counselling are a bigger concern, as results came in Sept, but counselling dragged till Jan. Many senior doctors warned that repeatedly lowering eligibility norms could harm the quality of future specialists. Founder of the National United Front of Doctors, Prof Anil Nausaran said medical education cannot be treated like other courses because doctors deal directly with human lives. He pointed to the rapid growth of private medical colleges, where wealthy students afford high fees while rural talent misses out. He suggested the govt should support meritorious but economically weaker students instead of only lowering cut-offs. He said training quality depends on good teachers, adequate faculty, hospital exposure, and strict evaluation. Other doctors flagged poor faculty strength and infrastructure in many new colleges, warning standards declined. They said the biggest impact will be on poor patients who depend on govt medical colleges. Some doctors said the cut-off reduction mainly helps private colleges, especially in non-clinical subjects with vacant seats. A paediatrician Dr Atul Agrawal said lowering standards is not the solution, and reforms are needed. Defending the move, a private medical university vice chancellor said many non-clinical PG seats remain vacant every year. He said lowering the cut-off will fill seats and prevent faculty shortages without harming academic work. This, he added, is a temporary administrative measure, while long-term reforms in exam timing, funding and regulation are urgently required across the medical education system nationwide today overall.
