NEET PG 2025 Cutoff Marks Reduced To Minus 40: What Does This Mean For Student?

Last Updated:January 14, 2026, 7:40 PM IST

Lowering the NEET PG 2025 cut-off aims to ensure that no seats are left vacant. But do you know how will admissions be handled despite negative marking of minus 40?

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The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has recently reduced the NEET-PG 2025 admission cutoff marks to zero percentile or minus 40 marks for SC, ST and OBC candidates. The move aims to fill in the vacant seats across medical colleges. This enables more candidates to participate in counselling and fill available seats, although seats will still be awarded based on rank.

However, the notice has raised several questions and caused significant outrage on social media. The question arises whether admissions can proceed despite negative marking in the exam? To understand this, let’s take a look the admission process for NEET PG.

What does it mean to have a cut-off of zero percentile?

A zero percentile cut-off means the minimum percentile required to qualify has been significantly lowered. Even candidates with the lowest percentiles can qualify. However, being eligible for counselling does not ensure a seat. Your eligibility depends on your rank, merit, options, seat availability, category, and college requirements.

What is a percentile and how is it calculated?

A percentile is a rank-based measure indicating how many candidates scored below you. It shows the percentage of candidates behind you, rather than the percentage of total marks you received. For instance, a 70th percentile means you scored better than 70% of candidates, with about 30% ahead of you. Percentile is intended for comparison, not as a judgment of performance.

Percentile is calculated by determining the percentage of candidates who scored less than you. For example, if 1,00,000 candidates take the exam and 55,000 scored lower than you, your percentile would be 55. Real-world calculations may include factors like ties, rank-ordering, and the difficulty levels of different exam shifts.

How has the number minus 40 been calculated?

In NEET PG, questions are often multiple-choice. A correct answer scores +4, a wrong answer scores -1, and unattempted questions score 0. A negative score results when wrong answers significantly outnumber correct ones. For example, 10 correct answers (+40) and 80 wrong answers (-80) would result in a score of -40.

What is the relationship between percentile cut-off, category cut-off, and rank?

– Cut-off percentile determines eligibility for counselling.

– Rank/Merit determines the order of seat selection.

– Category/Quota specifies which seats candidates can claim.

Even with a 0 percentile cut-off, seat selection is based on rank, meaning a candidate with -40 will only get a seat if higher-ranked candidates do not fill all available seats.

How is MD/MS possible for someone who scores -40?

A candidate with a -40 score can only get an MD/MS seat if:

– The cut-off is very low (0 percentile).

– Seats remain vacant in counselling.

– Higher-ranked candidates do not take seats.

– The candidate completes all registration, choice filling, and document verification steps on time.

Eligibility does not guarantee a seat; merit and available seats still determine admissions.

Who benefits most from the reduced cut-off?

The reduction benefits all groups, especially SC/ST/OBC candidates, with a cut-off of 0 percentile (cut-off score -40). General/EWS candidates also see a cut-off reduction from the 50th to the 7th percentile, lowering the score requirement from 276 to 103. This allows previously excluded candidates to join Round 3 counselling if seats remain vacant and they meet other criteria.

To benefit from a 0 percentile cut-off, it is essential to follow the process correctly. Ensure you register for counselling on time and have all necessary documents ready. When filling in your choices, do so realistically based on your rank. Understand the rules of each counselling round and be aware of the fees and bonds for different colleges. If you don’t succeed in securing a seat this time, prepare for the next round. Remember that eligibility does not guarantee a seat; merit and rank still play crucial roles in admissions.

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