The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences has announced a major revision to the qualifying criteria for the NEET SS 2025 examination. The minimum qualifying percentile has been reduced from the earlier 50th percentile to the 30th percentile. The decision is expected to make more candidates eligible to participate in the ongoing counselling process for super speciality medical courses.
According to the notification issued by NBEMS on September 22, 2026, candidates who secured 30th percentile or above in their respective NEET SS 2025 question paper groups will now be considered qualified. The revised result has also been shared with the Medical Counselling Committee of the Directorate General of Health Services for further counselling-related action.
The change follows developments in the NEET SS 2025 counselling process and directions associated with the Supreme Court. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare subsequently decided to lower the qualifying percentile. The Centre had informed the Supreme Court that 1,857 super speciality seats remained vacant after the second round of counselling. The reduction to the 30th percentile is connected with efforts to allow eligible candidates to participate in the proposed Special Stray Vacancy Round.
NEET SS is conducted for admission to super speciality medical programmes, including DM, MCh and DrNB courses. The 2025 examination was conducted in December 2025, and the original qualifying requirement was set at the 50th percentile. NBEMS had earlier declared candidates who secured the 50th percentile or above in their respective question paper groups as qualified.
Following the latest revision, the qualifying scores have been recalculated for individual question paper groups. Since the examination has different question paper groups, the qualifying mark is not identical across all specialities. The revised qualifying scores are calculated out of 600 marks.
NEET SS 2025 Revised Qualifying Cut Off
Anaesthesiology Group: 249 marks
Critical Care Medicine Group: 254 marks
ENT Group: 247 marks
Medical Group: 175 marks
Medical Oncology Group: 180 marks
Microbiology Group: 306 marks
Obstetrics and Gynaecology Group: 325 marks
Orthopaedics Group: 256 marks
Paediatric Group: 231 marks
Pathology Group: 238 marks
Pharmacology Group: 213 marks
Psychiatry Group: 302 marks
Radiodiagnosis Group: 315 marks
Respiratory Medicine Group: 285 marks
Surgical Group: 243 marks
The revised qualifying scores range from 175 marks to 325 marks depending on the question paper group. The Medical group has a revised qualifying score of 175 marks, while the Obstetrics and Gynaecology group has a revised qualifying score of 325 marks.
Candidates who now meet the revised qualifying requirement will be considered eligible for the relevant counselling process. However, qualifying the examination does not by itself guarantee admission to a particular super speciality course or medical institution. Admission will continue to depend on the counselling process, available seats, eligibility requirements and other applicable rules.
NBEMS has also clarified an important point regarding ranks. The reduction in the qualifying percentile will not change the question paper group specific ranks that were declared on January 23, 2026. Therefore, candidates should not expect their previously declared rank to be recalculated merely because the qualifying percentile has been lowered.
Another important clarification is that NBEMS will not issue fresh scorecards following the reduction in the qualifying percentile. Candidates who become qualified under the revised criterion should therefore follow the instructions issued by the relevant counselling authorities regarding participation in the counselling process.
NBEMS has further stated that candidates' aggregate marks in all MBBS professional examinations, as reported in their NEET SS 2025 applications, will be verified against their original credentials at the time of admission by the counselling or admitting authority. Candidates are therefore required to ensure that the information submitted in their applications is accurate.
The examination authority has also cautioned that if incorrect information was provided in the application and that information was used for resolving a tie in the NEET SS rank, the candidate's candidature may be cancelled. Candidates should therefore keep their original academic documents and other required records ready for verification during the admission process.
The reduction in the qualifying percentile is significant for candidates who had scored below the earlier 50th percentile but now meet the revised 30th percentile requirement. These candidates can check the revised qualifying status and follow the counselling instructions issued by the appropriate authorities.
The decision also comes in the context of vacant super speciality seats after the second round of counselling. The Centre had reported that 1,857 super speciality seats remained vacant after Round 2. The revised qualifying criterion is intended to expand the pool of candidates who can participate in the subsequent counselling process for these seats.
Candidates should rely on the official NBEMS and Medical Counselling Committee announcements for the latest counselling schedule, registration requirements, seat availability and admission instructions. They should also verify their individual qualifying status and ensure that all eligibility and document requirements are fulfilled before participating in counselling.