United Doctors Front Files PIL in Supreme Court Challenging Reduced NEET-PG 2025-26 Qualifying Marks

New Delhi, January 16, 2026: The United Doctors Front, led by Dr. Lakshya Mittal and others, has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court of India challenging the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) notification dated January 13, 2026, which lowered the minimum qualifying standards for NEET-PG 2025-26.

The petition argues that allowing candidates with abnormally low or negative scores to qualify for postgraduate medical training poses a serious threat to patient safety, public health, and the integrity of the medical profession. It contends that the NBEMS decision is arbitrary, unconstitutional, and violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India.

The PIL further states that diluting merit contradicts settled judicial principles and violates the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, which mandates regulatory bodies to uphold minimum standards in medical education. The petition seeks directions from the Supreme Court to quash the NBEMS notification and restore the original qualifying criteria for postgraduate medical admissions.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Associations (FORDA) has written to Union Health Minister JP Nadda, urging the government to withdraw the NBEMS decision. In its letter, FORDA warned that the drastic reduction in cut-off marks undermines merit-based selection, demoralises top-ranking candidates, and could lead to substandard candidates entering postgraduate training, ultimately affecting patient care and public trust in the medical profession.

FORDA also recommended the formation of a high-level committee, including the National Medical Commission, NBEMS, and resident doctor representatives, to review and ensure the integrity of NEET-PG qualifying standards.

The Supreme Court is expected to list the matter for hearing in the coming days.