Wed Jan 14 17:49:07 UTC 2026: ### Headline: Telangana Doctors Protest NEET-PG Cut-off Reduction, Citing Patient Safety Risks

The Story:

The Telangana Senior Resident Doctors Association (T-SRDA) has strongly condemned the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences’ (NBEMS) decision to reduce the NEET-PG 2025-26 cut-off percentile to zero. The association argues that this unprecedented move, detailed in a notification issued on January 13, 2026, jeopardizes the quality of medical education and poses a significant threat to patient safety. They claim that allowing candidates with scores as low as minus 40 marks to qualify for postgraduate medical admissions is academically and ethically unjustifiable.

The T-SRDA warns that this policy undermines the merit-based system of national competitive examinations and could render them redundant. They have appealed to Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda to immediately withdraw the notification and reinstate a reasonable, merit-based cut-off. Failure to do so, they assert, will lead to nationwide protests in collaboration with other resident doctors and medical associations.

Key Points:

  • The T-SRDA opposes the reduction of the NEET-PG 2025-26 cut-off percentile to zero.
  • The NBEMS notification, issued on January 13, 2026, allows candidates with scores as low as minus 40 marks to be eligible for postgraduate admissions.
  • The association believes this move compromises the quality of medical education and patient safety.
  • They fear the erosion of merit-based competitive examinations.
  • The T-SRDA threatens nationwide protests if the notification is not withdrawn.

Key Takeaways:

  • The medical community is raising serious concerns about the potential consequences of lowered academic standards for postgraduate medical admissions.
  • The controversy highlights a potential conflict between the need for more doctors and maintaining the quality of medical training.
  • The threatened nationwide protests indicate the depth of concern within the medical profession regarding this policy change.
  • This situation could reflect underlying issues within the medical education system, such as a shortage of qualified applicants or pressures to fill training positions.
  • The outcome of this dispute will likely have significant implications for the future of medical education standards in India.

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