NEET SS: SC asks Centre to reconsider reducing qualifying percentile for vacant super speciality seats

Expressing concerns over a large number of NEET SS seats going vacant, the Supreme Court has asked the Centre to reconsider its decision not to reduce the cut-off percentile for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Super-specialty (NEET-SS) counselling 2025.

According to The Hindu, the reconsideration order comes after the SC bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe was told that the government was willing to conduct a stray round for NEET SS counselling for the vacant seats, but had decided not to reduce the percentiles.

Additional Solicitor-General Aishwarya Bhati said that the vacant seats would go back to the states, as in Tamil Nadu case.

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NEET SS seats vacant in Tamil Nadu

The top court was hearing a petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association, represented by senior advocate P Wilson. The petition said that Tamil Nadu had 40 vacant seats and that they should be returned to the state.

The senior advocate emphasised that many eligible candidates, most of them in-service government doctors who are serving in rural parts of the region, were waiting for a reduction in the qualifying percentile and stressed that NEET-SS seats were “precious”, and could not remain vacant.

The top court added that if seats are vacant, then it makes a case for reducing the qualifying percentiles.

A senior advocate for Tamil Nadu, Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that Tamil Nadu wants the vacant seats to completely revert to it, urging a reduction in lowering the cut-off percentile.

However, Justice Narasimha advised solicitor general Bhati on behalf of the Centre, to reflect on reducing the percentile and also consult with other members on the issue.

Bhati also pointed out that some amount of reduction can be made, as in previous years the percentiles have been even reduced to 0%; however, some experts have different views on towering the qualifying percentiles.