Overview
On 17 September 2026, the Union Government agreed to cut the qualifying percentile for NEET‑SS from 50% to 30% for a special stray vacancy round. At the same time, it decided to hand back 40 vacant in‑service seats to the Tamil Nadu government.
Key Developments
- The Centre’s note, filed before a bench headed by Justice P.S. Narasimha, states that reducing the qualifying percentile to 30% will expand the eligible pool to about 6,000 candidates for the 1,857 Super Speciality seats that remain vacant after the second counselling round.
- The 40 vacant in‑service seats will be returned to Tamil Nadu for a one‑week stray vacancy round, allowing the state to conduct its own counselling.
- The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to respond to a petition by the Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association, which sought a zero‑cutoff (no reduction) in the percentile, as done in the previous two years.
- The Union Government, represented by Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, argued that allowing further upgradation of candidates already occupying seats could create new vacancies and disrupt the academic session.
Important Facts
- 1,857 Super Speciality seats were vacant after the second round of counselling.
- Approximately 6,000 candidates are expected to meet the new 30% qualifying percentile.
- Tamil Nadu added 950 MBBS seats for the 2026‑27 academic year, indicating a broader expansion of medical education in the state.
- The Supreme Court’s involvement underscores the constitutional balance between Union and State powers in health‑education policy.
Exam Relevance
Understanding this development helps aspirants in GS2: Health and GS2: Polity. It illustrates how the Union uses regulatory tools (percentile cut‑offs, stray vacancy rounds) to optimise utilisation of scarce medical training capacity. The case also highlights the role of the Supreme Court in adjudicating disputes between the Centre and a State over reservation policies for government doctors.
Way Forward
Future counselling rounds may see further adjustments to the qualifying percentile if vacancy levels remain high. States may continue to lobby for greater control over in‑service seats to address local healthcare needs. Aspirants should monitor policy notices from the Medical Council of India and the Union Health Ministry for any further changes.