Plans underway to introduce a ranking system in NEET PG; find out how it differs from the percentile system..

There is significant news for candidates appearing for NEET PG after completing their MBBS. The government is set to introduce major changes to the admission rules for medical postgraduate (PG) courses. The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that, starting next year—that is, from 2027—the percentile system will be abolished and replaced by a ranking system. Preparations for this are underway, and an official notification is expected to be issued soon. This recommendation was made by a committee constituted to review the medical admission process.

Committee Submits Its Report
A 12-member expert committee, formed to examine medical admissions, has submitted its report to the Supreme Court. The committee has recommended that student admissions be based on their rank rather than their percentile. Notably, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has already approved this proposal. While the current plan is to implement it from 2027, a final decision is yet to be reached.

Decisions Regarding Cut-offs
The committee’s report also addresses the issue of lowering cut-offs. It suggests that cut-offs should not be repeatedly lowered to fill vacant medical seats. Previously, there was controversy when candidates with negative scores were granted admission; this issue could now be completely resolved. If these recommendations are implemented, the controversies surrounding NEET PG admissions may come to an end. Furthermore, the committee has recommended reducing fees for non-clinical courses and exempting students of pre-clinical and para-clinical subjects from service bonds.

What Is the Difference Between Percentile and Ranking?
Let us understand what the percentile and ranking systems are, and how this shift could improve the admission process.

Percentile System: A percentile does not directly reflect a candidate's raw score; instead, it indicates the proportion of other candidates who scored equal to or lower than the candidate in question. For instance, if 100,000 students appear for an examination and a particular student’s score is better than that of 90,000 other students, their percentile is 90. This means that more than one candidate can achieve a 90th or even a 100th percentile. This method is used for normalization, ensuring that candidates who take the exam in different shifts are evaluated on an equitable basis.

Ranking System: The ranking system is straightforward. Candidates are assigned ranks—from 1 to the final position—based on their scores. In this system, every student’s score is unique, which ensures greater transparency. If a candidate secures 499 out of 500 marks—the highest score among all—they are awarded the first rank; in the event of a tie (i.e., identical scores), a tie-breaking rule is applied. During seat allotment, the rank directly determines which college is assigned to a candidate.

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