Overview
- Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe directed NBEMS and the Centre to justify the reduction and posted the matter for further hearing in about two weeks.
- The court voiced concern over a 'minus 40' benchmark and said it would examine whether the decision was drastically wrong and whether standards are being compromised.
- NBEMS cited a Health Ministry directive and more than 18,000 unfilled postgraduate seats as the basis for cutting thresholds for the third counselling round.
- Under the January 13 change, the general category cut-off fell from the 50th to the 7th percentile (276 to 103 marks), General PwBD from the 45th to the 5th percentile (255 to 90), and SC/ST/OBC to the 0th percentile permitting negative scores.
- Petitioners argued the move is arbitrary, violates Articles 14 and 21, alters rules mid-process, and endangers patient safety, while the Supreme Court declined to stay ongoing counselling.