NEET-MDS cut-off slashed 20.6 percentile points as 1,200 dental PG seats sit empty
By TUF News Desk · Published 17 October 2026 · 3 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
Roughly 1,200 postgraduate dental seats are sitting empty this year, and the government has responded by lowering the admission bar for the second year running. The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has cut the NEET-MDS 2026 qualifying percentile by 20.576 points across all categories, following a reduction of 19.863 points in 2025.
The revision came through an NBEMS notice issued after a letter from the Union health ministry dated October 12. The notice did not explicitly link the decision to vacant seats, though it arrives as counselling enters its later rounds.
What the new cut-offs look like
The qualifying score for General and EWS candidates has fallen from 308 to 234 out of 960 marks. For General-PwBD candidates it has dropped from 289 to 218, and for SC, ST and OBC candidates from 271 to 200.
In percentile terms, the revised thresholds are 29.424 for the UR/EWS category, 24.424 for General-PwBD, and 19.424 for SC/ST/OBC candidates, down from 50, 45 and 40 respectively.
Last year’s cut of 19.863 points took the scores from 261 to 197 for General/EWS, 244 to 182 for General-PwBD, and 227 to 168 for SC/ST/OBC.
Why the intervention was needed
Dental postgraduate education in India runs on 7,716 seats spread across 287 colleges. Of these, 46 government colleges hold 1,103 seats and 241 private colleges hold 6,613, according to figures cited by the Medical Counselling Committee.
For Round 2 of MDS counselling this year, the MCC has listed 460 clear vacancies and 762 virtual ones. A virtual vacancy is a seat currently allotted to a candidate who may opt for an upgrade, so it is not a confirmed opening. The health ministry’s estimate of about 1,200 empty seats draws on this picture. The ministry official said state-wise vacancy figures were not available, since seats are split evenly between the 50 percent All India quota and 50 percent state counselling.
The results were declared on June 2, and NBEMS has confirmed the revision does not change anyone’s rank. It widens the qualified pool so that candidates who fell short of the original bar can take part in the remaining rounds.
What newly qualified candidates should do
Check the official MCC portal for the MDS counselling schedule and participate through the Round 2 and subsequent rounds. Watch state counselling portals too, since half the seats move through them; several states reopened applications after the revision. Kerala’s Commissioner for Entrance Examinations, for instance, reopened its MDS application window with a short deadline, listing 49 vacant seats for a third round of allotment.
Keep the paperwork ready before the allotment lists come out. The admission documents checklist covers what colleges ask for during reporting, and candidates weighing private college fees should compare options through how to choose a university in India and the central vs state vs private university guide.
Frequently asked questions
By how much has the NEET-MDS 2026 qualifying cut-off been lowered?
By 20.576 percentile points across all categories. The revised percentile cut-offs are 29.424 for UR/EWS, 24.424 for General-PwBD and 19.424 for SC/ST/OBC.
What are the new NEET-MDS 2026 qualifying scores?
General/EWS candidates now need 234 marks out of 960, down from 308. General-PwBD candidates need 218, down from 289, and SC/ST/OBC candidates need 200, down from 271.
Does the cut-off revision change my NEET-MDS 2026 rank?
No. The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences has said ranks declared on June 2 remain unchanged. The revision only expands the pool of qualified candidates.
How many MDS seats are vacant in 2026?
A senior Union health ministry official estimated about 1,200 seats remain vacant nationwide. The Medical Counselling Committee has listed 460 clear vacancies and 762 virtual vacancies for Round 2 of counselling.
Frequently asked questions
By how much has the NEET-MDS 2026 qualifying cut-off been lowered?
By 20.576 percentile points across all categories. The revised percentile cut-offs are 29.424 for UR/EWS, 24.424 for General-PwBD and 19.424 for SC/ST/OBC.
What are the new NEET-MDS 2026 qualifying scores?
General/EWS candidates now need 234 marks out of 960, down from 308. General-PwBD candidates need 218, down from 289, and SC/ST/OBC candidates need 200, down from 271.
Does the cut-off revision change my NEET-MDS 2026 rank?
No. The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences has said ranks declared on June 2 remain unchanged. The revision only expands the pool of qualified candidates.
How many MDS seats are vacant in 2026?
A senior Union health ministry official estimated about 1,200 seats remain vacant nationwide. The Medical Counselling Committee has listed 460 clear vacancies and 762 virtual vacancies for Round 2 of counselling.
Sources: The Times of India (TNN via ETHealthworld), Mirror Now, Medical Dialogues