Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu have highest number of vacancies under the NEET-PG 2025-26

According to Medical Counseling Committee (MCC) data for the academic session 2025-26, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have the highest number of vacancies under the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (Postgraduate) (NEET-PG) 2025-26 across India.

According to data released recently by the Ministry of Health, more than 18,000 post-graduate medical seats remained vacant in government and private medical colleges across India despite the completion of Round 2 counselling, prompting the National Board of Examinations and Medical Sciences (NBEMS) to introduce a revised qualification percentile. NBEMS said the applicable percentile for the third round of NEET-PG this year has been reduced to zero for reserved categories.

Meanwhile, there are more than 2000 vacant seats in private/administrative and NRI quota in all three States (Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu). According to Central Government data, the number of PG seats increased from 40,858 to around 80,291 PG medical seats in 2020 (including 17,707 National Board Diplomat (DNB) and Diploma seats etc.).

Subjects with maximum vacancies include microbiology, pathology, biochemistry, forensic medicine and pharmacology. Subjects such as general medicine, radiodiagnostics, general surgery, dermatology, obstetrics and gynecology and pediatrics are the most in demand.

NEET-PG 2025 result was declared on 19 August 2025. NBEMS concluded the NEET PG 2025 exam on August 3 last year with over 2,42,000 candidates. The exam was held in 301 provinces and 1052 test centers in a single shift on a computer-based platform.

Explaining why so many seats remain vacant in India, Rohan Krishnan, chief patron of All India Federation of Medical Association (FAIIMS) Doctors Association, said that reducing the NEET PG qualifying percentile destroys the credibility of this exam, but the real deterrent and reason for the vacant seats is the fee structure of private universities, which starts from 20 lakhs and goes up to 4 crores.

“Exorbitant cost of education, reluctance to take non-clinical courses, shortage of good teaching staff, infrastructure, patient load and salaries are also issues that need to be addressed immediately if we want to ensure that NEET PG seats are filled,” said a senior doctor.