1,140 NEET PG seats vacant after counselling: What is India’s medical admission system missing?

Even after the Centre sharply lowered the NEET-PG 2025 qualifying percentile, 1,140 postgraduate medical seats remained vacant after counselling. The government has defended NEET as a reform-backed, non-negotiable entrance system. But the vacancy data suggests the problem may lie beyond eligibility — in counselling design, seat attractiveness, costs, location and the fragmented structure of India’s medical admission process.