MBBS/BDS admission cut-offs may drop by up to 125 marks

MBBS/BDS admission cut-offs may drop by up to 125 marks 

No. of NEET Top Scorers Dips Due To ‘Tough Exam’

Pushpa.Narayan@timesofindia.com  26.07.2025

The cut-offs for MBBS/BDS admissions to govt colleges in Tamil Nadu are likely to decrease by up to 125 marks for the open category and between 110 and 115 marks for some reserved categories this year. This is because the number of top scorers in NEET 2025 is lower than that of the previous year. This may not mean that admissions will get easier now, as the selection committee will allot seats based on the order of merit in the eligibility test and 69% rule of reservation. 

The MBBS/BDS rank list for 2025 admissions, released on Friday by health minister Ma Subramanian, had Soorya Narayanan S from Tirunelveli with 665/720 marks in NEET 2025 as its topper. There were 90 students with a score above 700 in 2024, 29 students in 2023, and five in 2022. This year, the “tough question paper” ensured there were just four students with scores above 650 compared to 1,446 in 2024. 

Student counsellor Manicakavel Arumugam said, “Unlike last year, crowding isn’t at the top, but in the middle.” Analysis shows more than 3,800 students are bunched between 500 and 599 marks. What will make admission more competitive is the loss of 50 MBBS seats. While the state did not add any new medical colleges or seats, Subramanian said seats in one of the self-financing medical colleges under TN Dr MGR Medical University, PSP Medical College and Research Institute, which had 150 seats in 2024, will now have only 100. 

Open category seats in govtrun medical colleges, which ended at 1,414th rank in 2023, and a cut-off score of 650, will now have a cut-off of 534-536 marks. The BC cut-off will hover around 504-506, BCM around 500, and MBC will be between 495 and 497. Cutoff for different scheduled categories will be between 350 and 430 marks. The student who was ranked second, Abhineet Nagaraj from Salem, had a score of 655 marks, followed by Hruthik Vijaya Raja K S, who got 653 marks. 

The drop in cut-off was visible in 7.5% quota, where seats were reserved for govt school students. Thirumurthy V from Kallakurichi Govt Model School, the topper, had NEET score of 572, followed by Krishnagiri Govt Model School’s Sathish Kumar M (563) and Madhumitha M (551) of Kallakurichi Govt Model School. Experts say it is difficult to predict the cut-offs for dental seats, as it is not the natural choice for students who don’t get into MBBS. “Many wait to appear for the next year’s eligibility test instead of taking dental seats this year,” said Saranyan K, who offers NEET coaching at a private institute.

 This year, 30% of applicants under govt quota, 21% under the 7.5% quota for govt students, and 35% under the management quota are first-time applicants. Officials say the number of students who make it to any medical college in the first attempt dwindles further. Online and offline counselling will begin on July 30 for govt and management quota seats and for those in special category, the minister said.

THOSE WHO FORGED DOCUMENTS DEBARRED At least 25 candidates who forged their nativity, community, and NRI certificates in their MBBS/BDS applications were debarred for three academic years, and their candidature for 2025 admissions cancelled, minister Ma Subramanian said on Friday. 

The committee will also initiate legal action against them, it said. Selection committee scrutinised more than 70,000 applications. “We are still in process of verification. If more candidates are found to have submitted such documents at any stage of the counselling or admission process, the same action will be taken,” he said. Documents forged included letters from consulates, relationship certificates, and nativity and community certificates.