Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu have the highest number of vacancies in NEET-PG 2025-26, officials said. Experts pointed to several challenges that discourage candidates from filling seats.
Specialists said high education costs, limited availability of qualified teaching staff, inadequate infrastructure, heavy patient loads, and low stipends were key reasons for the unfilled seats. These issues, they added, make postgraduate medical education less attractive to aspirants despite high demand for doctors.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is reviewing the situation and considering measures to improve seat occupancy. Initiatives could include increasing stipends, improving hospital facilities, and expanding faculty recruitment.
Data also showed that states with better infrastructure and incentives had higher seat occupancy, highlighting the importance of supportive policies for medical education.
Experts stressed that addressing these challenges is critical for ensuring sufficient healthcare professionals across the country. Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu must take proactive steps to improve teaching and training conditions.
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu have highest number of vacancies under the NEET-PG 2025-26, reflecting gaps in incentives and infrastructure in medical education.
