Admission to AYUSH courses through NEET 2026

Admission to AYUSH courses will be basis NEET 2026 scores. The entrance test will be held on May 3, 2026. Read more here.

The standardization of the entry process for students interested in pursuing the study of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy, has been accomplished through NEET as the common national-level entrance exam for admission into AYUSH courses. The common national entrance exam provides a way to select students based on their academic performance and will provide an avenue for even selection to AYUSH institutions (both public and private). All candidates must pass NEET and participate in either state-level or centralized counselling to gain admission into BAMS, BHMS, BUMS, BSMS and other AYUSH programs. The use of one entrance exam will streamline the chemistry of an applicant's entry into AYUSH schools, thus making entry into AYUSH programs more structured and encouraging greater competition.

With urbanisation and global climate changes, man has understood the importance of nature and the effectiveness of natural remedies. As a result, more and more people have started opting for scientific yet natural remedies for their ailments, thus increasing the demand for AYUSH courses. The Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) was also formed by the Government of India to give a boost to these courses. All this has contributed to the rise in the number of students aspiring to pursue these courses. 

Admission to AYUSH courses in India is on the basis of NEET scores. The candidate's score, as well as the rank in this exam, determines the courses to which they will be inducted. This is true for all the public and private institutions in India. In this article, we have summarised the process of AYUSH admissions through NEET in India. Read the complete article to know more about it. 

What are the different courses under AYUSH?

AYUSH stands for Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy. Courses under AYUSH programmes have different curricula and the treatment lines differ from one other. A candidate needs to complete 4.5 years of academic training and a 1-year internship to get the degree. Here is the list of AYUSH courses in India.

AYUSH Courses in India

What are the eligibility criteria for getting Admission to AYUSH courses?

The eligibility criteria for this are similar to that of the NEET exam, though the colleges have their own set of criteria for the candidates. This makes it necessary for the applicants to go through the websites of the colleges where they want to join.

All the required criteria that one has to fulfil are enumerated below:

1. The applicant must be at least 17 years old as of December 31st of the applying year.
2. The applicant must have completed Class 12 or studied equivalent core subjects from any recognized board. This includes Physics, Biology or Biotechnology, Chemistry, and English in classes 11 and 12.
3. Indian Nationals, NRIs, OCIs, or Foreign nationals can also appear for the AYUSH courses through the NEET exam.
4. The maximum number of attempts to appear in the exam is not limited.
5. The qualifying aggregate marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology subjects for the unreserved applicants is 50%. It is 40% for the OBC, ST, and SC and it is 45% for the PWD candidates.

Admission to AYUSH courses through NEET

The standardization of admission criteria through NEET ensures that students have access to high-quality academic programs that meet minimum national standards of eligibility. Candidates who wish to take admission to the undergraduate AYUSH courses have to appear for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). Admission to AYUSH courses will be based on the scores and overall rank obtained in NEET.  Important dates for NEET 2026 will be updated once it is out.

Important dates for NEET 2026

AYUSH Counselling

AYUSH counselling is held on two levels, central counselling which is conducted by AACCC and state-level counselling conducted by various government bodies.

Centralized Counseling: AYUSH Admission Central Counselling Committee (AACCC) conducts the counselling for the AYUSH courses. Seats for these courses are provided in All India Quota in the central universities, national institutes, private colleges, institutes that are aided by the government, and 100% seats in Deemed Universities. There are two rounds in the counselling process along with the mop-up round for the Deemed universities, National Institutes of the Central universities. After every round, the candidates can find the seat allotment list on AYUSH official website. Those who did not get any allotment in the initial round can take part in the second round counselling by entering fresh choices.

State Counseling: States offering the AYUSH courses need to conduct separate counseling as per the rules and regulations, based on the NEET merit list. The state counselling committee has to set the eligibility criteria for each state. So, there is a good probability of variations in criteria. Therefore, applicants have to check the specific institute's website where they want admission.