Earlier, NEET was not required for BPT admission in Maharashtra. Most colleges used MHT CET or Class 12 marks instead. But from 2026, NEET UG may become compulsory for BPT admission across India.
/ Medicine & Health Sciences / Medicine & Health Sciences Exams / NEET / News / NEET Age Limit 2026 for General, OBC, SC, ST & PwD Categories
NEET 2026 age limit is one of eligibility criteria that candidates must fulfill to apply for the exam. The minimum NEET age limit is 17 years and there is no upper age limit in the exam. Also, there is no limit on the number of attempts a student can take the NEET UG 2026 exam. Check here NEET age limit for OBC, General, SC, ST and PwD category.
NEET 2026 age limit is one of eligibility criteria that candidates must fulfill to apply for the exam. The minimum NEET age limit is 17 years and there is no upper age limit in the exam. Also, there is no limit on the number of attempts a student can take the NEET UG 2026 exam. Check here NEET age limit for OBC, General, SC, ST and PwD category.
NEET Age Limit 2026 for General & Reserved Categories
The NEET UG 2026 registration is ongoing on the official website- neet.nta.nic.in. Candidates who fulfill the NEET eligibility criteria 2026 in terms of nationality, age limit and educational qualification can apply for the exam. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has notified the NEET 2026 age limit for general and reserved category candidates, based on the regulations of the National Medical Commission (NMC) and Dental Council of India (DCI). The age criteria plays important role in the exam. Students need to attain the minimum age limit before the completion date. Check below the NEET age limit 2026 for General, OBC, SC, ST and PwD categories. Also, know the details regarding the NEET age limit date of birth, upper age limit, limit on number of attempts, age criteria for girls and foreign nationals, etc.
The NEET notification 2026 clearly states that the NTA reserves the right to withdraw permission to a candidate who is not eligible to appear in the exam even though his/her admit card is issued. Hence, candidates must abide by the age limit guidelines and then fill the NEET application form 2026.
Also Read: NEET Registration 2026 LIVE @neet.nta.nic.in
Table of contents
- NEET 2026 Age Limit in India: Highlights
- NEET Minimum Age Limit 2026
- Category-Wise NEET Age Limit 2026: General, OBC, SC, ST & PwD
- What is the Maximum Age Limit for NEET 2026 Exam?
- NEET Age Limit for Girls
- NEET UG 2026 Limit on Number of Attempts
NEET 2026 Age Limit in India: Highlights
Candidates planning to appear for the NEET UG 2026 exam to get admission to MBBS, BDS, Dental, BAMS, BSMS, BUMS and BHMS courses should go through the highlights of the NEET age limit 2026 in India below-
| Feature |
Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name |
National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET UG) |
| Conducting Body |
National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Age Criteria By |
NMC & DCI |
| Minimum Age Limit |
17 years |
| Maximum Age Limit |
No upper age limit |
| Minimum Age Completion Date |
On or before 31-Dec-2026 |
| Date of Birth Eligibility |
Born on or before 31-Dec-2009 |
| Age Criteria for OBC, SC, ST, PwD |
Same as for General category |
| Age Limit for Girls |
Same as for boys or male candidates |
Also Read: NEET UG APAAR ID 2026: How to Make it for Registration?
Commonly asked questions
Q: What is the cutoff for NEET?
A:
The NEET 2026 cutoff is released along with the results. The NTA released the NEET UG cutoff marks based on the difficulty level. Till then, take a look at the NEET 2025 cutoff for reference.
| Category | Cut off percentile | Cut off marks |
| UR/EWS | 50th Percentile | 715–213 |
| OBC | 40th Percentile | 212–177 |
| SC | 40th Percentile | 212–177 |
| ST | 40th Percentile | 212–177 |
| SC/OBC - PwD | 40th percentile | 193 - 177 |
| ST - PwD | 40th Percentile | 191 - 178 |
Q: What is the NEET cutoff score?
A:
The NEET cut off score generally changes every year, based on the exam difficulty level. The NEET 2025 cut off score was reduced from that of 2024. Have a look at the cut off scores of NEET 2025 exam below-
Category | NEET 2025 Cutoff percentile | NEET 2025 Cutoff score |
|---|---|---|
UR/EWS | 50th | 686-144 |
OBC, SC, ST | 40th | 143-113 |
UR/EWS-PwD | 45th | 143-127 |
OBC/SC/St-PwD | 40th | 126-113 |
Q: What is the passing marks for NEET exam?
A:
Candidates need to obtain the NEET exam pass marks to clear the exam. The minimum NEET cutoff percentile that candidates must obtain is shared below-
Category | NEET Cut off percentile |
|---|---|
UR/EWS | 50th |
OBC, SC, ST | 40th |
UR/EWS-PwD | 45th |
OBC/SC/St-PwD | 40th |
Q: What factors determine NEET cutoff?
A:
The factors that determine the NEET cutoff scores are-
- Total number of appearing candidates
- Difficulty level of the examination
- Performance of the candidates
- Number of seats available:
NEET Minimum Age Limit 2026
The NTA has notified the NEET age limit 2026 in terms of minimum age and upper age limit. The minimum age limit for NEET is 17 years. Candidates who are born on or before December 21, 2009, are eligible for NEET 2026. However, Candidates need to make sure that they complete their age of 17 years before December 31, 2026. Have a look at the details regarding NEET date of birth eligibility and age limit completion date below-
| NEET 2026 Age Eligibility Criteria |
Date |
|---|---|
| Date of birth |
Born on or before December 31, 2009 |
| Age completion date |
on or before December 31, 2016 |
Staying updated about the latest educational events is just a click away
Enter Mobile Number
Category-Wise NEET Age Limit 2026: General, OBC, SC, ST & PwD
The age criteria for all the categories remains the same in NEET 2026 exam. There is no NEET age limit relaxation for reserved category candidates. To have a better understanding, have a look at the NEET UG 2026 age limit for General, OBC, SC, ST and PwD categories below-
| Category |
Minimum Age Limit |
Upper Age Limit |
|---|---|---|
| General |
17 years |
No limit |
| OBC |
17 years |
No limit |
| SC |
17 years |
No limit |
| ST |
17 years |
No limit |
| EWS |
17 years |
No limit |
| PwD |
17 years |
No limit |
Commonly asked questions
Q: What is the 80/20 rule in NEET?
A:
The NEET syllabus is huge. The 80/20 rule in NEET means that students should study smarter by focusing on 20% of the high-value topics which may form 80% of the NEET question paper.
Q: Can I get MBBS with 80,000 rank?
A:
Yes, candidates can get MBBS with 80,000 rank. However, such candidates can only take admission in private MBBS colleges, deemed universities or through management/ NRI quota.
Read More:
Q: When did NTA release the official cutoff for NEET 2025?
A:
The NEET 2025 cutoff was released along with the result on June 14, 2025. The NEET cutoff for each candidate category was mentioned on the result PDF. The NTA lowered the NEET cut off 2025 as the level of difficulty was higher and the number of test-takers was lower.
Q: What is the NEET cut off for BDS in Dental College RIMS Imphal?
A:
RIMS Imphal cutoff 2022 was 53109 for General category candidates in All India quota for BDS - Bachelor of Dental Surgery. RIMS Imphal admission 2023 to MBBS course is based on NEET 2023 scores followed by NEET Counselling 2023. Conducted by the MCC, NEET UG Counselling is to be held in multiple rounds. Further, NEET cut off varies depending on the category and domicile/quota of the applicant.
Explore colleges based on NEET
Want better recommendations?
There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.Confused about which college or exam to opt for?
- Chat with our counselor
- Get your personalised list of colleges & exams matching your preferences
View allCollections
What is the Maximum Age Limit for NEET 2026 Exam?
The NEET UG exam does not have any upper age limit. The NEET upper age limit criteria was removed by the NMC on March 9, 2022. Thus, candidates who are 40 years old or 50 years old and fulfill all other NEET eligibility criteria 2026 can apply for the exam.
Also Read: Documents Required for NEET 2026 Application Form
NEET Age Limit for Girls
For NEET UG 2026 exam, the minimum age limit for girls or female candidates is 17 years. The NEET age limit for girls is the same as that of boys or male applicants. There is no NEET maximum age limit for females. The NTA does not provide gender-based age relaxation norms for females in NEET exam.
Commonly asked questions
Q: What is the category-wise NEET cutoff percentile?
A:
The category-wise NEET cutoff percentile is given in the table below:
Category | NEET Cut Off Percentile |
|---|---|
General Category/Unreserved (UR) Category | 50 |
OBC/SC/ST | 40 |
PwD (General/UR) | 45 |
PwD (Reserved) | 40 |
Q: How many marks are required in NEET to get AIIMS Delhi?
A:
If a candidate belongs to the General Category, he/she should aim for at least 700+, and in the case of a reserved category, a candidate should aim for at least 675+. This is with regard to marks. In case the candidate wishes to know the same percentile-wise, he/she must score above 99 percentile to secure admission to AIIMS Delhi. Until 2020, students with 650+ score were able to get admission to MBBS at AIIMS Delhi, but the competition has been rising every year.
Q: Can I get AIIMS with 550 NEET scores?
A:
The AIIMS accepts NEET scores for admission to the MBBS. Students need to obtain the NEET cut off percentile and scores to get shortlisted for counselling in AIIMS MBBS course. The NEET 2025 cutoff scores for generally category was 686-144. So, a general category student with 550 marks cannot take admissions to AIIMS.
Q: How many candidates appeared for NEET 2024?
A:
According to the reports, this year saw the highest number of NEET applications and appearance for the exam. A total of 24,06,079 candidates applied for the exam, out of which 23,33,297 candidates appeared. The exam was originally conducted on May 5, 2024, in 571 cities across India and abroad. A re-test for 1,563 candidates who were awarded grace marks on May 5, was conducted on June 23, 2024. In this exam, 813 candidates had appeared.
Explore more Medicine & Health Sciences exams with upcoming dates
CGCUET 2026 Registration
1 Nov '25 - 29 Sep '26
SAT India Exam (October) Attempt
3 Oct '26
FMGE October 2026 Exam City In...
20 Oct '26
NTA CSIR NET December 2025 Exa...
18 Dec '26
NEET UG 2026 Limit on Number of Attempts
The NTA has not fixed the limit on number of attempts in the NEET UG 2026 exam. Candidates can appear in the NTA NEET exam as many times as they want till they obtain the desired scores.
Read More:
Videos you may like
About the Author
Rupali Pruthi
Deputy Manager - Editorial
Download Important Dates for Medicine & Health Sciences Exams
News & Updates
Latest NewsPopular News
Explore Other Exams
Jun '20 | AIIMS MBBS 2020 Results |
May '20 | AIIMS MBBS 2020 Exam |
Jun '20 | JIPMER 2020 exam (tentative) |
Sep '26 | FMGE 2026 Application Correcti... |
20 Oct '26 | FMGE October 2026 Exam City In... |
18 Jul '26 | Special OJEE admit card 2027 r... |
13 Jun '26 - 28 Jun '26 | Special OJEE registrations 202... |
Jul '22 | DAVV CET 2022 Registration |
Jun '26 | PU CET (UG) 2026 Counselling P... |
May '26 | PU CET (UG) 2026 Result |
The list of exams are recommended based on what other exams do the students in your area show interest in
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 5 days ago
Admission to medical and dental courses (like MBBS and BDS) in India is strictly based on your NEET rank and score not on your 12th grade board exam marks.
When you qualify for NEET and attend the counseling process you must carry the following documents in original along with photocopies:
NEET Admit
S
Swati Pandey
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
T
Tasbiya Khan
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, you can study a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) without clearing or even appearing for NEET in many universities and colleges across India. Many colleges offer admission based on Class 12th scores. You should check the eligibility requirements of the college before applying.
B
Bhavya Jain
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a week ago
SMS Medical College Jaipur, AIIMS Jodhpur, and SN Medical College Jodhpur consistently have the toughest, most competitive NEET cutoffs in Rajasthan. These flagship colleges attract students with very high NEET UG ranks every year. Other established colleges like JLN Ajmer also see strong competitio
T
Tasbiya Khan
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Kerala NEET UG Counselling 2026 Round 1 started on August 13, 2026, with option registration running through August 22, 2026
S
Swati Pandey
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Kerala NEET UG Counselling 2026 Round 1 started on August 13, 2026, with option registration running through August 22, 2026
S
Swati Pandey
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Official sites like NTA and MCC don't predict admission chances in advance. They only show actual seat allotment results after each counselling round.
Based on MCC cutoff trends, a rank of 40,000 (general category) usually doesn't get a government MBBS seat, since the last general seat closed around
T
Tasbiya Khan
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, BSc Radiology or Medical Radiology and Imaging Technology can be pursued after 12th without NEET in some universities, depending on their eligibility rules. At LPU, the programme focuses on practical learning, imaging techniques and industry-oriented training, which can help build skills for ho
S
Sampreet Kaur
Beginner-Level 1
Answered a week ago
For MBBS admission in top government medical colleges in Delhi, the NEET cutoff is usually around 630 to 715+ marks for General category students. For OBC category, it's around 560 to 650 marks, and for SC/ST category, it's around 410 to 580 marks.
T
Tasbiya Khan
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
Yes, most paramedical Diploma and certificate courses do not require NEET entrance exam score. NEET is usually mandatory only for courses like MBBS or BDS, not standard paramedical programs. Admission to colleges for paramedical in Jaipur is generally based on Class 12 marks.
T
Tasbiya Khan
Contributor-Level 10
With MA in English, Rupali has more than 15 years of editorial experience. At Shiksha.com, a subsidiary of Info Edge (India) Limited, she creates content and make prep guides for students preparing for competitive e
Read Full Bio