Rupali
Rupali Pruthi
Deputy Manager - Editorial
Updated on Jul 16, 2026 17:29 IST
NEET qualifying marks 2026 are the minimum marks candidates need to clear the exam and be eligible for NEET UG counselling. NEET passing marks or scores are percentile-based and change yearly. Check NEET qualifying cutoff marks here. Also, get here the previous years' NEET cutoff marks.

NEET passing marks 2026 are the minimum qualifying marks that candidates must obtain to clear the exam. The qualifying marks or scores are percentile-based and change every year. However, the NEET qualifying cutoff percentile remains the same every year. Check NEET exam pass marks 2026 along with previous years' cutoff on this page.

NEET Passing/Qualifying Marks

NEET 2026 Passing/ Qualifying Marks

Every NEET aspirant wonder what are the passing marks or qualifying marks in the exam. The answer to this question is that there are no fixed passing marks in the NEET UG exam. However, candidates need to score above the minimum qualifying percentile. The NEET qualifying percentile or pass percentile remains the same every year, which is the 50th percentile for general category and 40th percentile for SC/ ST/ OBC. However, the NEET qualifying marks or cutoff marks change every year based on the exam difficulty level, the number of applicants and the number of seats to be filled. Check below the NEET passing marks or qualifying marks and previous years' NEET cut-off scores.

Which MBBS/ BDS College will you get based on your NEET 2026 Rank? Check last year's Institutes & Category-wise closing Rank?
NEET MBBS Cutoff Rank 2025 NEET BDS Cutoff Rank 2025
Table of contents
  • NEET 2026 Cutoff
  • NEET Passing Marks 2026: Qualifying Percentile
  • Will NEET Exam Pass Marks 2026 be Higher than Last Year?
  • NEET Qualifying Marks Trends of Past 5 Years
  • NEET 2026 Result: How to calculate the percentile score?
  • Preivous Years' NEET Qualifying Cutoff Scores
  • What After Obtaining NEET Passing Marks?
View More

NEET 2026 Cutoff

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will release the NEET passing marks 2026 as cutoff scores along with the NEET result 2026. Candidates who will successfully obtain the NEET cutoff 2026 will become eligible to participate in the counselling process. Meanwhile, check below the expected cutoff marks:

Category

Expected Cut off of Re NEET

UR/EWS

700-135

OBC, SC, ST

150-120

UR/ EWS-PwD

150-110

OBC/ SC/ ST-PwD

130-115

NEET Passing Marks 2026: Qualifying Percentile

NTA has fixed the NEET qualifying or pass percentile for each candidate category. The NEET passing marks are variable for each year and category and depends on candidates' performance. The NEET qualification percentiles are shared below-

Category NEET Cutoff Percentile
General/EWS 50
General/EWS/PH 45
OBC, SC, ST 40
PH- OBC 40
PH- SC 40
PH- ST 40

Also Read: NEET AIIMS Cutoff 2025 for MBBS

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What are the languages in which NEET will be conducted?
A: 

NEET will be conducted in 13 languages. Till 2020, NEET was held in 11 languages. NTA increased the number of languages or medium to 13 from 2021 onwards. Malayalam and Punjabi are the latest additions. The list of languages are as follows:

  1. English
  2. Hindi
  3. Bengali
  4. Urdu
  5. Assamese
  6. Gujarati
  7. Marathi
  8. Odia
  9. Kannada
  10. Tamil
  11. Malayalam
  12. Punjabi
  13. Telugu.
Q:   If I opt to participate in second round of NEET UG counseling, will my allotted seat of first round be cancelled?
A: 

In case candidates are not allotted any seat in the second round of the NEET UG counselling, the earlier allotted seat in Round 1 will be retained. However, on up-gradation of a seat in the second round, the earlier allotted seat in Round 1 will automatically be cancelled and allotted to another candidate. Therefore, candidates are advised to fill in only higher choices or any other choice which they prefer over the earlier allotted seat, for second round.

Q:   Will candidates be provided with face masks at the NEET exam centres?
A: 

Till last year, candidates were provided N95 masks at the NEET exam centre which was mandatory to be used by candidates. They had to dispose of their own masks before entering the exam centre at the designated bin. However, since the intensity of Covid has reduced as compared to the last two years, this year candidates may not be provided masks at the centre. The information will be confirmed after the release of the NEET admit card. However, it is recommended that they wear face masks for the entire duration. This should be done to ensure their and other test-takers' safety.

Q:   After I join a college allotted during the Second Round of NEET UG Counseling, can I leave or resign the seat?
A: 

Once a candidate joins second round seat allotted in the NEET UG counselling, he/she will not be allowed to vacate from the allotted second round seat. However if candidates are allotted a seat in Second Round and have not joined the college, then he/she can Exit with Forfeiture of security amount. Moreover, the candidates who have joined up to round 2 of AIQ or state quota will not be eligible to participate in the further rounds of AIQ or state quota.

Know your AIIMS MBBS Admission Prospects using NEET Cutoff Rank- AIIMS MBBS Cutoff & Seats

Will NEET Exam Pass Marks 2026 be Higher than Last Year?

Obtaining the NEET pass mark 2026 will determine whether candidates have passed or qualified the exam. Owing to the higher number of test takers, the increase in the number of MBBS and BDS seats and moderate difficulty level of exam, the NEET cutoff 2026 may go up. Hence, students must gear up for tougher competition in NEET 2026. The NEET cut off may increase or decrease based on the factors shared below-

  • Total number of candidates who appear for the examination

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  • Difficulty level of the examination

  • Performance of the candidates

  • Number of seats available

  • NEET cutoff for previous years

Read More: NEET 2026 Cutoff for OBC | NEET 2026 Cut off for Government MBBS Colleges

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the procedure to challenge NEET OMR sheets?
A: 

The responses marked on the OMR Sheet of NEET are scanned and uploaded on the official website of NTA. The responses marked are read and captured by the machines, which can sometimes lead to smudging of the responses. Therefore, there can be errors in the scanned copy of NEET OMR sheet. If a student finds any such error in their OMR sheet, they have the provision to challenge them. Candidates have to pay a processing fee of INR 200 per response challenged. The steps for challenging the OMR sheet of NEET are given below:

  1. Go to the official website of NTA NEET
  2. Login using the NEET application number and password or date of birth
  3. Click on “OMR Challenge”
  4. You will see the questions in sequential order
  5. Select Question (s) for which you wish to challenge the Recorded Response.
  6. Once you select any Question for Challenge, you will see three options under the column ‘Candidate’s Claim’.
  7. If you wish to challenge this option, you may use the Options given in the ‘Candidate’s Claim’ column.
  8. After clicking your desired option, for Physics / Chemistry / Botany / Zoology for NEET (UG) - 2023, scroll down, ‘Submit’, and move to the next screen.
  9. You will see a screen displaying your challenges.
  10. Click on ‘Submit' and Pay Fee Finally’.
  11. Select Mode of Payment and Pay a processing fee of INR 200 for each question/grade challenged. Make payment through Debit/Credit Card/Net Banking/Paytm.
  12. After successful payment, download/print the Answer Key challenge receipt
Q:   Which is the best time to study: late night or early in the morning?
A: 
Day 1.After a good nights sleep, youll likely havemore energyand a higher ability to concentrate the next day. 2.Society is structured around beingactive during the day and sleeping at night, so by sticking to this norm there are undeniable benefits such as being able to go to the library or book shop. 3.Most people are contactable during the day so itseasier to communicate with your friends or teachersduring the day if you have any questions. 4.Natural light is better for your eyes. Artificial light hurts our eyes and can affect our natural sleep rhythm. 4 Benefits of Studying at Night 1.People are more active, louder and intense during the day. At night its only you and the night owls so you canstudy in peace and quiet. 2.If youre lucky enough to live near a library thats open late, you will notice that thelibrary isnear desertedwhen you want to study late. 3.At night there arefewer distractionsthan during the day. Most of your friends are asleep and your social networks will be less active. 4.It is true that things look different by night. The night canincrease your creative efficacyand help you see concepts differently.
Q:   What is the total number of NEET exam cities?
A: 

The total number of exam cities for NEET is 566. The number of NEET exam cities in India are 552 and in abroad are 14. The number of exam cities in India changes every year. The exact number is known through the notification PDF.

Q:   What is the significance of the NEET seat matrix?
A: 

Seat matrix for NEET counselling is important for choice filling process. Before filling and locking seat choices for each round of NEET counselling, candidates must go through seat matrix or seat vacancy and then enter their choices. MCC releases seat matrix prior to commencement of counselling process. This is overall seat matrix for all four rounds of counselling. Candidates participating in Round 1 NEET counselling will have to choose from entire gamut of seats. From second round onwards, seat matrix is released in terms of newly added seats and clear and virtual vacancies. With each round of counselling, number of available seats or vacant seats reduces. 

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NEET Qualifying Marks Trends of Past 5 Years

The NEET cutoff scores or the NEET qualifying marks vary for each candidate category every year. The table below brings the qualifying or pass marks for NEET over the past 5 years.

Category

2025 Cutoff

2024 Cutoff

2023 Cutoff

2022 Cutoff

2021 Cutoff

General/UR

686-144

720-162

720-137

715-117

720-138

OBC/SC/ST

143-113

161-127

136-107

116-93

137-108

PwD (UR)

143-127

161-144

136-121

116-105

137-122

PwD (Reserved)

126-113

143-127

120-107

104-93

121-108

Utilise the NEET Rank Predictor tool by Shiksha.com to predict your NEET Rank based on the expected score. Predict your NEET Rank Here:


Rank Predictor

NEET 2026 Result: How to calculate the percentile score?

Candidates can calculate the scores in NEET 2026 using the formula shared below-

NEET Percentile = 100 x Number of candidates with their raw score equal to/ less than the candidate

Total number of candidates who appeared for NEET

Preivous Years' NEET Qualifying Cutoff Scores

The NEET qualifying percentile remains the same. However, the scores change every year based on the difficulty level. Have a look at the previous years NEET cutoff scores below-

NEET 2025 Cut Off: Qualifying Marks/ Passing Marks

The NEET 2025 was more difficult than the past year. The number of students who appeared in the NEET 2025 was less than that of 2024. A total of 22,09,318 students appeared for the exam, and nearly 12,36,531 students qualified. The highest marks of NEET 2026 was 686 out of 720. Hence, the NEET UG qualifying cutoff was lower than last year. The table below brings passing marks in NEET out of 720 and percentiles for each category below.

Category

NEET Cutoff percentile

NEET 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

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Also Read: NEET Cut Off 2025 for MBBS Government Colleges

NEET 2024 Qualifying Marks

In 2024, the NEET exam pass marks were reduced for each category, after the re-release of the scorecards. The category-wise NEET cutoff 2024 percentiles and qualifying marks are given below-

Category

Cut off percentile

Cut off score

UR/EWS

50th

720-162

OBC

40th

161-127

SC

40th

161-127

ST

40th

163-127

UR/EWS-PwD

45th

161-144

OBC-PwD

40th

143-127

SC-PwD

40th

143-127

ST-PwD

40th

142-127

The table below brings the original NEET pass marks of 2024.

Category

NEET 2024 Cutoff percentile

NEET 2024 Cutoff score

UR/EWS

50

720-164

OBC

40

163-129

SC

40

163-129

ST

40

163-129

UR/EWS-PwD

45

163-146

OBC-PwD

40

145-129

SC-PwD

40

145-129

ST-PwD

40

141-129

NEET 2023 Qualifying Marks

The category-wise NEET 2023 qualifying cutoff percentile and marks are shared below for General, OBC, SC, ST and PwD.

Category NEET 2023 Cutoff Percentile NEET 2023 Cutoff Marks
General/EWS 50 720-137
OBC, SC, ST 40 136-107
General/EWS/PH 45 136-121
OBC & PH 40 120-107
SC & PH 40 120-107
ST & PH 40 120-108

What After Obtaining NEET Passing Marks?

The NEET exam is conducted for admissions to MBBS, BDS, BSc Nursing, BAMS, Veterinary, and other medical/ paramedical courses in India. The total number of MBBS seats in India is 1,17,950. After the declaration of the result, candidates can check whether they have secured the qualifying marks for NEET 2026 as given on the scorecard. Upon fulfilling the NEET passing marks or qualifying marks, they can participate in the NEET 2026 counselling for the 15 per cent All India Quota (AIQ) seats conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) and the 85 per cent State Quota seats conducted by the State Counselling authorities. You may predict the colleges and courses in which you may have an admission chance by utilising the Shiksha College Predictor Tool.

Know which colleges you can get into based on your NEET marks, use the Shiksha College Predictor.

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About the Author
author-image
Rupali Pruthi
Deputy Manager - Editorial

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

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Answered 2 days ago

The Round 4 closing NEET cutoff 2026 for MBBS at AIIMS Deoghar is 8481. Students who meet the cutoff criteria can take admission in AIIMS Deoghar for the five-year MBBS course. 

16214925
Divya Shakti Shukla

Contributor-Level 8

Answered 2 days ago

Yes, you can join AIIMS Bathinda without giving the NEET examination. The NEET exam is required only for the MBBS and BDS course. Candidates can check the list below to know the course-wise accepted exams. 

  • INI CET Exam for PG courses (MD, MDS, MS, DM, MCh) 
  • AIIMS Nursing/ AIIMS Paramedical Exam for B

...Read more

N

Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 5 days ago

It depends on the college, and sources do not agree. One college lists JENPAS, the West Bengal joint entrance exam, while another lists NEET. A third says both JENPAS and NEET are accepted. So always read each college's own admission page. Do not skip either exam until you are sure. Prepare for both

...Read more

T

Tasbiya Khan

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

Yes, a NEET rank of 1,000 can be considered an excellent rank if you belong to the General AI category. For the aforementioned category, the highest rank acceptable was 222044. On the other hand, for the BDS course, the maximum rank acceptable was 522640. Hence, a NEET Rank of 1,000 could get you ad

...Read more

N

Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

Here is the table below showing some of the top BSc Nursing college without NEET in Delhi NCR, along with their tuition fees.

Top CollegesTuition Fee
Amity University, GurugramINR 7.52 lakh
Sharda School of Nursing Science & ResearchINR 11.08 lakh
SGT University, GurgaonINR 13 lakh
Holy Family College of NursingINR 2.4 lakh
SVSU - Swami Vivekanand Subharti UniversityINR 9.95 lakh

T

Tasbiya Khan

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

In many cases, yes. Some sources say NEET is not compulsory for BPT in Karnataka. Many private colleges admit students on 12th marks. Government and counselling seats may follow a different process. Rules change every year, so read the latest notice before you apply.

T

Tasbiya Khan

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

Not always. While NEET is common, several Karnataka colleges also accept KCET scores, and some even offer direct admission based on 12th marks. This is different from MBBS, where NEET is compulsory everywhere. So if you missed NEET or didn't score well, you still have other routes into a good nursin

...Read more

T

Tasbiya Khan

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

The Kerala NEET UG Counselling Round 3 was conducted from September 16 to September 26. The deadline for candidates to report and join their allotted college/seat was October 1.

S

Sneha Singh

Beginner-Level 4

Answered 2 weeks ago

Yes, NEET UG is compulsory for any MBBS admission in India, including Bhopal. There is no other entrance exam or backdoor route allowed legally. After NEET, admission happens either via AIIMS-specific counselling or MP state counselling. Management quota seats also require a valid NEET score first.

...Read more

T

Tasbiya Khan

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

Hi.

Yes. You can do many paramedical/allied-health courses in Chennai without NEET.

For Tamil Nadu, the Directorate of Medical Education and Research has a separate admission process for Allied and Healthcare (AHS) UG degree courses, distinct from MBBS/BDS admission. The 2026–27 admission notification

...Read more

h

heena agrawal

Scholar-Level 17