NEET MDS 2026: Counselling, Dates & Cutoff

No, the NEET MDS tie-breaking criteria have remained the same over the past few years. The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has not made any changes in the NEET MDS tie-breaking criteria over the years, proving the efficacy of the system. The highest weightage is provided to the overall accuracy, followed by sectional accuracy and lastly, age criterion. 

The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) will soon release the notification or information bulletin for NEET MDS 2026. There may not be any change in NEET MDS exam this year. Any change in the exam such as pattern or exam mode will be shared here. 

The following fields cannot be edited in the NEET MDS application correction window:

• Candidate Name
• Nationality
• Mobile Number
• Email address
• Permanent address
• Test centre city choice.

The NBEMS conducted NEET MDS exam on May 2, 2026. The exam was held online in the computer-based test mode. The MDS exam was of 3 hours.

The NEET MDS admit card carries exam day instructions which must be followed by test-takers. These instructions or guidelines are given below:

• Candidates will not be allowed to enter the examination hall without the NEET MDS admit card 2026
• Candidates are advised to reach the NEET MDS exam centre at least an hour before the exam starts to avoid last-minute hustle.
• Candidates will not be allowed to take a bio-break between registration and exam commencement time. A bio break can only be taken once the examination starts.
• Students have to take their admit card, a government-issued photo ID card. Documents in Digilocker will not be accepted.
• Using any unfair means will debar students from appearing in the entrance examination.
• Use of any electronic device, including cell phones, pagers, and calculators, is strictly prohibited inside the examination centre.
• Any stationary item, textual material, or calculator is not allowed to be taken to the examination centre.
• Students are not allowed to take eatery items to the examination centre.
• Candidates have to make arrangements to keep their belongings, as the exam centre will not be responsible for any personal belongings of any student.

The NBE announced the dates for NEET MDS 2026 in the notification. The dates regarding the application process, form correction, exam and result were mentioned in the information bulletin.

While all dental colleges across India accept NEET MDS scores, AIIMS Delhi, or other AIIMS campuses offering MDS course do not accept NEET MDS scores. Hence, MDS aspirants planning to take admission to AIIMS colleges have to appear for INI CET (MDS) exam. On the other hand, candidates are advised to prepare and appear for NEET MDS entrance exam to amplify their chances of admission. 

No, candidates have to qualify for NEET MDS to become eligible for NEET MDS counselling.  Candidates have to qualify for the NEET MDS exam with a minimum cutoff, which varies for each category. The minimum cutoff percentile for general category candidates is 50, while for SC/ST, the cutoff is 40th. Eligible candidates have to register on the official website, mcc.nic.in, to participate in the counselling for NEET MDS. Registration is followed by a choice declaration. Candidates can declare as many choices as they want to in order of their preferences.

Candidates cannot appear for the NEET MDS exam if they do not complete the BDS internship before the cutoff date. The NEET MDS cutoff date for internship is mentioned on the information bulletin.

NEET MDS, as the name suggests, is the entrance exam for the MDS courses in India. NBEMS is the conducting body of NEET MDS exam for admission to approximately 6,200 MDS seats under the All India Quota. The scores of NEET MDS are accepted by dental colleges across India. 

NEET MDS application process is completely online. Candidates have to visit the official website of NEET MDS or the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) and after that, they will have to visit the NEET MDS section and follow the steps given below.

• Go to the official website of NBE - nbe.edu.in
• Click on "NEET-MDS"
• In the Links section, click on "New Registration"
• Enter the following details
  1. Name of Candidate
  2. Date of Birth
  3. Gender (Male/Female)
  4. Nationality (Indian/Others)
  5. Mobile Number
  6. Email Address
  7. Captcha
• Check the details for errors
• Click on "Submit"
• User ID and password will be sent to the registered email ID and mobile number
• Login using the "Applicant Login" section
• Enter the user ID and password
• Click on "Go to application form"
• Candidate’s Name, Date of Birth, Gender, Nationality, Mobile number and Email address will be pre-filled in the application form.
• Enter personal details such as
  1. Father’s Name
  2. Mother’s Name
  3. Select the Category (General/SC/ST/OBC)
  4. Are you a person with Disability (Yes/No)
  5. Identification Details
  6. Communication Address
• On completion of this section, click on "Save and Next"
• Enter qualification details such as
  1. 10+2 equivalent exam details
  2. BDS / Primary Medical Qualification details
     • Country of completion of BDS Qualification
     • Name of Country
     • State of completion
     • City of completion
     • University of completion
     • University name
     • Name of college
     • Month and Year of Passing
  3. Internship Details
  4. SDC/DCI Registration Details
• Once this section is complete, click on "Save and Next"
• Choose the desired NEET MDS test centre city.

The NEET MDS cutoff does not remain the same every year. The NEET MDS qualifying percentile generally remains fixed; the cutoff scores change every year.

Candidates can select only one exam city preference in the NEET MDS application form. The total number of NEET MDS 2025 exam cities was 59. It is expected that the number of exam cities will increase for NEET MDS 2026. Since only one exam city choice is allowed, candidates must choose the city closest to their present address. 

No, NEET MDS application form can be filled in an online mode only. Candidates have to visit the NBE website and click on the NEET MDS section and complete the registration and application procedure by filling in the mandatory details, uploading the documents such as certificates, photograph and signature, and paying the requisite application fee in an online mode. Even if a candidate plans to send the hardcopy of the filled up NEET MDS application form by post, it will not be accepted making the candidate ineligible to appear for the exam. 

The following fields can be updated or edited in the NEET MDS application form during the correction window:

• Date of Birth
• Gender
• Parents' Names
• Religion
• Category
• EWS and PWD status
• Identification Type
• Correspondence Address
• BDS Qualification and Internship Details
• BDS exam result
• If you appeared for NEET MDS before
• If you are pursuing any other postgraduate dental course
• Have any unfair means registered against you by NBEMS?
• Document Upload - Image, Signature and Thumb Impression.

NEET MDS stands for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Masters of Dental Surgery. exam is conducted for providing admissions to all postgraduate dental courses offered by institutions in India. exam is conducted by National Board of Education (NBE) in computer-based mode. NBE holds exam annually for allotment of around 6200 MDS seats under 50% All India Quota and 50% state quota. After exam, MCC conducts online counselling for allotment of seats. Only those who qualify exam with minimum cut off marks qualify for counselling rounds.

Read more: MDS Admission 

Candidates can download the NEET MDS admit card or hall ticket using the process shared below- 

• Visit the official website of NBE.
• Click on "NEET-MDS".
• Select "Click here to download your admit card"
• Check the admit card for errors.
• Download, save and print the admit card.

There are two types of NEET MDS application correction window. In the first and primary correction window, and the final correction window. In the first or primary NEET MDS correction window, candidates can make corrections or changes in the informtion entered in the application form, except for a few fields. On the other hand, in the NEET MDS final correction window, candidates will be able to make corrections in the incorrect or deficient images of photograph, signature and thumb impression. Candidates will not be able to make changes in the images in the primary correction window and vice versa. 

To download the NEET MDS admit card, candidates have to login with their registration credentials such as application number and password or date of birth. In case they have forgotten or misplaced the details, they have to click on the Forgot Password link to retreieve the username or password. During this process, they should keep their mobile number and email id active as NBEMS will send the retrieving link through email or SMS. In case even the Forgot password option does not work, they have to contact NBEMS or NEET MDS helpline number. To avoid such a situation, candidates are advised to save the login details or registration credentials properly. 

NEET MDS admit card is one of the most crucial documents to be carried at the exam centres. Without this, candidates will not be allowed to appear for the exam as it also acts as the hall ticket for the exam centre. The following information are printed on the NEET MDS admit card:

• Candidate Name
• Candidate Photographs
• NEET MDS Roll Number
• NEET MDS Application ID
• Date of Birth
• Category
• Exam Date and Time
• Reporting Time
• Name and address of exam centre
• Google Map link of NEET MDS exam centre
• Exam Day Instructions

After downloading the NEET MDS admit card, candidates must verify each of the details properly and in case of any discrepancy, they should report it to the exam authorities.