NEET UG 2026 Cut Off (Official): Category-wise Qualifying Marks, Percentile, Cutoff Score & Previous Year Comparison

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET UG) 2026 is the national entrance examination for admission to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, BSc Nursing, and other undergraduate medical courses in India. After announcing the examination results, the National Testing Agency (NTA) also published the official qualifying cut-off marks and examination statistics for NEET UG 2026.

The cut-off determines the minimum marks and percentile required to qualify for the counselling process. It varies across different categories according to the reservation policy approved for NEET admissions.

This article presents the official NEET UG 2026 cut-off, qualifying percentile, category-wise qualifying marks, previous-year comparison, and other essential information directly from the NTA notification.

NEET UG 2026 Cut Off Highlights

Source: Official NTA NEET UG 2026 Statistics.

NEET UG 2026 Category-wise Cut Off (Official)

NTA determines the qualifying cut-off using percentile criteria prescribed for each reservation category. The official notification lists both the qualifying percentile and the corresponding marks range.

These qualifying marks are applicable for determining eligibility for the counselling process. Meeting the qualifying cut-off does not guarantee admission to a medical college, as admissions depend on counselling, seat availability, reservation, and candidate preferences.

Download NEET 2026 Cut Off PDF

NEET UG 2026 Qualifying Percentile Explained

The qualifying percentile is the minimum percentile prescribed by NTA for each category.

The official criteria for NEET UG 2026 are:

• General (UR/EWS): 50th Percentile

• OBC: 40th Percentile

• SC: 40th Percentile

• ST: 40th Percentile

• UR/EWS-PwBD: 45th Percentile

• Reserved Category PwBD: 40th to below 45th Percentile

Percentile represents a candidate's relative performance compared with other candidates who appeared in the examination. It is different from the percentage of marks obtained. The qualifying score range corresponding to each percentile is announced by NTA after the declaration of results.

NEET UG 2026 Cut Off Compared with Previous Years

The official notification also provides qualifying marks for the previous two examination years, allowing candidates to compare changes in the qualifying threshold.

Compared with 2025, the qualifying score range increased across all categories in 2026. This reflects changes in candidate performance and the distribution of scores in the examination.

Qualifying Cut Off vs Admission Cut Off

Many candidates assume that the NEET qualifying cut-off and college admission cut-off are the same. They serve different purposes.

Qualifying Cut Off

The qualifying cut-off is the minimum score required to become eligible for counselling. NTA releases these marks after the declaration of the result.

For example, a General category candidate scoring within the official qualifying range of 715–213 is considered qualified for NEET UG 2026.

Admission Cut Off

The admission cut-off is the closing rank or score at which a medical college completes admissions during counselling. It varies depending on factors such as:

• College

• Course

• Category

• Reservation

• Seat availability

• Number of applicants

• Counselling round

As a result, the admission cut-off for top government medical colleges is generally much higher than the qualifying cut-off.

NEET UG 2026 Examination Statistics

The official NTA notification provides a snapshot of participation in NEET UG 2026.

Female candidates accounted for the largest share of qualified candidates in NEET UG 2026, according to the official statistics.

Category-wise Qualified Candidates

NTA has also published the number of qualified candidates across reservation categories.

These figures provide an overview of category-wise performance and the number of candidates eligible to participate in the admission process.

Factors That Affect the NEET Cut Off

The qualifying cut-off changes every year because it is influenced by multiple examination-related factors.

Number of Candidates

The number of students appearing for NEET directly affects the competition level. In 2026, nearly 20 lakh candidates appeared for the examination.

Difficulty Level of the Examination

A more challenging paper may lead to lower qualifying marks, while an easier examination often results in higher cut-off scores.

Overall Candidate Performance

The distribution of marks obtained by candidates plays a major role in determining the final qualifying score range for each percentile.

Reservation Policy

Different reservation categories follow separate qualifying percentile criteria prescribed under the official admission guidelines.

Seat Availability

Although seat availability primarily influences admission cut-offs during counselling, it also affects overall competition among qualified candidates.

Key Highlights

• NTA has officially released the NEET UG 2026 qualifying cut-off along with the examination statistics.

• The General (UR/EWS) qualifying score is 715–213.

• OBC, SC, and ST candidates qualify with a score range of 212–177.

• A total of 11,21,185 candidates qualified for NEET UG 2026.

• Female candidates recorded the highest number of qualified candidates among all genders.

• The official notification also includes state-wise, category-wise, language-wise, and nationality-wise examination statistics.

What Happens After Qualifying NEET UG 2026?

Qualifying the NEET UG 2026 examination is the first step toward admission to undergraduate medical courses. Candidates who meet the official qualifying cut-off become eligible to participate in the counselling process conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) and the respective state counselling authorities.

Admission is not granted solely on the basis of qualifying the examination. Candidates must register for counselling, complete document verification, fill in college preferences, and participate in seat allotment rounds according to their All India Rank (AIR), category, reservation status, and seat availability.

NEET UG 2026 Counselling Process

After the declaration of the results and cut-off, eligible candidates can apply for counselling through the designated authorities.

The counselling process generally includes the following stages:

1. Online Registration

Candidates must register on the official counselling portal of MCC for All India Quota (AIQ) seats or on the respective state counselling portal for state quota admissions.

2. Choice Filling

Candidates can select and prioritize colleges and courses based on their preferences.

3. Seat Allotment

Seats are allotted based on:

• All India Rank

• Reservation category

• Candidate preferences

• Availability of seats

• Applicable counselling round

4. Document Verification

Candidates allotted seats must submit original documents for verification.

5. Reporting to the Allotted College

After successful verification, candidates must report to the allotted institute within the specified deadline to confirm admission.

Courses Available Through NEET UG 2026

Qualifying NEET UG makes candidates eligible for admission to several undergraduate healthcare programs, subject to counselling and eligibility criteria.

These include:

• MBBS

• BDS

• BAMS

• BHMS

• BUMS

• BSMS

• BVSc & AH (where applicable)

• BSc Nursing in participating institutions

Admission procedures and seat allocation vary by institution and counselling authority.

AIQ Cut Off vs State Quota Cut Off

Many candidates confuse the qualifying cut-off announced by NTA with the admission cut-off used during counselling.

All India Quota (AIQ) Cut Off

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) conducts counselling for 15% All India Quota seats in government medical colleges, central universities, AIIMS, JIPMER, and other participating institutions.

The AIQ admission cut-off generally remains higher because candidates from across India compete for these seats.

State Quota Cut Off

Each state conducts counselling for 85% state quota seats in government medical colleges.

State quota cut-offs vary depending on:

• Number of applicants

• Reservation policy

• Number of medical colleges

• Seats available

• Candidate preferences

As a result, the closing ranks and admission scores differ from one state to another.

Government College Cut Off vs Private College Cut Off

The qualifying cut-off released by NTA should not be confused with the admission cut-off for individual colleges.

Government Medical Colleges

Government medical colleges usually have:

• Higher competition

• Lower number of seats compared to applicants

• Higher closing ranks

• Higher admission scores

Private Medical Colleges

Private medical colleges often have different admission trends depending on:

• Tuition fees

• Number of available seats

• State counselling policies

• Management quota availability (where applicable)

Candidates who qualify NEET can participate in counselling for both government and private institutions, subject to eligibility rules.

NEET UG 2026 Registration and Qualification Statistics

The official NTA notification provides detailed examination statistics for 2026.

Overall Statistics

Gender-wise Qualified Candidates

Female candidates accounted for the highest number of qualified candidates in NEET UG 2026.

State-wise Performance Highlights

The NTA notification also includes state-wise data on registered, appeared, and qualified candidates.

Some notable figures include:

• Uttar Pradesh recorded 3,56,079 registrations and 1,70,770 qualified candidates.

• Rajasthan had 2,08,583 registered candidates with 1,33,140 qualifiers.

• Maharashtra recorded 2,22,849 registrations and 1,07,304 qualified candidates.

• Karnataka reported 1,45,852 registrations with 65,901 qualified candidates.

• Tamil Nadu had 1,42,494 registered candidates, and 61,306 candidates qualified.

These statistics provide an overview of participation and qualification trends across states but do not determine counselling cut-offs for individual colleges.

Why Does the NEET Cut Off Change Every Year?

The qualifying cut-off announced by NTA is not fixed. It changes annually based on several examination-related factors.

Difficulty Level

An easier examination generally leads to higher qualifying marks, while a more difficult paper may result in lower cut-off scores.

Number of Candidates

The level of competition depends on how many candidates appear for the examination. In 2026, nearly 20 lakh candidates appeared for NEET UG.

Overall Performance

The distribution of marks obtained by candidates influences the final qualifying score range announced by NTA.

Reservation Policy

Separate qualifying percentiles are prescribed for General, OBC, SC, ST, EWS, and PwBD categories.

Key Takeaways

• NTA has officially released the NEET UG 2026 qualifying cut-off.

• General (UR/EWS) candidates qualified with a score range of 715–213.

• OBC, SC, and ST candidates qualified with 212–177 marks.

• More than 11.21 lakh candidates qualified for NEET UG 2026.

• Qualifying NEET makes candidates eligible for counselling but does not guarantee admission.

• Admission depends on All India Rank, reservation category, counselling choices, and seat availability.