NEET Exam Concludes: Find Out the Expected Cut-Off

NEET UG 2026: To qualify for the NEET examination, candidates belonging to the General category must secure a minimum of the 50th percentile. The cut-off varies every year.

The NEET UG 2026 examination was conducted on May 3rd. It is the country's largest medical entrance examination, held across more than 5,432 centers in 551 cities within India and 14 cities abroad. This year, approximately 22.79 lakh candidates registered for the exam.

Now that the examination has concluded, students are awaiting the answer key and the results. In the meantime, candidates are keen to know what the probable cut-off might be this year and what score would be sufficient to secure admission to a government medical college.

What Could Be the Expected NEET UG Cut-Off?

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will release the official cut-off at a later date; however, based on trends from previous years, the probable cut-off for this year is likely to be as follows:

General and EWS Categories

Minimum 50th percentile required to qualify
Estimated Score Range: 686 to 144 marks

OBC, SC, and ST Categories

40th percentile mandatory
Estimated Score Range: 143 to 113 marks

What Score is Required for Admission?

For admission to a government medical college (MBBS), merely qualifying is not sufficient; securing a good rank is essential. For top-tier government colleges (such as AIIMS, JIPMER, and GMCs), a score of usually 600+ marks is required. For mid-range government colleges, there may be a chance of admission with a score between 500 and 600 marks. Admission to private colleges is possible even with a lower score.

What Comes Next?

The NTA will soon release the provisional answer key, providing candidates with an opportunity to raise objections against it. Subsequently, the final answer key and the results will be released. Students are advised to keep an eye on the NTA website for official updates and formulate their future strategy based on the estimated cutoff.