Courses
By Ankit Gupta
|
Updated on 13 Oct 2025, 13:00 IST
The NEET 2026 Cut Off is one of the most crucial aspects for every medical aspirant in India. It determines the eligibility of candidates for admission to MBBS, BDS, and AYUSH courses in government and private medical institutions. The NEET cut off 2026 will be released by the National Testing Agency (NTA) after the declaration of results.
Understanding the NEET 2026 expected cut off helps aspirants estimate their chances of qualifying and securing a seat in a medical college. The cutoff marks are based on various factors such as exam difficulty level, number of candidates, and availability of seats across India.
The NEET cut off is the minimum qualifying score a candidate must achieve to be eligible for admission to medical courses. It serves two primary purposes:
The NEET 2026 cut off marks will be expressed both in percentile and marks. Percentile indicates the relative performance of a candidate compared to others, while marks represent the actual score obtained in the exam.
For example, a student scoring in the 50th percentile means they have performed better than 50% of candidates who appeared for the exam.
Do Check: NEET 2026 Exam Date
The NEET 2026 Cut Off can be divided into two major types:
Based on previous years, the NEET 2026 expected cut off percentile is likely to remain consistent, with minor variations depending on exam difficulty. Below is a table summarizing the expected percentile for NEET 2026 by category.
| Category | Qualifying Percentile | Expected Cut Off Marks (2026) |
| General (UR) | 50th Percentile | 720 – 135 |
| OBC | 40th Percentile | 134 – 107 |
| SC | 40th Percentile | 134 – 107 |
| ST | 40th Percentile | 134 – 107 |
| General-PwD | 45th Percentile | 133 – 120 |
| OBC/SC/ST-PwD | 40th Percentile | 119 – 107 |
(Note: Actual marks range to be updated after analysis of 2026 exam results.)
JEE
NEET
Foundation JEE
Foundation NEET
CBSE
Do Check: NEET 2026 Application Form
The NEET 2026 cut off marks differ for each category due to reservation policies and competition levels.
The NEET cut off for general category candidates is expected to be around the 50th percentile. Candidates must secure the minimum marks prescribed by NTA to qualify for further admission processes.
| Year | NEET Cut Off |
| 2021 | 720-138 |
| 2022 | 715-117 |
| 2023 | 720-137 |
| 2024 | 720-162 |
| 2025 | 686-144 |
The NEET cut off for OBC category candidates usually stands at the 40th percentile. The expected marks for this category may vary depending on the exam difficulty.
| Year | NEET Cut Off |
| 2021 | 137-108 |
| 2022 | 116-93 |
| 2023 | 136-107 |
| 2024 | 161-127 |
| 2025 | 143-113 |
The NEET cut off for SC category is also expected to be around the 40th percentile. Candidates meeting this cutoff will be eligible for AIQ and state-level counselling.
| Year | NEET Cut Off |
| 2021 | 137-108 |
| 2022 | 116-93 |
| 2023 | 136-107 |
| 2024 | 161-127 |
| 2025 | 143-113 |
The NEET cut off for ST category is similar to the SC category, generally at the 40th percentile. However, due to fewer candidates, the corresponding marks may be slightly lower.
| Year | NEET Cut Off |
| 2021 | 137-108 |
| 2022 | 116-93 |
| 2023 | 136-107 |
| 2024 | 161-127 |
| 2025 | 143-113 |
Several factors influence the NEET 2026 Cut Off each year. Understanding these helps predict the NEET 2026 expected cut off marks more accurately.
Do Check: NEET 2026 Syllabus
The NEET 2026 cut off marks will be published officially by the National Testing Agency (NTA) after the results are declared. Candidates can follow the steps below to access their cut off.
| Category | Cut-Off Marks Range (Expected) | Percentile |
| General (UR) | 720 – 155 | 50th |
| OBC | 154 – 125 | 40th |
| SC | 154 – 125 | 40th |
| ST | 154 – 125 | 40th |
| EWS | 720 – 155 | 50th |
| General-PwD | 154 – 135 | 45th |
| SC/ST/OBC-PwD | 135 – 125 | 40th |
| Category | Cut Off Percentile | Cut Off Score |
| UR/EWS | 50th | 720 – 164 |
| OBC | 40th | 163 – 129 |
| SC | 40th | 163 – 129 |
| ST | 40th | 163 – 129 |
| UR/EWS-PwD | 45th | 163 – 146 |
| OBC-PwD | 40th | 145 – 129 |
| SC-PwD | 40th | 145 – 129 |
| ST-PwD | 40th | 141 – 129 |
| Category | NEET 2023 Cut Off Percentile | NEET 2023 Cut Off Marks |
| General/EWS | 50 | 720 – 137 |
| OBC, SC, ST | 40 | 136 – 107 |
| General/EWS-PwD | 45 | 136 – 121 |
| OBC-PwD | 40 | 120 – 107 |
| SC-PwD | 40 | 120 – 107 |
| ST-PwD | 40 | 120 – 108 |
| Category | NEET 2022 Cut Off Score | NEET 2022 Cut Off Percentile |
| UR/EWS | 715 – 117 | 50th |
| OBC/SC/ST | 116 – 93 | 40th |
| General-PwD | 116 – 105 | 45th |
| OBC/SC/ST-PwD | 104 – 93 | 40th |
| Category | NEET 2021 Cut Off Percentile | NEET 2021 Cut Off Scores | Number of Qualified Candidates |
| UR/EWS | 50th Percentile | 720 – 138 | 7,70,864 |
| OBC | 40th Percentile | 137 – 108 | 66,978 |
| SC | 40th Percentile | 137 – 108 | 22,384 |
| ST | 40th Percentile | 137 – 108 | 9,312 |
| UR/EWS-PwD | 45th Percentile | 137 – 122 | 313 |
| OBC-PwD | 40th Percentile | 121 – 108 | 157 |
| SC-PwD | 40th Percentile | 121 – 108 | 59 |
| ST-PwD | 40th Percentile | 121 – 108 | 14 |
| Year | General Cut Off (Marks Range) | OBC/SC/ST Cut Off (Marks Range) | General Percentile |
| 2021 | 720 – 138 | 137 – 108 | 50th |
| 2022 | 715 – 117 | 116 – 93 | 50th |
| 2023 | 720 – 137 | 136 – 107 | 50th |
| 2024 | 720 – 164 | 163 – 129 | 50th |
| 2025 | 720 – 155 | 154 – 125 | 50th |
Do Check: NEET 2026 Admit Card
The NEET 2026 difficulty level directly influences the NEET 2026 cut off marks.
For example, NEET 2021 had an easier paper, resulting in a higher cutoff, whereas NEET 2022’s tougher sections led to a slight decrease. The same trend is expected to continue for NEET 2026 depending on subject complexity.
The NEET cut off 2026 plays a crucial role in determining eligibility for the counselling process.
Candidates who meet both qualifying and admission cutoffs can participate in multiple rounds of counselling — Round 1, Round 2, Mop-up, and Stray Vacancy rounds.
Do Check: NEET 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Understanding the NEET 2026 cut off helps students plan better and set realistic score targets.
Key reasons include:
The MBBS NEET cut off 2026 acts as both a motivator and a filter for serious aspirants aiming for government medical colleges.
No courses found
The NEET 2026 Cut Off is expected to be around the 50th percentile for the General category and 40th percentile for reserved categories. Based on past data, the expected marks range could be:
These are approximate values and may vary depending on the exam difficulty and number of candidates.
The qualifying percentile is a relative measure showing how a candidate performed compared to others. It is calculated using the formula:
Percentile = (Number of candidates scoring equal to or less than you ÷ Total candidates) × 100.
For example, scoring in the 50th percentile means you performed better than 50% of all candidates who appeared.
The NEET cut-off score is the minimum mark required to qualify for counselling and admission. It differs for each category. For 2026, it is expected to be:
These marks represent the lower limit of qualifying scores.
A 400 score in NEET 2026 is below average for General category but may be sufficient for SC/ST candidates to qualify for counselling in private or deemed universities. It is unlikely to secure a government MBBS seat under AIQ with 400 marks.
The cutoff for NEET 2026 will likely be close to the following:
These ranges are based on five-year trends and expected exam difficulty.
To qualify, students must meet category-wise cutoffs. However, to secure MBBS admission, higher scores are needed:
Thus, the target score depends on the college and quota.
It’s uncertain. Historically, NEET papers maintain a moderate difficulty level. If the 2026 paper is easier than expected, the NEET 2026 cut off may increase slightly.
For admission to MBBS programs in 2026, candidates should aim for:
A 450 score is moderate. It may qualify you for private colleges or state quota seats in less competitive states but is not sufficient for top government MBBS seats.
Start with NCERT-based study, focusing on Physics, Chemistry, and Biology fundamentals. Use previous-year papers, take mock tests weekly, and revise regularly. Allocate 6–8 hours daily for consistent study. Begin preparation at least 12–18 months before the exam.
The NEET cutoff may decrease slightly if the exam is tougher or the number of candidates drops. However, recent trends (2021–2025) show stable or marginally higher cutoffs each year due to increasing competition.
On average, aspirants should study 6–8 hours per day consistently. During the final 3–4 months before the exam, study intensity can increase to 10–12 hours, focusing on mock tests and revision.
For OBC candidates, a safe rank for MBBS in government colleges typically falls within the top 30,000–40,000 ranks. This corresponds roughly to 550–600 marks depending on the year’s difficulty level.
The minimum age for NEET 2026 is 17 years as of 31st December 2026. There is no upper age limit for appearing in NEET, as per current NMC guidelines.
A safe score is the mark range that ensures a high probability of MBBS admission.
Aiming above these ensures eligibility for both AIQ and State Quota seats.
Yes. A 555 NEET score is considered good, particularly for OBC and EWS categories. It may help secure MBBS seats in government or semi-government colleges, depending on the state.
The difficulty level cannot be predicted with certainty. However, NTA maintains a balanced difficulty each year. As competition rises, even a moderately tough paper can lead to a higher cutoff.
Eligibility for NEET 2026 includes:
There is no upper age limit or restriction on attempts.
A 487 NEET score is average. It may qualify for private colleges or BDS courses, but not likely enough for government MBBS admission for General category students.
Yes, but only under specific conditions — mainly through private or deemed universities. Government MBBS seats require at least 550–600 marks for General category.
