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✅ Official NTA data · Updated 18 July 2026

NEET Cut Off 2026 — Category-wise Qualifying Marks & Percentile

NTA declared the NEET UG 2026 qualifying cut-off on 16 July 2026. The General/EWS qualifying band is 715–213 marks (50th percentile); OBC/SC/ST is 212–177 marks (40th percentile). Below is the full official category-wise table — plus the one thing most students get wrong: the difference between the qualifying cut-off and the admission (counselling) cut-off.

By , Founder & Lead Counsellor (12+ yrs incl. MBBS & MD/MS) · Reviewed by Shijin Joy, MBBS Admissions Lead · Updated 18 July 2026

✅ Sourcing: all figures on this page are from the official NTA NEET UG 2026 result and cut-off notice (16 July 2026), neet.nta.nic.in. Admission (closing) cut-offs are set by MCC/state authorities and change every round — reconfirm at allotment.

Quick Answer The NEET UG 2026 qualifying cut-off (declared by NTA on 16 July 2026) is 715–213 marks for UR/EWS (50th percentile) and 212–177 marks for OBC/SC/ST (40th percentile). This is the eligibility mark to enter counselling — it is not the mark needed to get a government MBBS seat. For a seat, your rank must clear the far higher admission closing cut-off set by MCC and your state, which depends on the college, quota and category.

NEET UG 2026 Qualifying Cut-Off — Official Category-wise Table

The table below shows the official qualifying marks and percentiles for NEET UG 2026 as released by NTA on 16 July 2026. Candidates scoring within their category’s range are declared qualified and are eligible to register for counselling.

CategoryQualifying PercentileNEET 2026 Qualifying Marks
General (UR) / EWS50th percentile715–213
OBC-NCL / SC / ST40th percentile212–177
PwBD (UR/EWS)45th percentileLower band per NMC norms — confirm on your scorecard
PwBD (OBC/SC/ST)40th percentileLower band per NMC norms — confirm on your scorecard

Note: the percentile thresholds (50th for General/EWS, 40th for reserved) are fixed by NMC and never change; only the marks that correspond to them move each year with paper difficulty. The 2026 marks are notably higher than recent years because the re-exam paper was rated easier, lifting percentile-equivalent scores across all categories.

NEET UG 2026 Result Snapshot (Official NTA Figures)

ParticularsDetails
Conducting bodyNational Testing Agency (NTA)
Exam date (re-NEET)21 June 2026
Result & cut-off released16 July 2026
Candidates appeared~20 lakh (5,440 centres, 551 cities)
Candidates qualified11.21 lakh (over 58% are women)
Highest score715 / 720 — Aryan Gupta (Punjab) & Panshul Bansal (Haryana), joint AIR 1

Category-wise qualified candidates (per NTA): OBC-NCL 5.12 lakh · General 2.91 lakh · SC 1.59 lakh · Gen-EWS 95,026 · ST 63,716 · PwBD 3,666 · PwD 303.

Score distribution: 19 candidates scored above 700; 1,492 scored 650+; 10,160 scored 600+; and 90,780 scored 500+. Use this to judge how competitive your band is before choosing colleges.

Qualifying Cut-Off vs Admission Cut-Off — Don’t Confuse the Two

This is where most students misjudge their chances. The qualifying cut-off (715–213 for General) only makes you eligible to sit in counselling. The admission cut-off is the actual opening and closing rank at which seats are filled — and it is far higher.

So when you plan colleges, benchmark against last year’s closing ranks for your target state and category — not the qualifying mark. A student who “just qualified” at 213 is eligible for counselling but is realistically looking at private, deemed, AYUSH or management/NRI routes rather than a government MBBS seat.

What the 2026 Cut-Off Means for Your Counselling

Once you have qualified, admission runs on parallel tracks — register for the ones that apply to you:

Not sure which route fits your score and budget? Use our free NEET counselling kit, or get a personalised MBBS shortlist — verified fees, no cash payments, pay only after admission.

How to Check Your NEET 2026 Result & Cut-Off

  1. Go to the official website neet.nta.nic.in.
  2. Open the “NEET(UG) 2026 Result / Scorecard” link.
  3. Log in with your application number and date of birth (or password).
  4. Download the scorecard — it shows your marks, All-India Rank, percentile and the category-wise qualifying cut-off at the bottom.
  5. Note your rank and match it against your target state’s last-year closing ranks before counselling registration opens.

Related NEET & MBBS Admission Guides 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

The official NEET UG 2026 qualifying cut-off, released by NTA on 16 July 2026, is 715–213 marks for General/EWS (50th percentile) and 212–177 marks for OBC-NCL/SC/ST (40th percentile). Clearing this makes you eligible for counselling.
No. 213 is only the General-category qualifying (eligibility) mark. Government MBBS admission closing cut-offs are far higher — general-category candidates typically need scores well above the qualifying floor. 213 mainly opens private, deemed, AYUSH or management/NRI routes.
The qualifying cut-off (NTA) only makes you eligible for counselling. The admission cut-off (set by MCC and state authorities) is the actual closing rank/mark at which seats are allotted, and it is much higher. Always plan against last year’s closing ranks, not the qualifying mark.
Per NTA, 11.21 lakh candidates qualified out of roughly 20 lakh who appeared. Category-wise: OBC-NCL 5.12 lakh, General 2.91 lakh, SC 1.59 lakh, Gen-EWS 95,026 and ST 63,716.
The percentile thresholds (50th for General, 40th for reserved) are fixed by NMC and never change; only the marks that correspond to them move with paper difficulty. The 2026 re-exam paper was rated easier, which lifted percentile-equivalent marks across all categories.
On the official NTA website neet.nta.nic.in. Your individual scorecard also lists the category-wise qualifying cut-off at the bottom, along with your marks, All-India Rank and percentile.