NEET 2026 Category Wise Cutoff: General, OBC, SC, ST & EWS Marks
NEET 2026 category wise cutoff determines the minimum marks and percentile required to qualify for NEET counselling. This guide provides the complete category-wise cutoff analysis for NEET 2026.
NEET 2026 Qualifying Criteria
NEET UG qualifying criteria has two components:
- **Percentile score** — Relative performance compared to other candidates
- **Minimum marks** — Absolute score required for qualification
Minimum Qualifying Percentile 2026
Category | Qualifying Percentile | Minimum Marks (out of 720) |
|---|---|---|
General (UR) | 50th percentile | 360-380 (expected) |
OBC (NCL) | 45th percentile | 330-350 (expected) |
SC | 40th percentile | 290-310 (expected) |
ST | 40th percentile | 290-310 (expected) |
EWS | 50th percentile | 360-380 (expected) |
General-PwD | 45th percentile | 330-350 (expected) |
OBC-PwD | 45th percentile | 330-350 (expected) |
SC-PwD | 40th percentile | 290-310 (expected) |
ST-PwD | 40th percentile | 290-310 (expected) |
NEET 2026 Expected Qualifying Cutoff Marks
Category | 2024 Qualifying Marks | 2025 Qualifying Marks | 2026 Expected |
|---|---|---|---|
General | 720-164 | 720-163 | 720-162 |
OBC | 163-147 | 162-146 | 162-145 |
SC | 163-130 | 162-129 | 162-128 |
ST | 163-130 | 162-129 | 162-128 |
EWS | 720-164 | 720-163 | 720-162 |
PwD (General) | 163-147 | 162-146 | 162-145 |
NEET 2026 Category Wise Counselling Cutoff Analysis
The qualifying cutoff is different from counselling cutoff. The table below shows expected NEET 2026 ranks needed for counselling:
General Category Expected Cutoff
College Type | Minimum Rank | Maximum Rank |
|---|---|---|
AIIMS Delhi | 1 | 50 |
AIIMS (other campuses) | 50 | 2,000 |
Top government colleges | 300 | 5,000 |
Mid government colleges | 3,000 | 15,000 |
Lower government colleges | 10,000 | 30,000 |
Top private colleges | 5,000 | 20,000 |
Deemed universities | 8,000 | 40,000 |
Private colleges | 15,000 | 8,00,000 |
OBC Category Expected Cutoff
College Type | Minimum Rank | Maximum Rank |
|---|---|---|
AIIMS | 1 | 300 |
Top government colleges | 500 | 8,000 |
Mid government colleges | 5,000 | 25,000 |
Deemed universities | 10,000 | 60,000 |
Private colleges | 20,000 | 10,00,000 |
SC Category Expected Cutoff
College Type | Minimum Rank | Maximum Rank |
|---|---|---|
AIIMS | 1 | 1,500 |
Top government colleges | 2,000 | 20,000 |
Mid government colleges | 15,000 | 60,000 |
Deemed universities | 25,000 | 1,50,000 |
Private colleges | 50,000 | 12,00,000 |
State-Wise NEET 2026 Category Cutoff Highlights
State | General (Govt) | OBC (Govt) | SC (Govt) |
|---|---|---|---|
Uttar Pradesh | 1,000-10,000 | 3,000-25,000 | 10,000-80,000 |
Maharashtra | 500-8,000 | 2,000-20,000 | 8,000-60,000 |
Karnataka | 400-5,000 | 1,000-15,000 | 5,000-50,000 |
Tamil Nadu | 300-4,000 | 1,000-12,000 | 4,000-40,000 |
Rajasthan | 2,000-15,000 | 5,000-35,000 | 15,000-1,00,000 |
Bihar | 3,000-20,000 | 8,000-50,000 | 20,000-1,50,000 |
Madhya Pradesh | 2,000-18,000 | 6,000-40,000 | 18,000-1,20,000 |
Gujarat | 1,000-12,000 | 4,000-28,000 | 12,000-80,000 |
Factors Affecting NEET Cutoffs 2026
- **Number of test-takers** — Higher participation increases competition
- **Exam difficulty** — Easier exams lead to higher cutoffs
- **Seat availability** — More seats = lower cutoffs
- **Category reservation percentages** — Fixed by government policy
- **Normalisation** — Applied if multiple shifts are used
NEET 2026 Cutoff Trends (2019-2026)
Year | General Qualifying Marks | Total Candidates | Qualified Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|
2019 | 134 | 15,19,075 | 7,97,837 |
2020 | 147 | 15,97,435 | 7,96,771 |
2021 | 138 | 16,14,777 | 8,70,073 |
2022 | 117 | 17,24,185 | 9,56,379 |
2023 | 137 | 20,38,596 | 11,16,054 |
2024 | 164 | 24,01,293 | 13,40,000+ |
2025 | 163 | 25,00,000+ | 14,00,000+ |
2026 | ~162 (expected) | 26,00,000+ (estimated) | ~15,00,000 (estimated) |
How to Check Your Category Rank
- Visit the official NTA website (nta.nic.in)
- Click on NEET UG 2026 result link
- Enter your application number and DOB
- View your scorecard with category rank
- Download and save the scorecard for counselling
Frequently Asked Questions
Need Expert Guidance?
Understanding NEET 2026 category wise cutoff is essential for planning your medical admission strategy. Check your category's qualifying marks, research state-specific cutoffs, and use college predictors to estimate your options. For detailed category-wise counselling guidance, .