What "Cutoff" Actually Means for NEET 2026
NEET cutoff isn't one number. You deal with two very different thresholds. The qualifying cutoff-a percentile floor-tells you whether your score lets you participate in counselling at all. The admission cutoff-closing ranks for a specific college, course, and category-tells you whether a seat is actually attainable. Knowing only the qualifying number gives a false sense of the race. You need the admission cutoff to make a realistic choice list.
The 2026 cycle adds a unique layer of uncertainty. The original 3 May exam was cancelled after reports that a circulated "guess paper" matched nearly 600 marks' worth of questions; the re-examination (Re-NEET 2026) is set for 21 June 2026. Only the re-exam score will determine ranks. That means no historical cutoff can predict 2026 with certainty. Still, the 2025 cutoffs are the most grounded reference point, and you should anchor your goal-setting to them while watching for the re-exam's difficulty level. For the latest on the re-exam schedule and admit card, see our dates page.
NEET 2025 Qualifying Cutoff: The Baseline
The NTA released the 2025 qualifying percentile and corresponding mark ranges alongside the result. 2,209,318 candidates took the exam, and 1,236,531 qualified. The highest score was 686 out of 720-no one scored a perfect 720. Because the paper was tougher, the scores required to cross the 50th percentile dropped sharply from the previous year.
That 144 mark for General is the lowest qualifying threshold in years. By comparison, the 2024 revised cutoff was 162, 2023 was 137, and 2022 was 117. The sharp fall shows that difficulty-not just competition-drives the qualifying bar. When the paper is tough, the entire scoring curve compresses downward, but the admission cutoff for top colleges moves far less; we'll see that in closing ranks.
If you want to understand the full eligibility framework before diving into scores, check the eligibility page.
How NEET 2025 Qualifying Cutoffs Have Moved Over the Years
The historical trend gives you a sense of the normal range. A sudden spike or drop in the qualifying score often reflects a change in paper difficulty rather than a shift in candidate quality.
Notice 2022: a significantly easier paper pushed qualifying down to 117 for General, while 2023's tougher paper raised it to 137. 2025's drop below even the 2018 threshold signals a paper many found challenging, especially in Physics. For 2026, after a cancelled exam and a freshly set re-exam paper, predicting difficulty is guesswork. That makes it smarter to aim for a score cushion above the predicted qualifying mark, not just the floor.
NEET 2025 Admission Cutoff: MBBS Government Colleges (AIQ, General Category)
Below are the opening and closing ranks for All India Quota seats at government medical colleges in the 2025 counselling cycle. These are the ranks at which candidates secured admission. AIIMS New Delhi closed at AIR 48, Maulana Azad Medical College at 103, and VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital at 132. The drop after the top 15-20 colleges is substantial. At the tail end of AIQ government MBBS seats, the General category closing rank was around 26,000, corresponding to roughly 525 marks.
All these ranks are from the final rounds of AIQ counselling. For the round-by-round dynamics that can drop closing ranks further, see the counselling page.
NEET 2025 Category-wise Closing Ranks: AIIMS & JIPMER (Detailed)
Category matters enormously. While AIIMS New Delhi closed at AIR 48 for General, the OBC closing rank was 186, SC was 647, and ST was 1,150. For AIQ government seats overall, the General category closed near 21,190 in Round 1, while OBC crossed 21,000, SC exceeded 1.1 lakh, and ST touched 1.45 lakh. Secure your category certificate early; errors during verification can cost a seat. Check the registration requirements for document specs.
The following table shows opening and closing ranks for AIIMS institutions and a few other top colleges in 2025. Empty cells indicate the source did not specify that category's rank for that college.
The gap between General and SC/ST closing ranks at the same AIIMS often exceeds 20,000 positions. If you belong to a reserved category, know the category-specific cutoff for your target college; don't compare yourself to the General closing rank.
NEET 2025 Admission Cutoff: BDS Government Colleges
BDS cutoffs are significantly lower than MBBS. The top government dental colleges-like Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences (closing rank ~13,602 for General) and Government Dental College, Jaipur (~13,694)-still demand a rank under 15,000, but the BDS tail extends past 27,000 for government seats and far beyond for private colleges.
For a broader list of colleges that accept NEET scores, including dental institutions, refer to the colleges accepting page.
NEET 2025 BAMS, BHMS, and Veterinary Cutoffs
AYUSH and veterinary seats offer an alternative pathway for candidates who clear NEET but miss the MBBS closing ranks. The cutoffs for government BAMS and BHMS colleges are lower, but the spread is wide. BAMS government colleges generally closed between AIR 32,685 and 48,016 for General, while government BHMS colleges stretched from 54,408 to 1,08,863. Top veterinary colleges like Madras Veterinary College closed at 21,811; others around 40,000-47,000.
Notable BAMS closing ranks (General): Ch. Brahm Prakash Ayurved Charak Sansthan, Delhi (32,685), Government Ayurveda Mahavidhalaya, Jaipur (35,590), State Ayurvedic College, Lucknow (35,856), Podar Ayurved Medical College, Mumbai (47,901). For BHMS: Government Homoeopathic Medical College, Calicut (54,408), Dr. BR Sur Homeopathic Medical College, Delhi (70,788), Nehru Homeopathic Medical College, Delhi (72,156), National Homeopathic Medical College, Lucknow (82,297). For BHMS, government seats extend well past AIR 1,00,000 in several states.
These are from 2025 AIQ counselling. State quota cutoffs for AYUSH are often 40-60 marks lower, depending on domicile requirements and seat availability.
2024 vs 2025: How Closing Ranks Shifted
The 2025 paper's difficulty compressed scores, but closing ranks at elite institutions remained nearly stationary. AIIMS New Delhi closed at 47 in 2024 (final) vs 48 in 2025-a one-rank difference. JIPMER Puducherry shifted from 350 in 2024 to 258 in 2025. Maulana Azad Medical College's Round 1 closing rank dropped significantly from 145 in 2024 to 103 in the final 2025 round, suggesting more candidates floated seats and vacancies opened in later rounds.
For AIQ government MBBS broadly, the General final closing rank actually fell from 24,842 in 2024 (Round 3) to roughly 21,190 in 2025 (Round 1). However, the Round 1 closing rank in 2025 was 21,190 compared to 19,603 in 2024-about a 1,600-rank slippage. In Round 1, reserved categories saw notable increases: OBC closing rank crossed 21,000, SC beyond 1.1 lakh, ST beyond 1.45 lakh. The final numbers depend heavily on how counselling rounds play out. The drop from Round 1 to final often recovers 3,000-5,000 ranks for General, more for reserved categories.
Deemed universities tell a different story. Kasturba Medical College, Manipal's Round 1 closing rank in 2025 was around 40,008 (vs 36,053 final in 2024). Amrita Institute, Kochi closed at 269,974 (vs 309,686 final in 2024). Some deemed universities like D.Y. Patil Pune saw cutoffs rise, but overall, the spike in private tuition fees may have pushed more students toward government options, affecting demand patterns.
State-wise Cutoff Trends: Why the Same Rank Gets Different Colleges
State quota counseling uses 85% of seats, and cutoffs vary dramatically by domicile. A General category student in Tamil Nadu might need a rank under 5,000 for Madras Medical College through state quota, while the same rank could fetch a better-chosen college through AIQ. The reason: several states reserve a high proportion of seats for domicile students, causing the local cutoff to be more competitive than AIQ for those seats, but the cutoff for less-developed states can be far lower.
Here are indicative General category marks required for a government MBBS seat through state quota in 2025, based on counselling trends:
These are approximations from past years, not 2025 official data. The actual cutoff for a specific college within a state can deviate by 30-50 marks. For the most accurate picture, check the state's medical counselling authority website once counselling begins. For more on the AIQ vs state quota split, see the counselling page.
Round-wise Cutoff Pattern: Closing Ranks Drop as Rounds Progress
Counselling runs through multiple rounds, and the closing rank typically falls each round. Round 1 has the highest cutoff because all candidates participate, and top-rank holders secure seats immediately. Some of those candidates upgrade in later rounds (float/slide), freeing their earlier seats. Round 2 sees a moderate decline. The mop-up round, held after some candidates have already joined, offers the most accessible cutoffs-often 3,000-10,000 ranks lower than Round 1 for General, and even larger drops for reserved categories. The stray vacancy round, for the last few unfilled seats, can have astonishingly low closing ranks, but those seats are often in less-preferred private colleges with high fees.
A real example: In 2024, AIQ Round 1 General closing rank was 19,603; Round 3 dropped to 24,842. For OBC, the shift was even more dramatic. If your rank is borderline for your target college in Round 1, staying in the counselling process and not freezing early can make the difference. The float option exists precisely for this. However, be cautious: non-joining after Round 2 causes security deposit forfeiture.
NEET 2026: What to Expect (Projections, Not Promises)
The cancelled May 3 exam and the 21 June re-exam introduce an unprecedented variable. No official projected cutoff exists. However, multiple expert sources have estimated ranges. These are speculative, based on the assumption of a moderately difficult paper and similar candidate volume. For General, the expected qualifying cutoff ranges from 700-135 (source #9) to 720-130 (source #10) to 680-720+ (source #11). The wide spread tells you to treat any single prediction with skepticism.
Category-wise expected safe score for government MBBS (2026):
State quota cutoffs are projected to be 50-60 marks lower than AIQ. For AIIMS New Delhi, the expected score for General is in the 710-720 range with a rank under 50. For JIPMER, 680-715, rank 150-500. For MAMC, 670-700, rank 50-200. These expectations assume a paper of comparable difficulty to 2025. If the re-exam turns out easier, the scores required for the same rank will rise, and vice versa.
What you can control: aim for a score that keeps you above the higher end of the projected range, not just the median. If the General safe score is 650, target 660+. If the paper is harder than expected, your cushion protects you; if easier, you remain competitive. Our college predictor tool can help you map possible scores to past cutoffs once the 2026 marks-vs-rank data emerges.
Factors That Move the Cutoff
- Number of candidates appearing: Over 22 lakh aspirants were affected by the 2026 cancellation. If re-registration numbers dip, cutoffs could soften slightly.
- Paper difficulty: This single factor shifts the entire score distribution. The 2025 paper's difficulty dragged the qualifying score to 144; an easier 2026 paper could push it back above 160.
- Performance of candidates: The top score in 2025 was 686. If the re-exam produces a 720, expect closing ranks for top colleges to tighten.
- Total MBBS seats: As of March 2026, India has 1,28,875 MBBS seats across 819 colleges (455 government, 364 private/deemed). Seats have increased gradually, which eases pressure at the margin.
- Reservation policies: 15% SC, 7.5% ST, 27% OBC, 10% EWS, and 5% horizontal PwBD create distinct cutoff lines. Changes in seat matrix or category certifying rules can shift intra-category cutoffs.
- Previous year cutoffs: Students adjust their college preferences based on prior years' closing ranks, creating self-reinforcing patterns. A college that saw a sharp rank drop one year often attracts more applicants the next, pushing its cutoff back up.