The NEET 2026 exam was completed on 21 June 2026 by the National Testing Agency (NTA), and students want to know the expected NEET 2026 cut-off marks to plan the minimum marks they have to achieve to get into a good college. Out of 720 marks, the General category is expected to have a NEET 2026 cut-off safe score of around 555-575 marks, while the SC and ST categories may expect qualifying marks around 465-485 and 450-470 marks. The NEET 2026 Exam, conducted on 3 May 2026, was cancelled due to paper leak allegations.
The NEET cut-off marks decide many students’ futures and help them in aligning their next steps. The NEET exam 2026 qualifying marks are the compulsory minimum marks required to clear the exam and secure a medical seat in MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other courses. Students who will clear the NEET cut-off 2026 marks are eligible to get a seat in government and private medical colleges in India. For lakhs of NEET aspirants, this blog from Matrix Academy is a complete guide that offers you information regarding the expected cut-off marks (category-wise) for NEET 2026, so you can plan for the counselling process.
Check NEET 2026 Re-Exam Paper Analysis from Matrix Academy to get an idea about the overall subject-wise difficulty level of the NEET 2026 Re-Exam.
Category-Wise Qualifying NEET 2026 Cut-off Marks (Expected)
The NEET exam 2026 was moderately difficult but considered slightly lengthy in comparison with the exam conducted on 3 May 2026. The expected safe score cut-off marks for the General category are 555- 575 marks, while the expected qualifying cutoff may be around 140-170 marks.
The NEET 2026 cut-off pattern is based on the past 3-5 year trends; however, slight changes may be possible by considering possibilities for some uncertain factors of the year 2026 exam. By considering the last 5 years of NEET exam cut-off marks, Matrix Academy predicted category-wise safe score cutoff marks for NEET 2026 as follows-
| Category | Marks Out of 720 |
|---|---|
| GEN | 555- 575 |
| GEN-EWS | 555- 575 |
| OBC | 555- 575 |
| SC | 465- 485 |
| ST | 450- 470 |
| PwD | 450- 490+ |
The NEET 2026 exam was moderately difficult, so the General category NEET 2026 qualifying cutoff is expected to be around 140-170 marks, while the SC category qualifying score may be around 115-140. An expected category-wise qualifying score of the NEET exam 2026 is as follows-
| Category | NEET 2026 Exam Qualifying Cutoff (Expected) |
| General / UR | 140- 170 |
| EWS | 125- 150 |
| OBC | 110–140 |
| SC | 115- 140 |
| ST | 115- 140 |
Category-wise NEET Cut Off 2026 for Government Medical Seats (Expected)
The meaning of the NEET exam’s safe score is related to the minimum score that you score for the qualifying cutoff to get an MBBS seat in a government medical institute. It is expected that the cutoff marks vary by category and depend heavily on state quotas and availability of seats. The NEET 2026 cut-off for targeting government medical colleges is mentioned below-
- For the NEET exam 2026, the general category expected NEET 2026 cut-off may be around 555- 575 marks. Students should focus on scoring a minimum of 600+ marks.
- The NEET exam 2026 safe score for the EWS category is expected to be around 555- 575 marks.
- OBC aspirants should focus on targeting a minimum of 555- 575 marks.
- The minimum safe marks range for SC category students is around 465- 485 marks.
- The safe marks range for ST category students is around 450- 470 marks.
- The PwD category safe score may be close to 450- 490+.
Apart from this, a candidate must focus on targeting a high score rather than a safe score to improve the possibility of getting admission into a top medical college to pursue the MBBS course. Check the video mentioned below regarding one of the most accurate NEET 2026 Rank & College Predictor tools by considering the NEET exam cut-off to get an idea about your overall chances of getting into a medical college.
NEET Cut Off 2026 for Private Colleges (Expected)
If you are not getting a medical seat in a government medical institute, you still have good chances to get a medical seat in a reputed private medical college across India. An expected list of NEET 2026 cut-off marks in private medical institutes (category-wise) is as follows-
| Category | Cut-Off Marks 2026 (Expected) |
|---|---|
| General / UR | 450- 600+ |
| EWS | 440- 590+ |
| OBC | 420- 580+ |
| SC | 380- 550+ |
| ST | 350- 500+ |
| PwD | 450- 500 |
NEET 2026 Safe Score (Category-wise)
NEET 2026 Safe Score is an important factor that represents the safe minimum score to get admission to a desired MBBS college. The NEET Safe Score 2026 is a crucial factor for students who want admission to the top government medical colleges and AIIMS institutes. The NEET 2026 Safe Score is different for each category, as mentioned in the table attached below.
| Category | NEET 2026 Safe Score for Government College Seats | NEET 2026 Safe Score for Private College Seats |
| General | 555- 575 | 450- 600+ |
| Gen-EWS | 555- 575 | 440- 590+ |
| OBC | 555- 575 | 420- 580+ |
| SC | 465- 485 | 380- 550+ |
| ST | 450- 470 | 350- 500+ |
| PwD | 450- 490+ | 450- 500 |
Previous Year NEET Exam Cut-off Marks
In calculating the expected cutoff marks for the NEET exam 2026, analysing the previous year’s cutoff marks provides valuable insight into score fluctuations and competition trends over time. These previous year cutoff trends create a base to predict next year’s cutoff marks by evaluating how the percentage is calculated with changing score ranges.
The primary reason behind this variation depends on paper difficulty and candidate performance. For your convenience, we offer you a list of the last five years’ trends for the NEET exam 2026 as follows-
| Category | NEET Cut Off Marks 2021 | NEET Cut Off Marks 2022 | NEET Cut Off Marks 2023 | NEET Cut Off Marks 2024 | NEET Cut Off Marks 2025 |
| General–EWS | 720 – 138 | 715-117 | 720 – 137 | 720-164 | 686 – 144 |
| OBC | 137- 108 | 116 – 93 | 136- 107 | 163-129 | 143-113 |
| SC | 137 – 108 | 161 – 127 | 136 – 107 | 163-129 | 143-113 |
| ST | 121 – 108 | 143 – 127 | 120 – 107 | 163-129 | 143 – 113 |
NEET 2025 Cut Off Marks
The NEET 2025 qualifying cutoff marks for each category are as follows-
| Category | Cut-Off Marks 2025 |
|---|---|
| General Category (EWS/UR) | 686 – 144 |
| OBC | 143-113 |
| SC | 143-113 |
| ST | 143-113 |
NEET 2024 Cut Off marks
Students can find the NEET 2024 qualifying cut-off marks from the table attached below-
| Category | Cut-Off Marks 2024 |
|---|---|
| General Category (EWS/UR) | 720-164 |
| OBC | 163-129 |
| SC | 163-129 |
| ST | 163-129 |
NEET 2023 Cut Off Marks
For student reference, the NEET 2023 cut-off marks (qualifying) for each category are as follows-
| Category | Cut-Off Marks 2023 |
| General Category (EWS/UR) | 720 – 137 |
| OBC | 136- 107 |
| SC | 136 – 107 |
| ST | 120 – 107 |
Formula to Calculate NEET 2026 Cut Off Marks
In the NEET cut-off marks formula, the final cut-off marks are calculated every year by considering factors like the number of appearing students, availability of seats, NEET 2026 exam difficulty level, and a student’s overall performance. The NTA designed a standard formula to calculate the NEET exam cut-off 2026, which is as follows-
\[\text{Percentile} = \frac{\text{Number of candidates with score } \leq \text{ your score}}{\text{Total number of candidates}}\times 100\]
Why is the NEET cut-off Different Every Year?
The calculation approach of the NEET exam cut-off factors is directly or indirectly related to various factors that create an impact on a candidate’s performance and ranking. Some of the factors that change NEET exam cut-off marks are as follows-
1. Exam Difficulty Level: The difficulty level of the NEET exam is one of the primary factors that influence the cutoff marks. For example, tougher exams generally lead to lower scores and reduced cut-offs, while easier exams may lead to high cut-off scores and higher cut-offs.’
2. Seat Availability: Seat matrix also influences specific year cutoff marks because limited government seats intensify score requirements. For example, if NTA increases the number of seats for NEET MBBS, then it will reduce the overall cut-off due to low competition.
3. Number of Appearing Students: The cutoff marks for the NEET 2026 exam are directly influenced by the number of appearing students. For example, it is expected that the NEET 2026 exam will have a larger number of appearing students in comparison with NEET 2025, which clearly indicates that this year the competition level will be very high.
4. Changes in Policy from NTA: Changes in exam pattern, syllabus, or marking schemes can affect overall performance trends of the NEET 2026 exam. Also, check the latest NEET Exam syllabus and NEET Exam pattern to prepare for the exam as per the latest updates.
5. Reservation Policies: The state and central government reservation policies may have an impact on cutoff marks. Reserved categories generally have a low score, while unreserved categories have a higher cutoff range. For example, High-scoring NEET exam candidates from reserved categories like SC/ST/OBC can secure seats in the Unreserved/General category.
6. Topper Marks: If students scored 720/720 marks (maximum) in the NEET exam, then it significantly increases the cut-off marks and inflation in ranks.
This change in the NEET exam cut-off marks increases the value and importance of higher marks instead of minimum cut-offs to get an MBBS seat in the desired medical college.
Also Read:
NEET Category Wise Cutoff Percentile 2026 (Standards)
A simple definition of the NEET cut-off percentile is related to the minimum score to qualify for the NEET 2026 counselling process. This percentile-based mechanism is used by the NTA to provide a fair chance to all the appearing students by considering the difficulty level of the exam paper. To participate in the counselling process, it is important to score the required percentile criteria for each category.
As per the NTA, clearing the percentile only establishes eligibility and does not assure a medical seat, where the actual admission of a student also depends on rank and seat availability in the specific exam year. A list of category-based qualifying percentiles is as follows-
| Category | Qualifying Percentile |
|---|---|
| General/UR | 50th Percentile |
| EWS | 50th Percentile |
| OBC | 40th Percentile |
| SC/ST | 40th Percentile |
| UR-PwD | 45th Percentile |
| OBC/SC/ST PwD | 40th Percentile |
Also Read:
- NEET 2026 City Intimation Slip: Release Date, Download Link, and Important Dates
- NEET 2026 Admit Card: Release Date, Download Link, Important Guidelines
Overview of NEET Exam Cut-Off Marks
In simple terms, the NEET exam cut-off marks are identified as a general minimum score that a student must obtain to get a medical seat in the NEET exam. Every year, the National Testing Agency (NTA) releases the minimum cut-off marks as a percentile score and corresponding marks range. The NEET 2026 exam registration was open between 8 Feb 2026 and 11 Mar 2026, and the NEET 2026 form correction window was opened by the NTA between 12 March and 14 March 2026.
| Particulars | Date |
|---|---|
| Application Form Release Date | 8 February, 2026 |
| Application Window to Apply for NEET UG 2026 Exam (Cancelled Exam) | 8 February 2026- 11 March 2026 |
| Window to Correct NEET Exam 2026 Application | May 15 and May 21, 2026 |
| City Intimation Slip Releasing Date | 7 June 2026 (Sunday) |
| Admit Card Releasing Date | 2nd Week of June 2026 (Expected) |
| Date of Exam | 21 June 2026 (Sunday) |
| Releasing Date of Provisional NEET Answer Key | Probably till July 2026 |
| Exam Result Date | Probably in July 2026 |
| Cutoff-Marks Expected Date | July 2026 (Expected) |
| AIIMS Cutoff Announcement Date | July 2026 (Expected) |
| Counselling Process | Probably in July 2026 |
Students who are not satisfied with their performance in the NEET Re-Exam 2026 can consider the tips provided by the Matrix faculty, Birbal Maan Sir, in the video attached below.
Conclusion
A clear understanding of cutoff marks and qualifying percentile helps NEET aspirants to set realistic goals and prepare counselling strategies effectively. By considering the last 5 years of NEET exam cut-off marks, it is expected that the General category cutoff marks can be around 555- 575 marks.
The NEET exam cut-off marks are unpredictable and influenced by factors such as seat availability, the number of appearing students, reservation policies, toppers’ marks, exam difficulty level, and changes in NTA policies. So, it is recommended that NEET students target higher marks to avoid the issue of these changes in determining the cutoff marks for the NEET exam 2026.
FAQs
The expected cutoff marks for the NEET 2026 exam are different for each category as follows-
General Category: 555- 575 marks
EWS Category: 555- 575 marks
OBC Category: 555- 575 marks
SC Category: 465- 485 marks
ST Category: 450- 470 marks
Gen/UR-PwD: 450- 490+ marks
For the NEET 2026, the expected safe score for NEET 2026 aspirants to get a government medical college is around 450- 490+ marks. Students should focus on scoring at least 600+ marks.
An expected safe score for NEET 2026 to get a private medical college is around 450+ marks.
The NTA calculates the NEET exam cutoff marks by considering factors such as the number of students appearing, the exam’s difficulty level, availability of seats, reservation policies, toppers’ scores, and students’ performance.
The expected safe score for the NEET 2026 exam for the General category, EWS, and OBC is around 555-575 out of 720 marks. The ST category safe score is around 450- 470, where the SC category expected safe score is 465- 485. The PwD category safe score may be around 450- 490+ marks.
No, clearing the cutoff percentile only makes a candidate eligible for counselling for the NEET UG exam. Your final admission depends on rank, seat availability, category, state quota, and counselling outcomes.
For NEET 2026, qualifying percentiles are 50th for General/EWS, 40th for OBC, SC, ST, 45th for UR-PwD, and 40th for OBC/SC/ST PwD categories.
The officially accepted formula to calculate the NEET cutoff marks is:
Percentile = {(Number of candidates with equal or lower score)/(Total number of candidates)} × 100
The cutoff marks of the previous year (2026) NEET exam are:
General Category (EWS/UR): 140- 170
UR/EWS – PwD: 125 – 150
OBC: 110- 140
ST/SC:115- 140.
