The minimum NEET score for APST category admission in AP NEET Counselling 2026 is expected to range between 350 and 480 marks for government MBBS colleges under state quota, based on 2025 counselling trends.

AP NEET Counselling 2026 is conducted by the Directorate of Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare, Andhra Pradesh (APDHTE) for MBBS and BDS admissions in the state. The APST (Andhra Pradesh Scheduled Tribe) category holds a 6% reservation of state quota seats in government medical colleges. Students scoring above the NEET ST qualifying cutoff are eligible to register on the official portal at apdhte.nic.in. Official round-wise cutoffs for the APST category will be published after each counselling round concludes.

  • NEET 2026 qualifying cutoff for ST category: 40th percentile (approximately 110-125 marks out of 720) — the NTA eligibility threshold, not the admission cutoff.
  • Expected AP state quota admission cutoff for APST in government colleges: 350-480 marks (based on 2025 counselling trends).
  • APST reservation in AP state quota: 6% of seats in each government medical college.
  • AP state quota covers 85% of total MBBS seats; the remaining 15% go to All India Quota (AIQ) via MCC.
  • Students must hold a valid Andhra Pradesh ST caste certificate and domicile certificate to claim APST quota seats.
Direct Link: AP NEET Counselling 2026 Official Portal — apdhte.nic.in

NEET 2026 Qualifying Cutoff for APST Category

The NEET UG qualifying cutoff is the minimum score students must secure to be eligible for AP NEET Counselling 2026. NTA sets the qualifying percentile for the ST category at the 40th percentile. Students crossing this threshold can register for AP state counselling. The table below shows qualifying cutoff marks for ST category in recent years:

Year Qualifying Percentile (ST) Qualifying Marks (out of 720)
2026 (Expected) 40th Percentile 110-125
2025 40th Percentile 137
2024 40th Percentile 135
2023 40th Percentile 130

Qualifying the NEET cutoff only makes students eligible to register for AP counselling. The actual admission cutoff for APST category seats in government MBBS colleges is considerably higher than the NEET qualifying score.


Expected AP NEET 2026 Cutoff for APST Category

The AP NEET 2026 cutoff for APST category under state quota is expected to range from 350 to 480 marks for government MBBS colleges. These figures are based on 2025 counselling trends and may shift depending on seat availability, the number of APST applicants, and NEET 2026 score distribution.

College Tier Expected Closing Marks — APST (2026) Expected Closing Rank — APST (2026)
Top Government Medical Colleges 440-480 45,000-70,000
Mid-Tier Government Medical Colleges 390-440 70,000-1,10,000
Other Government Medical Colleges 350-390 1,10,000-1,50,000

These figures are expected based on 2025 trends. Official round-wise cutoffs will be released on the APDHTE portal after each counselling round is completed.


Previous Year AP NEET APST Category Cutoffs

Reviewing previous year closing marks for APST category helps students estimate their chances in AP NEET Counselling 2026. The round-wise closing marks below are approximate and based on available AP state counselling data:

Year Round Closing Marks — APST (Approx.)
2025 Round 1 460-490
2025 Round 2 420-450
2025 Mop-Up Round 350-420
2024 Round 1 450-480
2024 Round 2 400-450
2024 Mop-Up Round 340-400

Cutoffs drop progressively across counselling rounds as more seats open up. Students not allotted a seat in Round 1 stand better chances in Round 2 and the Mop-Up round.


College-wise Expected Cutoff for APST Category in AP 2026

The table below lists expected NEET closing marks for APST category seats in major government MBBS colleges in Andhra Pradesh for 2026, based on 2025 counselling trends:

College Name Location Expected Closing Marks — APST (2026)
Andhra Medical College Visakhapatnam 450-480
ACSR Government Medical College Nellore 430-460
Guntur Medical College Guntur 400-440
Kurnool Medical College Kurnool 390-430
Rangaraya Medical College Kakinada 390-430
Government Medical College Eluru 370-410
Government Medical College Srikakulam 350-385
Government Medical College Vizianagaram 345-380

All figures above are expected based on 2025 counselling trends. Actual cutoffs will vary by round and will be officially published at apdhte.nic.in after each round closes.


APST Category Reservation and Eligibility in AP NEET Counselling

The Andhra Pradesh government follows a structured reservation policy for MBBS admissions under state quota. Students of Scheduled Tribe communities who are domiciled in Andhra Pradesh are classified under the APST category. The reservation breakdown across categories is as follows:

Category Reservation Percentage
OC (Open Category) 40%
BC-A 7%
BC-B 10%
BC-C 1%
BC-D 7%
BC-E 4%
SC (APSC) 15%
ST (APST) 6%
EWS 10%

Students must submit a valid Integrated Community Certificate (ICC) or Scheduled Tribe caste certificate along with an Andhra Pradesh domicile certificate to claim APST seats. If APST reserved seats remain vacant after all counselling rounds, they are transferred to the APSC (SC) category as per state government policy.

Key documents for APST category in AP NEET Counselling 2026:

  • ST caste certificate (Integrated Community Certificate format)
  • AP domicile or nativity certificate
  • NEET UG 2026 scorecard
  • Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets
  • Aadhaar card
  • Passport-size photographs

Factors Affecting AP NEET 2026 Cutoff for APST Category

Several variables shape the final APST category cutoff in AP NEET Counselling 2026:

  • NEET 2026 paper difficulty: A harder paper lowers overall scores across the board and pushes APST cutoffs down.
  • Number of APST applicants in AP counselling: Higher APST registration raises competition and lifts closing marks.
  • Total MBBS seats in AP government colleges: New government colleges or seat additions in existing colleges lower the APST cutoff.
  • Round-wise seat availability: Seats left unfilled in earlier rounds reduce the cutoff in Mop-Up and stray vacancy rounds.
  • SC-ST seat interchangeability: Unfilled APSC seats may be offered to APST students, expanding available seats and lowering closing marks.
  • College preference patterns: High student demand for premier colleges keeps their APST cutoffs elevated compared to less-sought institutions.

AP NEET Counselling 2026 APST Category FAQs

Ques. What is the expected minimum NEET score for APST category in AP NEET Counselling 2026?

Ans. Based on 2025 counselling trends, the expected minimum NEET score for APST category admission to government MBBS colleges in Andhra Pradesh is approximately 350 to 480 marks out of 720. Top-demand colleges such as Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam may require 450-480 marks while other government colleges may close at 345-390 marks for APST students.

Ques. What is the NEET qualifying cutoff for APST students in 2026?

Ans. The NEET UG 2026 qualifying cutoff for the ST category is the 40th percentile as set by NTA. The expected qualifying marks are approximately 110-125 out of 720. This is only the minimum threshold to participate in AP counselling — the actual admission cutoff for government MBBS colleges is significantly higher.

Ques. What percentage of seats are reserved for APST category in AP NEET Counselling?

Ans. APST students are allocated 6% of the total state quota MBBS seats in AP government medical colleges. The state quota itself covers 85% of total MBBS seats, so APST students compete for 6% of this 85% share in each government college.

Ques. What documents are required for APST category in AP NEET Counselling 2026?

Ans. Students claiming APST category seats must produce an ST Integrated Community Certificate, Andhra Pradesh domicile or nativity certificate, NEET UG 2026 scorecard, Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets, Aadhaar card, and passport-size photographs at the time of document verification.

Ques. Can APST students also be allotted OC category seats in AP NEET Counselling?

Ans. Yes. APST students are eligible to be allotted OC (Open Category) seats if their NEET rank qualifies under open merit. The 6% APST reservation is an additional benefit; students are not restricted to reserved seats alone and may compete for OC seats purely on the basis of their NEET score.

Ques. When will the official AP NEET 2026 APST category cutoff be released?

Ans. The official AP NEET 2026 cutoff for APST category will be published on the official AP NEET counselling portal at apdhte.nic.in after each counselling round concludes. Round 1, Round 2, and Mop-Up round cutoffs are released separately. Students should check the portal regularly for updates once NEET 2026 results are declared.