NEET 2026 cutoff for government colleges is expected to range between 620 – 680+ marks for General category candidates under the All India Quota (AIQ), based on NEET 2025 official cutoff data and the slightly easier difficulty level of the NEET 2026 paper conducted on May 3, 2026.
- The NEET 2026 qualifying cutoff for General/EWS category is expected to be around 145 – 710 marks (50th percentile), marginally higher than the NEET 2025 qualifying cutoff of 144 – 686 marks.
- For OBC, SC, and ST categories, the NEET 2026 qualifying cutoff is expected around 115 – 142 marks (40th percentile), compared to 113 – 143 marks in NEET 2025.
- The NEET 2025 AIQ closing rank for General category MBBS in government colleges was AIR 26,178 — candidates aiming for government MBBS seats in 2026 should target ranks well within this range.
- Top government colleges like AIIMS New Delhi, MAMC, and VMMC require General category ranks within AIR 50 – 500 under AIQ, making them among the most competitive seats in India.
- The NEET 2026 official cutoff will be released by NTA along with the result; admission cutoffs will be published by MCC after each round of counselling at mcc.nic.in.
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Key Summary
- The NEET 2026 cutoff for government colleges is expected to be slightly higher than 2025, as the NEET 2026 paper was rated moderately easier overall.
- A safe score of 615 – 650+ marks is recommended for General category candidates targeting government MBBS seats under the AIQ; reserved categories should aim for 520 – 590+ marks as a safe benchmark.
- The NEET 2025 qualifying cutoff dropped from 162 (2024) to 144 marks for General category — 2026 is expected to reverse this trend slightly due to the more accessible paper.
- Candidates must clear the qualifying cutoff to be eligible for counselling, but the admission cutoff (college-wise closing rank) is significantly higher.
NEET 2026 Cutoff for Government Colleges: Qualifying Cutoff (Expected vs 2025 Official)
The NEET 2026 qualifying cutoff marks will be released by NTA along with the NEET 2026 result. Until then, the NEET 2025 official qualifying cutoff serves as the most reliable reference. Since NEET 2026 was rated slightly easier than NEET 2025, qualifying marks are expected to be marginally higher for all categories.
| Category | NEET 2025 Qualifying Marks (Official) | NEET 2025 Percentile | NEET 2026 Expected Qualifying Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / EWS (UR) | 686 – 144 | 50th Percentile | 710 – 145 (expected) |
| OBC | 143 – 113 | 40th Percentile | 142 – 115 (expected) |
| SC | 143 – 113 | 40th Percentile | 142 – 115 (expected) |
| ST | 143 – 113 | 40th Percentile | 142 – 115 (expected) |
| General / EWS – PwD | 143 – 127 | 45th Percentile | 142 – 128 (expected) |
| OBC / SC / ST – PwD | 126 – 113 | 40th Percentile | 125 – 113 (expected) |
Note: NEET 2026 qualifying cutoff figures are estimated based on NEET 2025 official data and paper difficulty trends. Actual qualifying cutoff will be declared by NTA with the NEET 2026 result at neet.nta.nic.in.
Ques. What is the NEET 2026 cutoff for government colleges?
Ans.The NEET 2026 qualifying cutoff for General category candidates is expected to be around 145 marks (50th percentile), based on NEET 2025 official data. For admission to government MBBS colleges, candidates need to score well above the qualifying marks — a safe score of 615 – 650+ is recommended for AIQ government seats.
Ques. When will the NEET 2026 cutoff be released?
Ans. NTA will release the official NEET 2026 qualifying cutoff along with the NEET 2026 result, expected in June 2026. The admission cutoff (college-wise closing ranks) will be published by MCC after each round of NEET UG counselling 2026.
NEET 2026 Cutoff for Government Colleges: Year-Wise Qualifying Marks Trend
The NEET qualifying cutoff has fluctuated year on year, primarily driven by paper difficulty and the number of qualified candidates. The 2025 cutoff saw a significant drop — General category fell from 162 marks (2024) to 144 marks (2025) — largely due to the tougher Physics section. With NEET 2026 being slightly easier, a marginal upward correction is anticipated.
| Year | General / EWS Marks | OBC / SC / ST Marks | General PwD Marks | Overall Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Expected) | 710 – 145 | 142 – 115 | 142 – 128 | Moderate |
| 2025 (Official) | 686 – 144 | 143 – 113 | 143 – 127 | Moderate to Tough |
| 2024 | 720 – 162 | 161 – 129 | 161 – 145 | Moderate |
| 2023 | 720 – 137 | 136 – 107 | 136 – 121 | Moderate |
| 2022 | 715 – 117 | 116 – 93 | 116 – 105 | Moderate to Tough |
Ques. Why did NEET 2025 qualifying cutoff drop from 2024?
Ans. The NEET 2025 qualifying cutoff fell from 162 to 144 marks for General category due to the tougher Physics section in 2025, which lowered average scores across candidates. The overall number of qualifying students also dipped from 13.15 lakh (2024) to 12.36 lakh (2025).
NEET 2026 Cutoff for Government Colleges: AIQ Admission Cutoff (Based on NEET 2025 Data)
The All India Quota (AIQ) admission cutoff is the closing rank at which the last MBBS seat in a government college was allotted during MCC counselling. This is far more competitive than the qualifying cutoff. In NEET 2025, the General category AIQ closing rank for MBBS government colleges was AIR 26,178, with top-tier colleges closing within the first few hundred ranks.
| College Name | NEET 2025 AIQ Closing Rank – General | NEET 2025 AIQ Closing Rank – OBC | NEET 2025 AIQ Closing Rank – SC | NEET 2025 AIQ Closing Rank – ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIIMS New Delhi | 48 | 381 | 2,027 | ~3,500 |
| Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi | 103 | ~800 | ~4,000 | ~6,500 |
| VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, Delhi | ~141 | ~900 | ~4,500 | ~7,000 |
| King George's Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow | ~500 – 800 | ~2,500 | ~8,000 | ~12,000 |
| Madras Medical College, Chennai | ~1,000 – 2,000 | ~4,500 | ~15,000 | ~25,000 |
| Grant Medical College, Mumbai | ~2,000 – 4,000 | ~7,000 | ~25,000 | ~40,000 |
| Stanley Medical College, Chennai | ~3,000 – 6,000 | ~9,000 | ~30,000 | ~50,000 |
| GMC Nagpur | ~6,000 – 10,000 | ~12,000 | ~50,000 | ~80,000 |
| Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), Kohima | ~26,178 | ~26,231 | ~1,36,445 | ~1,62,975 |
Note: AIQ closing ranks above are based on NEET 2025 MCC Round 3 official data. NEET 2026 closing ranks will be updated after MCC NEET UG 2026 counselling rounds. Ranks marked with ~ are approximate, based on official trends.
Ques. What is the closing rank for AIIMS New Delhi in NEET 2025?
Ans. In NEET 2025, the General category AIQ closing rank for AIIMS New Delhi was AIR 48, making it the most competitive government medical college in India. For NEET 2026, the closing rank is expected to remain within AIR 50 – 55 for General category.
NEET 2026 Cutoff for Government Colleges: Safe Score Category-Wise
A safe score in NEET 2026 is the marks above which a candidate has a strong chance of securing a government MBBS seat, either through AIQ or state quota counselling. The following are recommended safe scores based on NEET 2025 trends and the expected slight rise in competition in 2026.
| Category | Safe Score for AIQ Government MBBS Seat | Safe Score for State Quota Government MBBS Seat | Expected AIQ Closing Rank (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / EWS | 620 – 680+ | 570 – 620+ | Within AIR 26,000 |
| OBC | 590 – 620+ | 550 – 590+ | Within AIR 28,000 |
| SC | 520 – 555+ | 420 – 510+ | Within AIR 1,40,000 |
| ST | 480 – 520+ | 280 – 470+ | Within AIR 1,65,000 |
| General / EWS – PwD | 500 – 540+ | 450 – 500+ | Varies by college |
Note: Safe score figures are based on NEET 2025 official AIQ data and expected NEET 2026 difficulty. These are broad benchmarks and actual cutoffs will vary by state and college. Always verify with MCC official counselling data at mcc.nic.in.
Ques. What is the closing rank for AIIMS New Delhi in NEET 2025?
Ans. In NEET 2025, the General category AIQ closing rank for AIIMS New Delhi was AIR 48, making it the most competitive government medical college in India. For NEET 2026, the closing rank is expected to remain within AIR 50 – 55 for General category.
NEET 2026 Cutoff for Government Colleges: AIIMS Branch-Wise (Based on NEET 2025)
AIIMS branches across India have highly competitive cutoffs, with AIIMS New Delhi remaining the most sought-after institution. As NEET 2026 paper was moderate overall, AIIMS cutoff ranks are expected to remain similar to NEET 2025 with minor tightening at top branches.
| AIIMS Branch | NEET 2025 Closing Rank – General (AIQ) | NEET 2025 Closing Rank – OBC | NEET 2025 Closing Rank – SC | NEET 2026 Expected Closing Rank – General |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIIMS New Delhi | 48 | 381 | 2,027 | ~50 |
| AIIMS Jodhpur | ~200 – 300 | ~1,200 | ~6,000 | ~200 – 320 |
| AIIMS Bhopal | ~250 – 350 | ~1,500 | ~7,500 | ~260 – 370 |
| AIIMS Rishikesh | ~300 – 400 | ~1,800 | ~8,000 | ~310 – 420 |
| AIIMS Patna | ~400 – 600 | ~2,500 | ~9,500 | ~420 – 620 |
| AIIMS Nagpur | ~500 – 700 | ~3,000 | ~11,000 | ~520 – 720 |
| AIIMS Raipur | ~600 – 900 | ~3,500 | ~13,000 | ~620 – 930 |
Note: AIIMS cutoff ranks above are based on NEET 2025 MCC Round data. NEET 2026 figures are estimated projections. Actual ranks will be updated after MCC NEET UG 2026 counselling.
Ques. Which AIIMS branch has the lowest NEET cutoff?
Ans- Among all AIIMS branches, newer campuses such as AIIMS Raipur, AIIMS Nagpur, and AIIMS Gorakhpur typically have relatively lower closing ranks compared to AIIMS New Delhi or AIIMS Jodhpur. However, all AIIMS branches remain highly competitive, with General category closing ranks well within the top 1,000 – 2,000.
NEET Official PDFs: Cutoff Data — Last 3 Years
Candidates can download the official NEET cutoff and AIQ counselling rank data from the links below:
| Year | Document | Download Link |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | NEET 2026 Qualifying Cutoff PDF (to be released with result) | View on Official NTA Site |
| 2025 | NEET 2025 Official Qualifying Cutoff PDF (released June 14, 2025) | Download from NTA Official Site |
| 2025 (AIQ) | MCC NEET 2025 AIQ Closing Rank — Round 3 Final | Download from MCC Official Site |
| 2024 | NEET 2024 Official Qualifying Cutoff PDF | Download from NTA Official Site |
Note: PDFs are published by the National Testing Agency (NTA) and Medical Counselling Committee (MCC). Links are updated as official documents are released.
Ques. How is NEET 2026 cutoff for government colleges different from the qualifying cutoff?
Ans. The NEET 2026 qualifying cutoff is the minimum marks to be eligible for counselling — expected around 145 marks for General category. The admission cutoff is the actual closing rank at which the last seat in a specific government college was allotted during MCC counselling, and is significantly higher — around 620 – 680+ marks for most government MBBS seats.
Ques. How many government MBBS seats are available through NEET 2026?
Ans- As of NEET 2025, there were 422 government medical colleges in India offering approximately 58,583 MBBS seats. The total seat count for NEET 2026 is expected to be similar or slightly higher, with 15% of seats under AIQ and 85% under state quota.
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