NEET UG was held on May 3, 2026 , and attention has already shifted to the NEET 2026 expected cutoff as experts review answer sets and student responses.
About 22 lakh candidates are estimated to have appeared, making this year’s qualifying marks closely watched by aspirants and coaching centres.
Early reports described Chemistry as of moderate difficulty. Experts are now reviewing set-wise papers (sets 11-14 ) to frame admission-cutoff predictions, but final figures will come from the NTA with the results.
NEET 2026 expected cutoff: what experts predict
Analysts draw on seat intake, paper difficulty and the large candidate pool to predict a competitive picture for qualifiers and admission cutoffs. The distinction between the Qualifying Cutoff (to become a NEET-qualified candidate) and the Admission Cutoff (to get a government medical seat) remains crucial.
Current expert estimates place total qualifiers at about 1,299,485 across categories. Category qualifying percentiles remain the same as past rules: UR/EWS: 50th percentile , OBC/SC/ST: 40th percentile , and UR/EWS & PwBD: 45th percentile .
NEET 2026 expected cutoff — category-wise marks & qualifiers
| Category | Qualifying Criterion | Expected 2026 Marks Range | Expected Qualifiers |
|---|---|---|---|
| UR / EWS | 50th percentile | 701 - 150 | 1,155,000 |
| OBC | 40th percentile | 149 - 118 | 96,000 |
| SC | 40th percentile | 149 - 118 | 33,500 |
| ST | 40th percentile | 149 - 118 | 14,200 |
| UR / EWS & PwBD | 45th percentile | 149 - 132 | 480 |
| OBC & PwBD | 40th percentile | 131 - 118 | 230 |
| SC & PwBD | 40th percentile | 131 - 118 | 55 |
| ST & PwBD | 40th percentile | 131 - 118 | 20 |
| Total | — | — | 1,299,485 |
These ranges mirror recent trends from NEET 2024 and 2025, where marks bands shifted slightly year to year as candidate counts and paper difficulty varied.
NTA release and next steps for candidates
The NTA will publish the official NEET UG results and final cutoff scores together; the result date has not been announced yet. Once NTA releases results, qualifying and admission cutoffs will be final and used for counselling.
If you sat the exam, track the official NTA announcement for your result and cutoff. Counselling authorities will use the NTA cutoffs to prepare merit lists and seat allotments, so the final cutoff will determine who moves to admission rounds.
Expect more precise admission-cutoff analysis after the NTA results and as experts complete set-wise reviews of Physics and Biology along with Chemistry.