Every year, lakhs of students take the NEET UG exam with one goal in mind- getting an MBBS seat. As students wait for the provisional answer key and final results, there is still uncertainty. Some may have a rough idea of their expected marks, while others are unsure whether they will score high enough for an MBBS seat. A safe score in NEET is not officially defined by NTA, but is based on past admission trends and counselling data. It changes every year based on exam difficulty level, number of test-takers, overall performance of students and seat availability in counselling rounds. If the paper is easier, cut-offs rise. If it is tougher, cut-offs may dip slightly, but competition still remains high due to sheer volume of candidates.
Re NEET UG 2026 expected cut-off
NEET UG cut-offs have slightly varied over the past three years, with the Unreserved/EWS range moving from 720–137 in 2023 to 686–144 in 2025 for government colleges, reflecting changing exam difficulty and competition. Reserved categories like OBC, SC and ST have stayed within a similar qualifying band, showing relatively stable trends across years.
| Category | NEET UG 2025 Cut-off Range | NEET UG 2024 Cut-off Range | NEET UG 2023 Cut-off Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unreserved / EWS | 686 – 144 | 720 – 162 | 720 – 137 |
| OBC | 143 – 113 | 161 – 127 | 136 – 107 |
| SC | 143 – 113 | 161 – 127 | 136 – 107 |
| ST | 143 – 113 | 161 – 127 | 136 – 107 |
| UR/EWS – PwBD | 143 – 127 | 161 – 144 | 136 – 121 |
| OBC – PwBD | 126 – 113 | 143 – 127 | 120 – 107 |
| SC – PwBD | 126 – 113 | 143 – 127 | 120 – 107 |
| ST – PwBD | 126 – 113 | 143 – 127 | 120 – 107 |
Note: These are qualifying cut-off ranges announced for NEET UG and should not be confused with the marks required to secure an MBBS seat, which are typically much higher and vary by category, state and counselling round.Students aiming for top institutes such as AIIMS or other highly sought-after government medical colleges usually need much higher scores.
What if your score is below the MBBS range?
Missing out on MBBS does not mean the end of a medical career. NEET UG scores are accepted for admission to courses such as MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BUMS, BHMS, BSMS, and BVSc & AH.Through NEET counselling, students can also apply for BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery), which remains one of the most popular alternatives. To actually get a BDS seat, you usually need around 300–400 marks for private colleges and 450+ marks for government dental colleges
Private colleges
For students who do not secure government seats, private medical colleges remain another route. Cut-offs in private colleges are often lower than those in government institutions, though fees can be significantly higher. Some colleges may also fill seats during later counselling rounds and stray vacancy rounds.Students should carefully compare fees, hospital exposure, faculty and infrastructure before making a decision. Counselling matters as much as marks. Admission does not depend only on the NEET score.
MBBS outside India
Indian students can pursue MBBS or equivalent medical degrees abroad after qualifying NEET, subject to the rules set by the National Medical Commission (NMC).Countries such as Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and several East European nations continue to attract Indian students because tuition fees may be lower than those of many private medical colleges in India.However, students need to be extremely careful before choosing a foreign university. The NMC has laid down regulations regarding the duration of study, internship requirements, clinical training and other conditions. Students who return to India must also meet licensing requirements before they can practise medicine here.Students and parents should verify whether a foreign university complies with NMC rules before taking admission.
NEET BAMS Cut-off
Apart from BDS, students can explore AYUSH courses, including BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery), BHMS (Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery), BUMS (Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery) and BSMS (Bachelor of Siddha Medicine and Surgery)Many students choose these courses every year and build careers in their respective systems of medicine. Depending on counselling trends, the score required for AYUSH courses is often lower than what is needed for government MBBS seats. Below is the cut off for 2025:
| Category | Qualifying Percentile | Cut-off Score |
|---|---|---|
| UR/EWS | 50th percentile | 686 – 144 |
| OBC | 40th percentile | 143 – 113 |
| SC | 40th percentile | 143 – 113 |
| ST | 40th percentile | 143 – 113 |
| UR/EWS – PwBD | 45th percentile | 143 – 127 |
| OBC – PwBD | 40th percentile | 126 – 113 |
| SC – PwBD | 40th percentile | 126 – 113 |
| ST – PwBD | 40th percentile | 126 – 113 |