Achieves Record NEET-UG Qualification Rate of 59.2% in 2026

Kohima, India Jul 17, 2026 ALN: The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate), commonly known as NEET-UG, has witnessed a remarkable achievement in 2026, with a qualification rate of 59.2%. This figure represents the highest qualification rate recorded by the State since the National Testing Agency (NTA) assumed responsibility for conducting the examination. The increase in qualification rates is a significant turnaround from the previous year's decline, which had raised concerns about the preparedness of candidates and the overall impact of educational strategies.

According to the data released by the NTA, a total of 3,866 candidates registered for NEET-UG 2026, an increase from 3,757 in 2025. However, the number of candidates who actually appeared for the examination saw a decrease, dropping from 3,532 to 3,289. This decline in attendance could be attributed to various factors, including the ongoing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected educational institutions and examination preparedness across the country.

Despite the lower turnout, the number of candidates qualifying for the examination improved significantly, rising from 1,813 in 2025 to 1,946 in 2026. This increase of 133 qualified candidates, despite 243 fewer candidates sitting for the exam, resulted in a notable rise in the qualification rate from 51.3% to 59.2%, marking an increase of 7.8 percentage points. This upward trend is particularly encouraging as it indicates that the candidates who did participate were better prepared and more successful in their attempts to qualify.

The performance of candidates over the years reveals a consistent improvement in qualification rates. The qualification rate has steadily climbed from 29.34% in 2018 to 34.52% in 2019, and crossing the 40% mark in 2020 and 2021 with rates of 40.5% and 40.4% respectively. The qualification rate then surged to 54.51% in 2022, followed by 55.96% in 2023 and 55.6% in 2024, before the dip to 51.3% in 2025. The rebound to 59.2% in 2026 not only represents a recovery but also sets a new benchmark for the State, reinforcing the effectiveness of educational initiatives and candidate preparation strategies.

Among the candidates, Subhasmita Nayak emerged as the top performer in the State for NEET-UG 2026, achieving an impressive 97.86464 percentile in the General category and securing an All India Rank (AIR) of 42,124. This achievement highlights the competitive nature of the examination and the rigorous preparation undertaken by candidates.

On a national scale, the NEET-UG 2026 examination saw a total of 11,21,185 candidates qualifying out of nearly 19,99,895 who appeared, resulting in a national qualification rate of 56.1%. The total number of registrations reached 22.80 lakh, with women comprising more than 58% of the qualified candidates, indicating a positive trend in female representation in medical education.

Within the North-East region, Assam led in the number of qualifiers with 18,435, followed by Manipur with 5,070 qualifiers, and other states like Arunachal Pradesh (2,179), the State in question with 1,946, Tripura (1,807), Meghalaya (1,658), Mizoram (1,353), and Sikkim (579). This distribution reflects the varying levels of educational infrastructure and access to resources across different states, which can significantly influence candidate performance.

At the national level, Aryan Gupta from Punjab achieved the top position with an AIR of 1 and an exceptional 99.9999 percentile. He was followed closely by Panshul Bansal of Haryana (AIR 2) and Uplakshya Goyal of Rajasthan (AIR 3). The NTA reported that 138 candidates scored above 670 marks, equivalent to a percentile of 99.9930996 or higher, underscoring the intense competition and high standards of performance expected in the examination.

Moreover, the qualifying cut-offs for NEET-UG 2026 saw an increase across all major categories. For the Unreserved (UR)/EWS category, the qualifying marks rose to 715–213, a significant increase from 686–144 in 2025. Similarly, the qualifying ranges for OBC, SC, and ST categories also saw upward adjustments, indicating a rising bar for candidate performance. The increase in cut-off marks could be reflective of the overall improvement in candidate preparation and performance, as well as the increasing competitiveness of medical education in India.

The NEET re-test was conducted on June 21 at 5,440 centres across 551 cities in India and 14 international locations, with results being officially declared on July 16. This extensive organization reflects the NTA's commitment to ensuring a fair and transparent examination process, allowing for a significant number of candidates to participate and compete for limited medical seats.

Counselling and Candidate Advisory
In the wake of the results, the NTA has outlined that counselling for the All-India Quota in MBBS/BDS programs will be managed by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), while state-specific quotas will be administered by the respective State authorities. Candidates are advised to refer exclusively to official websites such as neet.nta.nic.in, mcc.nic.in, and the relevant State counselling portals for information regarding counselling processes and seat allocations.

Furthermore, the NTA has issued warnings to candidates about potential fraudulent activities, including misleading calls, messages, or websites that may offer admission, seat blocking, or score improvement services. The agency emphasizes that it does not engage in any communication seeking money or personal credentials from candidates. Any suspicious communication should be reported to the NTA's helpline at 011-40759000. This proactive approach aims to protect candidates from scams and ensure that the admission process remains fair and transparent.

In summary, the record qualification rate in NEET-UG 2026 not only reflects the resilience and determination of candidates but also highlights the ongoing evolution of medical education in India. With increasing qualification rates and improvements in cut-off scores, the examination continues to serve as a crucial gateway for aspiring medical professionals, shaping the future of healthcare in the country.