NEET UG 2026 Results Announced: Cutoff Marks Go Very High This Year!

The wait is finally over for medical students! The National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially declared the NEET UG 2026 results on July 16, 2026. If you gave the exam, you can now check your scorecard on the official NTA website.

This year, there is a very big surprise for everyone. The minimum marks needed to pass the exam (called the cutoff) have gone up higher than ever before.

Here is all the simple news you need to know about the results and what to do next.

1. The Passing Marks are Very High

To take part in college admissions, a student must get a minimum passing score. This year, the passing scores have jumped a lot:

For General and EWS Categories: You need at least 213 marks to pass this year. Last year, it was only 144 marks. This is a huge jump of 69 marks! The highest score in this category is 715 marks.
For OBC, SC, and ST Categories: You need at least 177 marks to pass this year. Last year, it was only 113 marks. This is a jump of 64 marks. The top score in this range is 212 marks.

Because the passing marks are so high, getting a seat in a government medical college will be tougher this year.

2. How Many Students Passed?

This year, nearly 20 lakh students gave the NEET exam. Out of these, 11.21 lakh students successfully passed the test. The highest mark anyone scored this year is 715 out of 720. Nobody got a perfect 720 this time.

3. What is a "Safe Score" for a Government College?

Just because you passed the exam does not mean you will get a government college seat. To get a low-fee government MBBS seat through the All India Quota, experts believe you need much higher marks.

General Category: You will likely need more than 610 to 630 marks.
OBC Category: You will likely need more than 590 marks.
SC Category: You will likely need more than 520 marks.
ST Category: You will likely need more than 490 marks.

4. What Should You Do Next?

Now that the results are out, the next step is Counselling. This is the process where you fill forms, choose your favorite colleges, and the government gives you a seat based on your rank. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) will start this process very soon.

Do not panic! If your marks are a little low, do not lose hope. There are still many great options in state quota seats, private medical colleges, and dental (BDS) colleges.