The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Friday declared the NEET UG 2026 results, bringing an end to months of uncertainty for lakhs of medical aspirants across India. A total of 11.21 lakh candidates have qualified for undergraduate medical admissions, clearing the way for the counselling process that will determine admissions to MBBS, BDS and other medical courses.
The results were announced after the re-conducted NEET UG examination held on June 21. The original exam, conducted on May 3, was cancelled following a nationwide paper leak controversy, forcing lakhs of students to appear for the test once again. The revised examination was conducted under tighter security measures before the NTA released the final answer key and scorecards.
Candidates can now download their NEET UG 2026 scorecards from the official NTA website using their application number and password. The scorecard contains the candidate’s marks, percentile, All India Rank (AIR), category rank and qualifying status.
This year, Aryan Gupta of Punjab secured All India Rank 1, while Panshul Bansal from Haryana claimed the second rank. Both candidates scored 715 out of 720 marks, with the final ranking decided using NTA’s tie-breaking criteria. The agency said 19 students scored more than 700 marks, highlighting the high level of competition despite the examination being held for a second time.
The qualifying cut-off has also increased compared to last year. Candidates from the General and EWS categories needed at least 213 marks to qualify, while the cut-off for OBC, SC and ST candidates was 177 marks. Experts believe the higher cut-off indicates better overall performance by students in the re-examination.
Female candidates once again performed strongly in the entrance examination. According to the NTA, over 58% of the qualified candidates are women, continuing the trend of increasing female participation in medical education. The performance reflects the growing number of young women choosing careers in medicine and healthcare.
For many aspirants, the declaration of the results is more than just an academic milestone. The paper leak controversy earlier this year had disrupted study plans, created anxiety and forced students to prepare for the examination all over again. With the results now announced, many students say they can finally move forward and focus on the next stage of their journey towards becoming doctors.
The attention now shifts to the NEET UG counselling process, which is expected to begin shortly. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) will conduct admissions for the 15% All India Quota seats, while individual state authorities will manage counselling for the remaining 85% state quota seats. Candidates will have to register online, fill in their preferred colleges and courses, upload required documents and participate in multiple rounds of seat allotment.
Students have been advised to keep essential documents, including their NEET scorecard, admit card, Class 10 and 12 certificates, identity proof and category certificates, ready before counselling begins. Missing documents or incorrect information could delay the admission process.
NEET UG remains India’s largest medical entrance examination and serves as the single gateway for admission to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, BSc Nursing, veterinary and other undergraduate medical programmes. Every year, millions of students compete for a limited number of seats in government and private medical colleges, making it one of the country’s most competitive examinations.
While the controversy surrounding this year’s examination sparked nationwide debate over the integrity of competitive exams, the declaration of the results marks the beginning of the final phase of the admission process. For more than 11 lakh qualified candidates, the focus has now shifted from examination halls to counselling sessions, where their scores will determine which medical college they call home over the next few years.
