NEET 2026 Marks vs Rank: Category-Wise AIR Predictor (General, OBC, SC, ST)

NEET 2026: At a Glance

• Exam date: May 3, 2026
• Result expected: June 2026
• Total marks: 720 (Physics 180, Chemistry 180, Biology 360)
• Questions: 180 (attempt any 160 with Section B optionality)
• Marking: +4 correct, -1 wrong

→ Use ExamBattle's free NEET 2026 Rank Predictor — enter your marks and category, get your estimated AIR instantly.

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How NEET Rank Is Determined

NEET uses a single national rank list. Your All India Rank (AIR) is determined by:

1. Total marks (primary criterion)
2. Biology marks (tiebreaker 1 — higher Biology marks rank above)
3. Chemistry marks (tiebreaker 2)
4. Fewer wrong answers (tiebreaker 3)
5. Older candidate (tiebreaker 4 — younger candidate ranked higher)

Approximately 22–24 lakh students appear each year. Your rank directly determines which government or private medical college you qualify for.

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NEET 2026 Marks vs Expected AIR (General Category)

Based on 2024 and 2025 NTA official data:

Marks (out of 720)	Expected AIR (General)	Percentile (approx.)
680–720	1–30	99.999+
650–679	30–300	99.99+
620–649	300–1,500	99.93–99.99
600–619	1,500–3,500	99.84–99.93
575–599	3,500–8,000	99.64–99.84
550–574	8,000–18,000	99.18–99.64
525–549	18,000–35,000	98.40–99.18
500–524	35,000–65,000	97.06–98.40
470–499	65,000–1,10,000	94.97–97.06
440–469	1,10,000–1,80,000	91.81–94.97
400–439	1,80,000–3,00,000	86.08–91.81
360–399	3,00,000–5,00,000	77.00–86.08
Below 360	5,00,000+	Below 77.00

Exact values depend on paper difficulty and candidate count. The 2025 paper was harder than 2024 — toppers scored 686 vs 720 in 2024 — so mark bands shifted slightly.

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Category-Wise NEET Rank Breakdown (2025 Reference)

NEET maintains separate rank lists for each category. Below is an approximate comparison of the marks needed for the same rank band across categories:

Target AIR Band	General	OBC-NCL	SC	ST
Top 1,000	615+	560+	480+	420+
Top 5,000	575+	520+	435+	370+
Top 15,000	545+	490+	405+	340+
Top 50,000	510+	455+	370+	305+
Top 1,00,000	475+	420+	340+	280+
Top 2,00,000	440+	385+	305+	250+

These category rank thresholds are what colleges use during MCC and state counselling.

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What NEET Rank Gets You Government MBBS?

This is the most searched question after NEET results — and the answer depends on whether you're looking at All India Quota (AIQ) seats or state quota seats.

All India Quota (15% of government MBBS seats)

• AIIMS Delhi, PGI Chandigarh equivalent institutes: AIR 1–500
• Top Government Medical Colleges (MAMC Delhi, KGMU Lucknow, etc.): AIR 500–5,000
• Good Government Colleges in major states: AIR 5,000–25,000
• Government MBBS through AIQ: Generally AIR below 50,000 for General

State Quota (85% of seats — depends on state)

• Kerala, Tamil Nadu (highly competitive states): State rank 1–3,000 for govt MBBS
• UP, Bihar, Rajasthan (larger candidate pools): State rank 1–8,000 for govt MBBS
• Smaller states: State rank 1–1,500 for govt MBBS

For OBC/SC/ST candidates, category ranks give much better access to government MBBS — typically at scores 60–100 marks lower than General cutoffs.

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2025 NEET Cutoff Reference (for 2026 Planning)

Category	Minimum Score to Qualify	Percentile Cutoff
General	164	50th percentile
OBC/SC/ST	129	40th percentile
General-PwD	146	45th percentile
OBC/SC/ST-PwD	129	40th percentile

Note: These are the eligibility cutoffs to receive a rank — not the cutoffs for government college admissions.

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NEET 2026 vs 2025: What Changed

• NEET 2026 question pattern remains the same (Section A: 35 questions mandatory, Section B: 15 questions, attempt 10)
• NTA is under enhanced scrutiny post the 2024 controversy — tighter security protocols expected
• The 2025 paper difficulty was above average; 2026 difficulty is uncertain, but preparation strategy does not change
• Paper will be in English, Hindi, and 11 regional languages

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Free NEET 2026 Rank Predictor

→ NEET 2026 AIR Predictor — Enter Your Marks, Choose Category

The tool shows your estimated rank range for General, OBC, SC, ST, and EWS categories, plus a historical comparison with 2024 and 2025 data.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I scored 550 in NEET 2025. What rank can I expect in NEET 2026? A: Based on 2025 data, 550 marks placed General candidates at roughly AIR 10,000–18,000. For 2026, a similar score should give you a comparable range, depending on paper difficulty. Use the NEET Rank Predictor and select 2025 data for the most accurate reference.

Q: What is the NEET 2026 cutoff for government MBBS? A: The AIQ closing rank for government MBBS (General) has historically been around AIR 50,000–60,000. For state quota seats, it varies by state. Your state rank (not AIR) determines eligibility for 85% of government MBBS seats.

Q: How is the Biology tiebreaker applied in NEET rank? A: If two candidates have equal total marks, the one with higher Biology marks ranks higher. If Biology marks are also equal, Chemistry marks are the next tiebreaker, then fewer wrong answers, then the older candidate ranks higher.

Q: I am an OBC candidate with 490 marks. Do I have a chance at government MBBS? A: Yes. 490 marks for an OBC candidate typically gives an OBC rank of approximately 25,000–45,000. Many state quota MBBS seats are available to OBC candidates at this rank level, especially in states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, and UP. Check your state's specific OBC NEET cutoff list.

Q: NEET 2025 topper scored 686 and not 720. Why? A: The 2025 paper was harder than 2024. The 2024 topper (multiple candidates) scored 720. In 2025, the difficulty increased, so the highest achievable score in that paper resulted in 686. This is normal — topper scores vary with paper difficulty each year.