NEET 2027 Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit, Attempts, Qualifying Percentage Explained

NEET UG 2027 Eligibility — The Complete Reference

NEET UG eligibility has been a moving target since 2016. Age limits were imposed, then removed, then partially reinstated, then removed again. As of NEET 2026 and 2027, here is the current settled position based on NMC and NTA guidelines.

This guide covers exactly what is required to appear for NEET UG 2027 and what is required for MBBS/BDS admission afterwards.

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1. Age Limit for NEET UG 2027

Lower age limit: You must complete 17 years of age on or before December 31, 2027. This means you must have been born on or before December 31, 2010.

Upper age limit: There is currently NO upper age limit for NEET UG. The previous 25-year cap (with 30 for reserved) was removed by NTA following Supreme Court direction.

This is the position confirmed for NEET 2024, 2025, 2026 and is expected to continue for 2027 unless overturned by a future court order.

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2. Number of Attempts Allowed

There is NO LIMIT on the number of NEET UG attempts. Candidates can appear in NEET UG every year as many times as they wish, provided they meet the age and qualification criteria.

This is one of the most lenient attempt policies among major Indian competitive exams.

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3. Qualifying Examination

You must have passed (or be appearing in 2027) Class 12 (Higher Secondary / 10+2) or its equivalent from a recognised board with the following compulsory subjects:

• Physics
• Chemistry
• Biology / Biotechnology
• English (as a core compulsory subject)

The subjects must have been studied as regular subjects in Class 11 and Class 12, not as additional subjects.

Recognised Qualifying Examinations

• Higher Secondary / Class 12 Examination from a recognised board (CBSE, ICSE, State Boards)
• Pre-University / Pre-Degree examination of 2-year duration
• First-year examination of 3-year degree course of a recognised university (with PCB+English)
• B.Sc. examination from an Indian university (with PCB)
• Any other examination equivalent to 10+2 standard recognised by AIU

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4. Minimum Qualifying Percentage in Class 12

Category	Minimum Aggregate in PCB
General	50%
OBC / SC / ST	40%
PwD (General)	45%
PwD (SC/ST/OBC)	40%

Important: This 50%/40% is the aggregate of Physics + Chemistry + Biology taken together — not the overall Class 12 percentage.

If your PCB aggregate is 49% but your overall Class 12 is 75%, you do NOT qualify (in general category). The PCB-specific aggregate is what matters.

For students appearing in Class 12 in 2027 itself, this rule will be verified after Class 12 results are declared.

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5. Minimum Marks in NEET UG (Qualifying Cutoff)

In addition to Class 12 percentage, you must score above the NEET UG percentile-based qualifying cutoff:

Category	Qualifying Percentile
General / EWS	50th percentile
OBC / SC / ST	40th percentile
PwD (General)	45th percentile
PwD (Reserved)	40th percentile

The actual marks corresponding to these percentiles vary year by year:

Year	General Cutoff Marks (50th percentile)	OBC/SC/ST Cutoff (40th percentile)
2024	162	127
2025 (est)	165	130
2026 (est)	170	135

Qualifying just makes you eligible for counselling — it does not guarantee an MBBS seat.

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6. Nationality and Citizenship

NEET UG 2027 is open to:

• Indian citizens
• Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)
• Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs)
• Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs)
• Foreign nationals

OCI status holders should note: as per Supreme Court rulings, OCIs are eligible to apply but their seat allocation in MBBS/BDS may be subject to the same general/NRI quota rules as NRIs.

For foreign nationals, separate quotas exist in some private medical colleges. Verify before applying.

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7. NEET UG for Allied Health Sciences (Effective 2026-27 Onwards)

Starting 2026-27 academic year, NEET UG score is mandatory for admission to:

• BPT (Bachelor of Physiotherapy)
• B.Sc. Medical Lab Technology (MLT)
• B.Sc. Radiology and Imaging Technology
• B.Sc. Optometry
• B.Sc. Nursing (in many states)
• BAMS (Ayurveda)
• BHMS (Homoeopathy)
• BUMS (Unani)
• BSMS (Siddha)
• BVSc (Veterinary)

This significantly expands the audience for NEET UG. Even candidates not targeting MBBS/BDS may need NEET UG if they are pursuing allied health pathways.

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8. Reservation Categories

Category	Reservation Percentage (AIQ)
General	Open / No reservation
EWS	10%
OBC-NCL	27%
SC	15%
ST	7.5%
PwD	5% (horizontal)

State counselling reservations follow individual state policy and may differ.

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9. Documents Required for NEET 2027 Application

• Class 10 mark sheet (date of birth proof)
• Class 12 mark sheet (or admit card if appearing in 2027)
• Aadhaar number (mandatory for Indian citizens, used for biometric matching)
• Category certificate (if applicable, in valid format)
• PwD certificate from authorised authority (if applicable)
• Recent passport-size photograph
• Signature scan
• Left thumb impression scan
• Valid email and mobile (registered to candidate, not parent)
• Bank details for application fee

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10. Common Misconceptions About NEET Eligibility

Misconception 1: "There is an upper age limit of 25 years." Reality: Upper age limit was removed by NTA. You can appear at any age above 17 (in the relevant year).

Misconception 2: "Only science stream students can appear." Reality: Correct — but the science stream must include PCB. PCM (without Biology) does NOT qualify.

Misconception 3: "I cannot appear if I am from a non-CBSE board." Reality: Any board recognised by your state government qualifies. CBSE, ICSE, State Boards, NIOS — all are accepted.

Misconception 4: "Repeaters get fewer chances." Reality: There is no attempt limit. Repeaters and droppers can appear every year.

Misconception 5: "Distance education / open school qualifications don't count." Reality: NIOS qualifications are accepted. However, regulations on practical exam attendance for open school students vary — verify your state's specific rules.

Misconception 6: "Class 12 PCB above 50% is enough." Reality: For ADMISSION to MBBS, you need 50% PCB + qualifying NEET cutoff + a competitive rank. Just clearing the PCB cutoff is the eligibility floor, not the admission ceiling.

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11. NRI Quota and Foreign Citizen Specifics

NRI Quota in private medical colleges:

• Separate 15% quota in some private institutes
• Higher fee structure
• Eligibility verified through NRI status documentation

OCI/PIO:

• Treated as Indian nationals for AIQ counselling (post-Supreme Court rulings)
• May still be subject to specific state policies in state counselling

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Summary Table — NEET 2027 Eligibility Quick Reference

Criterion	Requirement
Lower Age Limit	17 years on or before Dec 31, 2027
Upper Age Limit	None
Attempts	Unlimited
Qualifying Exam	Class 12 with PCB + English
Min Class 12 PCB %	50% (Gen) / 40% (Reserved)
Min NEET Cutoff	50th percentile (Gen) / 40th (Reserved)
Nationality	Indian, NRI, PIO, OCI, Foreign
Required Documents	Class 10 + 12 + Aadhaar + Category + Photos

If you complete 17 years by December 31, 2027, have Class 12 with PCB+English at 50%+ aggregate (40% for reserved), and clear the NEET cutoff percentile, you are eligible for MBBS counselling. The harder part is then competing for the 1.12 lakh MBBS seats against 24+ lakh candidates — that is where your NEET marks-vs-rank target matters.