NEET Now Required for Allied Health Courses from 2026–27: BPT, MLT, Radiology and More

NEET Now Mandatory for Allied Health Courses: The Complete Guide

A landmark ruling by the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) has made NEET UG qualification mandatory for admission to 13 Allied Health UG programs from the 2026–27 academic session.

This changes the landscape significantly for students who are appearing for NEET 2026 but are not targeting MBBS or BDS — there are now more doors that open with a NEET score.

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Which Courses Now Require NEET?

The following 13 UG Allied Health programs now require NEET UG qualification for admission from 2026–27:

1. BPT — Bachelor of Physiotherapy
2. B.Sc. Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT)
3. B.Sc. Radiology and Imaging Technology
4. B.Sc. Optometry
5. B.Sc. Dialysis Technology
6. B.Sc. Operation Theatre (OT) Technology
7. B.Sc. Occupational Therapy
8. B.Sc. Cardiac Technology
9. B.Sc. Respiratory Therapy
10. B.Sc. Nuclear Medicine Technology
11. B.Sc. Radiotherapy Technology
12. B.Sc. Renal Dialysis Technology
13. B.Sc. Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (ASLP)

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What is the Cutoff for Allied Health Admission?

NCAHP has specified minimum NEET scores for allied health admission:

Category	Minimum Percentile
General / EWS	50th percentile
SC / ST / OBC-NCL	40th percentile
PwD	45th percentile

To contextualise: the 50th percentile in NEET 2025 corresponded to approximately 162 marks out of 720. This is a relatively accessible cutoff — significantly lower than the ~550+ marks typically needed for government MBBS seats.

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Why This Is Important for NEET 2026 Aspirants

For Students Targeting MBBS as Primary Goal

This change is largely irrelevant if you are targeting MBBS and your preparation is on track. However, it changes your backup planning:

Before this ruling: If you scored 400–500 in NEET, your realistic options were private MBBS colleges (expensive), AYUSH colleges, or unrelated fields.

After this ruling: A score of 300–450 now opens doors to government-aided BPT, B.Sc. MLT, and Radiology programs — which have excellent career prospects and are far more affordable than private MBBS.

For Students Appearing NEET with Allied Health as Primary Goal

Previously, many Allied Health admissions used class 12 board marks for admission — which meant NEET scores were irrelevant to your application. This is now changing. If you are targeting BPT or B.Sc. Physiotherapy specifically:

1. You now need to register for and appear in NEET UG 2026 — you cannot skip it
2. The 50th percentile cutoff is achievable with focused preparation
3. Your class 12 marks may still be considered as a secondary criterion (varies by state)

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Career Prospects After Allied Health Courses

Choosing an allied health program is not a fallback — these are independent career paths with strong demand:

BPT (Physiotherapy):

• 4-year degree + 6-month internship
• Can start own clinic after registration
• Growing demand in sports medicine, orthopaedics, neurological rehab
• Average starting salary: ₹3–5 LPA (government hospital); private practice potential much higher

B.Sc. MLT (Medical Lab Technology):

• 3 years
• Lab technicians needed in every diagnostic centre, hospital, and government health program
• AIIMS and government hospital MLT posts have permanent central government service status

B.Sc. Radiology and Imaging Technology:

• Operates CT, MRI, X-ray equipment
• High demand, especially with growth in diagnostic imaging
• Government posts available via UPSC/state PSC

B.Sc. Optometry:

• Strong private sector demand
• Can start independent optometry practice
• International mobility — UK, Canada, Australia have formal optometry licensing pathways

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State-Level Implementation May Vary

While NCAHP has issued this mandate nationally, implementation depends on state-level medical admission councils. States like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Delhi typically adopt NCAHP mandates quickly. States with their own medical universities or strong state autonomy (Maharashtra, Kerala) may implement on a slightly delayed timeline.

What to do: Check your specific target state and college admissions policy directly before applying. The national mandate is clear; state-level procedural implementation is still being rolled out.

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Conclusion

If you are appearing for NEET 2026, this ruling works in your favour — it expands the value of your NEET score beyond MBBS/BDS. A score that previously led only to expensive private MBBS options now opens affordable allied health programs at government and government-aided institutions. Study for NEET, improve your score, and know that the return on your preparation investment is now larger than it was before.