NEET MDS 2026 qualifying cutoff reduced by 20.576 percentile points

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) announced on 13 October 2026 a reduction in the qualifying cutoff percentile for NEET MDS 2026 by 20.576 percentile points across all categories. This decision is expected to expand the pool of candidates eligible to participate in the NEET MDS 2026 counselling process for the academic session 2026-27.

The reduction applies uniformly to General, SC/ST/OBC, and Unreserved Persons with Disabilities (UR-PwD) categories. The Ministry has directed the National Board of Examinations (NBE) to issue revised NEET MDS 2026 results and requested the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) to take appropriate action on a priority basis.

REVISED Qualifying Percentiles and Scores

The qualifying percentile for General category candidates has been reduced from 50 to 29.424. For SC/ST/OBC candidates, the cutoff was lowered from 40 to 19.424, while for UR-PwD candidates, it was revised from 45 to 24.424. This adjustment follows the declaration of NEET MDS 2026 results on 2 June 2026, after the examination was conducted on 2 May 2026.

The previous qualifying cutoff scores for NEET MDS 2026 were 308 marks for the General/EWS category, 271 marks for SC/ST/OBC, and 289 marks for General PwD candidates. The General/EWS cutoff of 308 marks was the highest in at least five years, representing an 18% increase from 261 marks in 2025. The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) establishes these qualifying cutoffs.

Implications for Counselling and Admissions

The Ministry’s communication, addressed to the Executive Director of the National Board of Examinations and the Deputy Director General (Medical Education) of the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), emphasizes the need for prompt action. The MCC is responsible for conducting online counselling for 50% All India Quota Post-Graduate Medical and Dental seats.

Historically, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has recommended downward revisions of the qualifying percentile in previous years to fill vacant MDS seats. The NEET MDS 2026 result is valid solely for admission to the All India 50% quota Post Graduate MDS Courses of the 2026 admission session. Initially, 28,000 candidates had qualified in the NEET MDS 2026 result.

Next Steps for Candidates

Candidates are advised to download their NEET MDS 2026 scorecard immediately and check their eligibility against the revised cutoff. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated, “The NBE is, therefore, directed to bring out revised results in accordance with the above lowered qualifying percentiles, and the MCC is requested to take appropriate action on a priority basis.”

Following the revised results, candidates will need to prepare necessary documents for counselling, including their NEET MDS scorecard, BDS degree, internship proof, registration certificates, ID proof, and category certificate if applicable. They should then follow the instructions provided by the counselling authority for seat allotment.

Further reading

• UP NEET MDS counselling 2026 postponed until further orders
• NEET MDS 2026 round 3 provisional seat allotment result out: download PDF by 11 October
• NEET MDS counselling: rounds, dates and seat allotment Next step
• NEET UG 2026: Uttarakhand opens Round 3 NRI quota MBBS registration until 5 October Applications open
• PGIMER application form: eligibility, dates and how to apply
• NEET MDS: complete exam guide

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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