By Dr. Priyanka Singhal on 29 Jun 2026
8 mins read
NEET-UG 2026 was rescheduled and conducted on 21 June 2026 by the National Testing Agency. Result, answer key, and counselling dates have not yet been announced by NTA. Going by past cycles, where the result typically follows roughly six weeks after the exam, the result is expected around early August 2026, with Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) registration shortly after.
Healthcare careers after Class 12 are not limited to MBBS. Students who want to work in healthcare can also consider allied and healthcare degree programs such as physiotherapy, optometry, medical laboratory science, radiology and imaging technology, and anaesthesia and operation theatre technology. This guide covers the official NEET 2026 timeline as it stands today, expected cut-offs based on 2024 and 2025 patterns, the MCC and state counselling process, and healthcare degree options that do not require NEET in AY 2026-27.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2026 |
| Conducting Authority | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Exam Date (2026) | 21 June 2026 (rescheduled; single shift, 2:00-5:00 PM IST) |
| Registrations (2026) | About 26 lakh |
| Result Window (expected) | Awaited; expected around early August 2026 based on recent result timelines |
| AIQ Counselling Authority | Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) - 15% All India Quota + Deemed/Central Universities |
| State Quota Counselling | 85% via state DMEs / KEA / MahaCET / TN Selection Committee |
| MBBS Seats Available | About 1,28,976 across 818 colleges (NMC Seat Matrix, 2025-26) |
| Qualifying Percentile (UR) | 50th percentile (40th for SC/ST/OBC), held constant across recent years |
Following the rescheduled 21 June exam, NTA has not yet published the NEET 2026 result date. Based on past cycles, the typical sequence is:
| Stage | NEET-UG 2025 (actual) | NEET-UG 2026 (expected) |
|---|---|---|
| Exam date | 4 May 2025 | 21 June 2026 (rescheduled) |
| Provisional answer key | First week of June 2025 | Awaited; typically within about two weeks of exam |
| Final answer key | 14 June 2025 | Awaited |
| Result declaration | 14 June 2025 | Expected around early August 2026 |
| Counselling registration begins | 21 July 2025 | Expected from August 2026 |
How to check your NEET 2026 result:
Cross-check your name, roll number, category, and All India Rank (AIR). If anything is incorrect, use the grievance redressal window NTA opens along with the result. Do not wait for a duplicate scorecard; counselling registration runs against the original NTA scorecard.
NTA fixes the qualifying percentile, and the qualifying mark band shifts each year with paper difficulty. The last two years' actual cut-offs:
| Category | NEET-UG 2024 (revised) | NEET-UG 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| UR / EWS | 720-162 | 686-144 |
| OBC / SC / ST | 161-127 | 143-113 |
| UR-PwBD | 161-144 | 143-127 |
| OBC / SC-PwBD | 143-127 | 126-113 |
The NEET-UG 2025 cycle saw roughly 22.76 lakh registrations and about 20.8 lakh actual appearances, with about 12.36 lakh qualifiers. The 2026 cycle has a higher registration base, so expect:
Cut-offs are also state-sensitive. State quota cut-offs in southern states such as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka typically run higher than in some northern states because of seat density and applicant volumes.
NEET counselling runs in two parallel tracks:
1. All India Quota (AIQ): 15% of government seats + all Deemed and Central University seats
2. State Quota: 85% of government seats + state private/deemed colleges as per state policy
Practical counselling discipline:
For the live 2026 schedule, monitor mcc.nic.in and your state DME website daily once the NEET result is announced.
Allied and healthcare professions are an important part of India's healthcare system. Physiotherapists, optometrists, medical laboratory scientists, radiology technologists, and operation theatre technologists work across hospitals, diagnostic chains, rehabilitation centres, primary-care networks, and public-health programs. Students choose these careers for many reasons, including an interest in patient care, specialised clinical roles, integrated internships, and clear career pathways in healthcare.
The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) has brought greater consistency to allied and healthcare education through a national framework with standardised nomenclature, eligibility criteria, and curriculum benchmarks. For students, this means clearer program names, clearer eligibility rules, and better comparability across institutions.
Several healthcare UG degrees do not require NEET in AY 2026-27:
| Program | Duration | Eligibility | Indicative Entry Salary (LPA) | NEET Status (AY 2026-27) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BPT (Physiotherapy) | 5 years (4 + 1 internship) | 12th pass with 40% in all subjects individually; English mandatory; minimum 50% in PCB | ₹2.5-3 LPA | Not required; deferred to AY 2027-28 per the NCAHP letter dated 02 March 2026 |
| B.AOTT (Anaesthesia & OT Tech) | 4 years (3 + 1 internship) | 12th pass with 40% in all subjects individually; PCB/PCM mandatory | ₹2.7-3.5 LPA | Not required |
| B.MRIT (Radiology & Imaging) | 4 years (3 + 1 internship) |
Salary figures are indicative and vary by employer, city, qualification, and individual experience.
The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) is the statutory regulator for allied and healthcare professions in India under the NCAHP Act 2021. For AY 2026-27, the immediate takeaway is clear: BPT does not require NEET this year because the requirement was deferred to AY 2027-28 per the NCAHP letter dated 02 March 2026. B.AOTT, B.MRIT, B.Optom, and B.MLS also do not require NEET in AY 2026-27.
NCAHP also matters because it is standardising degree names, eligibility rules, and curriculum benchmarks across allied and healthcare professions. That makes it easier for students to understand the difference between degrees, compare programs, and verify whether a program fits the current regulatory framework.
State quota (85%) is where most allotments happen. Each state has its own conducting authority and rules. Indicative snapshot based on the 2025 cycle:
| State | Conducting Authority | Quota Profile | 2025-26 Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tamil Nadu | DME (Selection Committee, Chennai) | 85% state quota; 7.5% reservation for govt-school students | Cut-off historically among India's highest; closed state for outside-domicile candidates in private quotas |
| Maharashtra | State CET Cell (MahaCET) | 85% state quota; 4-round counselling | Closed state for private medical college admissions for non-domicile candidates |
| Karnataka | Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) | Open state for KEA quota | Highest state-wise MBBS seat count, with 13,944 seats, about 10.81% of national total |
Always confirm dates and eligibility on the official state DME or authority website. Third-party portals can lag or aggregate inconsistently.
If your NEET 2026 score is on track for a government MBBS seat, the work shifts to MCC and state counselling discipline. Track mcc.nic.in and your state DME daily, build a wide-but-ordered choice list, lock before the deadline, and never miss a reporting window.
If you want a healthcare degree without NEET, evaluate your degree options in parallel with counselling timelines. AY 2026-27 application windows for healthcare programs typically run from June through August, overlapping with NEET counselling.
You can:
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When is the NEET 2026 result expected to be declared?
NTA has not announced an official date. The exam was held on 21 June 2026; based on recent cycles where the result came roughly six weeks after the exam, NEET 2026 results are expected around early August 2026. Track neet.nta.nic.in for the official notification.
What is the NEET 2026 qualifying cut-off?
NTA has not released NEET 2026 cut-offs yet. The qualifying percentile is fixed: 50th percentile for UR/EWS and 40th for SC/ST/OBC. The qualifying mark range varies with paper difficulty. In NEET-UG 2025, UR was 686-144 and SC/ST/OBC was 143-113.
How do I check my NEET 2026 result?
Once declared, log in at neet.nta.nic.in with your application number and date of birth, and download the scorecard. The scorecard is the primary document for MCC and state counselling.
Who conducts NEET counselling?
AIQ, which covers 15% of government MBBS/BDS seats and all Deemed/Central University seats, is conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC). The remaining 85% state quota is conducted separately by each state's Directorate of Medical Education or equivalent body, such as KEA in Karnataka, MahaCET in Maharashtra, and DME in Tamil Nadu.
Is NEET required for BPT in 2026-27?
No. As per the NCAHP letter dated 02 March 2026, NEET for Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) has been deferred to AY 2027-28. For AY 2026-27, BPT applications follow the existing eligibility framework without NEET.
Which healthcare degrees can I pursue without NEET in 2026-27?
Healthcare UG programs such as Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT), Bachelor of Optometry (B.Optom), Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science (B.MLS), Bachelor of Anaesthesia & Operation Theatre Technology (B.AOTT), and Bachelor of Medical Radiology and Imaging Technology (B.MRIT) do not require NEET in AY 2026-27. Eligibility differs by program, so check the relevant course page or speak to a counsellor before applying.
What is the difference between AIQ and state quota counselling?
AIQ, the All India Quota, covers 15% of government MBBS/BDS seats and all Deemed/Central University seats, conducted nationally by MCC. State quota covers the remaining 85% of government seats plus state private/deemed colleges, conducted by each state's own authority with its own domicile and reservation rules.
Salary figures and fee estimates are indicative and may vary based on institution, location, and individual performance. All regulatory information is based on NCAHP communications as of April 2026. Students should verify current details directly with their chosen institution or NCAHP. Eligibility criteria may vary across institutions.
| 12th pass with 40% in all subjects individually; PCB mandatory |
| ₹2.5-3.5 LPA |
| Not required |
| B.Optom (Optometry) | 5 years (4 + 1 internship) | 12th pass with 40% in all subjects individually; minimum 50% in PCB/PCM | ₹2.5-4 LPA | Not required |
| B.MLS (Medical Laboratory Science) | 4 years (3 + 1 internship) | 12th pass with 40% in all subjects individually; PCB mandatory | ₹2.5-3 LPA | Not required |
| Uttar Pradesh |
| UP DGME |
| 85% state quota |
| Among top 3 states by MBBS applicant volume |
| Bihar | Bihar Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board (BCECEB) | 85% state quota | Annual schedule typically lags Tamil Nadu and Karnataka by 1-2 weeks |
