NEET-UG 2026 results out: 11.21 lakh qualify, women lead with 56.8% pass rate
Synopsis
Over 11.21 lakh students cleared NEET-UG 2026 — but the headline number masks a sharper story: women outqualified men for another consecutive year, and 93 per cent of the top scorers were first-time test-takers, signalling that India's medical aspirants are arriving younger, better-prepared, and increasingly female.
Key Takeaways
NTA declared NEET-UG 2026 results on 16 July 2026 ; 11.21 lakh candidates qualified out of nearly 20 lakh who appeared.
Women accounted for more than 58% of qualifiers and posted a higher pass rate ( 56.8% ) than men ( 55.1% ).
The highest score of 715 out of 720 was jointly achieved by Aryan Gupta (Punjab) and Panshul Bansal (Haryana).
19 candidates crossed the 700-mark ; 93% of the top 138 scorers appeared for NEET for the first time.
Uttar Pradesh led with over 1.7 lakh qualifiers ; Lakshadweep had the fewest at 43 .
Counselling will be handled by the MCC and state bodies; candidates warned against admission fraud.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) declared the NEET-UG 2026 results on Thursday, 16 July 2026, with 11.21 lakh candidates qualifying for admission to undergraduate medical, dental, AYUSH and allied health programmes across India. The results were released on schedule to keep counselling and admissions on track.
Scale of the Examination
This year's NEET-UG was conducted at a historic scale — nearly 20 lakh candidates appeared across 5,440 centres in 551 cities within India and 14 international locations. The exam was administered in 13 languages, reflecting the country's linguistic diversity and the exam's widening reach.
Women Outperform Men in Qualification Rate
Women candidates have once again emerged as the stronger cohort, accounting for more than 58 per cent of the total qualified pool. Notably, 56.8 per cent of women who appeared cleared the test, compared to 55.1 per cent of male candidates — a gap that underscores a consistent trend of female outperformance in NEET over recent years. The majority of top performers were aged between 17 and 19 years.
Top Scorers and Geographic Spread
A total of 138 candidates scored above 690 marks out of 720, with 93 per cent of them appearing for NEET for the first time. Nineteen candidates crossed the 700-mark threshold. The highest score of 715 was jointly achieved by Aryan Gupta from Punjab and Panshul Bansal from Haryana.
The top 17 candidates — all scoring above 705 marks — represent eight states: Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. Top rankers are spread across 66 cities, illustrating the nationwide competitive depth.
State-wise and Category-wise Performance
Uttar Pradesh led all states with more than 1.7 lakh qualifiers, while Lakshadweep recorded the lowest at 43. Notable state toppers include Jigmet Yangchan Lamo from Ladakh with 530 marks, Dhruv Tripathi from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with 606 marks, and Fahmida Anees from Lakshadweep with 573 marks. Seventeen state toppers scored 700 or above.
Category-wise, 5.12 lakh candidates qualified under OBC-NCL, 2.91 lakh under the General category, 1.59 lakh under SC, and 63,716 under the ST quota. Results also include cut-offs for General-EWS, Persons with Benchmark Disabilities, and Third Gender candidates.
What Candidates Must Do Next
The NTA has clarified that while it conducts the examination and publishes results, counselling and seat allotment are managed by state authorities, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), and the Ayush Admissions Central Counseling Committee (AACCC). Candidates are advised to use only official portals — the NTA NEET portal, MCC portal, and state counselling websites — for verified information.
The agency has also cautioned against fraudulent calls or messages promising admissions or seat blocking, urging candidates to report suspicious activity to neetug2026@nta.ac.in or call 011-40759000. With counselling set to begin shortly, the next critical milestone for over 11 lakh aspirants is securing a seat in the medical programme of their choice.
Point of View
Yet medical college seat allocation, hostel infrastructure, and rural posting policies have not kept pace with this demographic shift. The 93 per cent first-attempt rate among top scorers also challenges the narrative that repeat coaching-centre candidates dominate NEET's upper echelons. What the results do not tell us is how many of these 11.21 lakh qualifiers will actually secure a seat — with roughly 1.08 lakh MBBS seats available nationally, the bottleneck lies not in the exam but in capacity, and that is the policy failure no topper list can obscure.
NationPress
17 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When were the NEET-UG 2026 results declared?
The NEET-UG 2026 results were declared on Thursday, 16 July 2026, by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The results were published on schedule to ensure counselling and admissions could proceed without delay.
How many candidates qualified in NEET-UG 2026?
A total of 11.21 lakh candidates qualified in NEET-UG 2026 out of nearly 20 lakh who appeared. Qualified candidates are eligible for admission to undergraduate medical, dental, AYUSH, and allied health programmes.
Who topped NEET-UG 2026 and what was the highest score?
The highest score of 715 out of 720 was jointly achieved by Aryan Gupta from Punjab and Panshul Bansal from Haryana. Nineteen candidates in total crossed the 700-mark threshold.
Did women outperform men in NEET-UG 2026?
Yes. Women accounted for more than 58 per cent of all qualified candidates and recorded a higher pass rate of 56.8 per cent, compared to 55.1 per cent for male candidates. This continues a multi-year trend of female outperformance in the exam.
How does NEET-UG 2026 counselling work and where should candidates apply?
Counselling and seat allotment are not conducted by the NTA. They are managed by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for central institutions and by respective state authorities for state-quota seats. Candidates should use only official portals — the NTA NEET portal, MCC portal, and state counselling websites — and avoid responding to any calls or messages promising admissions, which the NTA has flagged as fraudulent.
