
How Many Students Registered for NEET 2026: The NEET 2026 registration process is currently ongoing, and the deadline to submit the application form has been extended to 11 March 2026. Because the registration window is still open, the exact NEET 2026 registration numbers have not yet been officially announced.
However, based on early reports and past trends, it is estimated that around 22 lakh students have already applied for NEET 2026, and the final total candidates for NEET 2026 may reach 23 to 24 lakh once the application window closes.
These numbers are currently estimated figures compiled from multiple sources. The National Testing Agency (NTA) will publish the official NEET 2026 exam registration data on its official website after the completion of the exam process.
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET UG) is the largest medical entrance examination in India. It determines admission to undergraduate medical courses such as MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other allied healthcare programmes.
As of early March 2026, the NEET 2026 number of applicants is estimated to be around 22 lakh candidates. Since the application window remains open until 11 March 2026, the final count is likely to increase.
The official NEET 2026 registration statistics will be released by NTA after the examination process is completed.
The number of students appearing for NEET UG has consistently grown over the years. This shows the increasing popularity and competition for medical seats in India. The year-wise NEET registration trend provides a clear picture of this growth. Here is a look at the total NEET registrations from previous years:
|
Year-wise NEET Registration Trend |
|
|---|---|
|
Year |
Total NEET Registrations
|
|
2026 |
To be Updated |
|
2025 |
22,76,069 |
|
2024 |
24,06,079 |
|
2023 |
20,87,462 |
|
2022 |
18,72,343 |
|
2021 |
16,14,777 |
The NTA also releases category-wise data for registered candidates. While the full breakdown for NEET 2026 registration statistics is awaited, we can observe patterns from past years. This data helps understand the distribution of total NEET aspirants 2026 across different reservation categories.
|
NEET 2026 exam registration data |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Category |
2025 Registrations |
2024 Registrations
|
|
OBC |
9,48,507 |
10,54,277 |
|
SC |
3,33,646 |
3,56,727 |
|
ST |
1,50,224 |
1,57,115 |
|
General |
6,89,366 |
6,47,260 |
|
EWS |
1,54,326 |
1,90,700 |
|
Total |
22,76,069 |
24,06,079 |
Beyond categories, the NEET 2026 applicant count in India also includes gender and nationality details. This helps in understanding the diverse pool of candidates. For NEET 2025, a significant number of female candidates registered, often outnumbering males. Most applicants are Indian nationals.
|
NEET 2026 registration statistics |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Gender/Nationality |
Registered (2025) |
Appeared (2025)
|
|
Male |
9,65,996 |
9,37,411 |
|
Female |
13,10,062 |
12,71,896 |
|
Third Gender |
11 |
11 |
|
Indian |
22,73,528 |
22,06,968 |
|
Foreign Nationals |
939 |
870 |
|
NRI |
741 |
694 |
|
OCI |
61 |
786 |