NEET UG 2026 Notification: MBBS, BDS, AYUSH Courses Admission Eligibility Criteria

National Testing Agency (NTA) released the official NEET UG 2026 notification on February 8, 2026, outlining the eligibility and qualifying criteria for admission to MBBS, BDS, and AYUSH undergraduate courses. These rules apply to all NEET UG 2026 aspirants and are framed in accordance with regulations issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC), Dental Council of India (DCI), National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM), and National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH). Understanding these eligibility norms is crucial, as failure to meet the required criteria can lead to disqualification during counselling or admission stages.

Minimum Qualifying Percentile for NEET UG 2026

To qualify for undergraduate medical admissions, candidates must secure the prescribed minimum percentile in NEET UG 2026. General and General-EWS candidates need at least the 50th percentile, while SC, ST, and OBC-NCL candidates must score a minimum of the 40th percentile. For candidates with benchmark disabilities, the requirement is 45th percentile for General/GEN-EWS and 40th percentile for SC/ST/OBC-NCL. These percentiles are calculated based on the highest marks obtained in the All India Merit List.

Provision for Reduction in Cut-Off

If an adequate number of candidates fail to qualify in any category, the Central Government, in consultation with NMC, DCI, NCISM, and NCH, may decide to lower the qualifying percentile. This relaxation, if granted, will be applicable only for the NEET UG 2026 academic year and cannot be treated as a precedent for future examinations.

Special Eligibility Rules for AYUSH Courses

For BUMS (Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery), candidates must have studied Urdu, Arabic, or Persian at the Class 10 level or must clear an approved Urdu test. For BSMS (Bachelor of Siddha Medicine and Surgery), candidates must have studied Tamil in Class 10 or 12, or they must study Tamil during the first professional course. These subject conditions are compulsory and verified at the time of admission.

Appearing Candidates and Provisional Admission

Candidates whose Class 12 results are awaited are allowed to appear for NEET UG 2026 provisionally. However, admission will be confirmed only if they fulfill all eligibility requirements as per Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023, BDS Course Regulations, and relevant AYUSH regulations before the admission deadline.

Applicability to INIs and Merit List Preparation

The same qualifying criteria applicable for MBBS admissions will also apply to Institutes of National Importance (INIs). NTA will prepare the All India Rank (AIR) list based on NEET UG 2026 scores, which will be used for counselling and seat allotment across AIQ, state quota, and other medical institutions.