BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, July 16: The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Thursday declared the results of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) 2026, with 11.21 lakh candidates qualifying for admission to undergraduate medical, dental, AYUSH and allied courses across the country.
The results have been announced in time for the commencement of the medical admission and counselling process, ensuring that the academic calendar remains on schedule.
According to the NTA, nearly 20 lakh candidates appeared for NEET (UG) 2026, which was conducted on June 21 at 5,440 examination centres spread across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad. The examination was held in 13 languages, making it one of the country’s largest and most linguistically diverse entrance examinations.
A notable feature of this year’s results is the strong performance of women candidates. More than 58 per cent of the qualified candidates are women, underlining their growing representation in medical education.
The agency said candidates from all 36 States and Union Territories have qualified, reflecting the nationwide reach of the examination.
High Scores and First-Time Success
The NTA revealed that 138 candidates scored above 690 marks out of the maximum 720.
Of these top performers:
- More than 93 per cent appeared for NEET for the first time.
- Nearly 99 per cent are between 17 and 19 years of age, highlighting the strong performance of first-time aspirants fresh out of school.
The majority of the country’s highest-scoring candidates also fall within the 17-19 age group, indicating that younger aspirants continue to dominate the merit list.
State-Wise Performance
Qualified candidates emerged from every corner of the country, ranging from over 1.7 lakh successful candidates in Uttar Pradesh to 43 qualifiers from Lakshadweep.
Among the notable state toppers are:
- Jigmet Yangchan Lamo (Ladakh) – 530 marks
- Dhruv Tripathi (Andaman and Nicobar Islands) – 606 marks
- Fahmida Anees (Lakshadweep) – 573 marks
The NTA also noted that every North-Eastern state has produced a state topper this year.
As many as 17 state toppers scored 700 marks or above, while 26 state toppers secured more than 690 marks.
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Top Rankers Across India
The 138 top rankers come from 66 cities across the country, underscoring the geographical diversity of high-performing candidates.
The top 17 candidates, who scored more than 705 marks, represent eight states:
- Punjab
- Haryana
- Rajasthan
- Uttar Pradesh
- Maharashtra
- Bihar
- Tamil Nadu
- Telangana
The distribution indicates that excellence in NEET continues to emerge from multiple regions rather than being concentrated in a handful of metropolitan centres.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) declares the result of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), NEET (UG) 2026. The result has been declared in time so that the medical-admission and counselling calendar for candidates stays on track.
11.21 lakh candidates… https://t.co/Xu8GzS1YCc pic.twitter.com/DeEXHfZgDk
— ANI (@ANI) July 16, 2026
Scorecards Available Online
The NTA has uploaded individual scorecards on the official NEET website. It has also published the complete list of All India Rank holders, state toppers, category-wise toppers (SC, ST, OBC-NCL, Gen-EWS, PwBD and PwD), cut-off marks, and language-wise participation statistics.
The timely declaration of results paves the way for the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) and respective state authorities to begin the counselling and seat allocation process for MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and allied undergraduate courses.
With more than 11 lakh qualified candidates competing for limited medical seats across government and private institutions, the counselling process is expected to witness intense competition in the coming weeks.
