The National Testing Agency has declared the NEET UG 2026 result, bringing an end to the long wait for nearly 20 lakh medical aspirants. The result was announced on July 16, 2026, following the examination conducted on June 21.
According to the official announcement, 11.21 lakh candidates qualified for admission to undergraduate medical, dental, AYUSH and allied programmes. The examination was held at 5,440 centres across 551 cities in India and 14 cities outside the country.
The highest score in NEET UG 2026 was 715 out of 720, achieved by Aryan Gupta from Punjab and Panshul Bansal from Haryana. While both candidates obtained the same marks, the official merit list placed Aryan Gupta at All India Rank 1 and Panshul Bansal at All India Rank 2 based on the prescribed tie-breaking criteria.
NEET UG 2026 Result: Key Highlights
NEET UG 2026 witnessed participation from candidates across all 36 States and Union Territories. The examination was conducted in 13 languages, including English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.
Here are some of the major result statistics:
- Close to 20 lakh candidates appeared for the examination.
- Approximately 11.21 lakh candidates qualified.
- Nineteen candidates scored above 700 marks.
- A total of 138 candidates scored more than 690 marks.
- Around 1,492 candidates scored 650 or above.
- As many as 10,160 candidates obtained at least 600 marks.
- A total of 90,780 candidates scored 500 or more.
The NTA also revealed that more than 93 per cent of the candidates who scored above 690 were appearing for NEET UG for the first time. About 99 per cent of these high-scoring candidates were between 17 and 19 years of age.
NEET UG 2026 Toppers
Aryan Gupta from Punjab secured AIR 1 with 715 marks and a percentile score of 99.9999. Panshul Bansal from Haryana also scored 715 and secured AIR 2.
Uplakshya Goyal of Rajasthan obtained AIR 3, followed by Ayush Bhalotia of Bihar at AIR 4. Kudale Shravani Krishna from Maharashtra emerged as the highest-ranked female candidate by securing AIR 5. Riya Ranjan from Bihar secured AIR 6.
Other candidates in the top ranks included Aryan Dubey from Uttar Pradesh, Geetansh Sarin from Punjab, Gaurav Singh from Rajasthan and Mohanish Maruti Bhosale from Maharashtra.
The 138 candidates who scored above 690 came from 66 cities across the country. The top 17 rank holders who scored more than 705 represented eight states: Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. This geographical spread indicates that high-performing candidates emerged from several regions rather than being concentrated in only a few coaching hubs.
Women Account for More Than 58% of Qualified Candidates
One of the most significant highlights of the NEET UG 2026 result was the performance of female candidates. Women accounted for more than 58 per cent of all qualified candidates.
The qualification rate among women was also higher than that among men. According to the NTA, 56.8 per cent of the women who appeared qualified, compared with 55.1 per cent of male candidates.
Category-Wise Qualified Candidates
The category-wise qualification data released by the NTA shows that OBC-NCL candidates formed the largest group of successful students.
The approximate number of qualified candidates was:
- OBC-NCL: 5.12 lakh
- General: 2.91 lakh
- SC: 1.59 lakh
- Gen-EWS: 95,026
- ST: 63,716
- PwBD: 3,666
- PwD: 303
Candidates must understand that qualifying NEET UG does not automatically guarantee admission to an MBBS or BDS programme. Admission depends on All India Rank, category, domicile requirements, college preferences, seat availability and the closing ranks recorded during different counselling rounds.
How to Download the NEET UG 2026 Scorecard
Candidates can download their scorecards from the official NEET UG portal. The scorecard link has been activated under the candidate activity section of the website.
Follow these steps:
- Visit the official NEET UG portal.
- Select the NEET UG 2026 scorecard link.
- Enter your application number and date of birth.
- Fill in the displayed security pin.
- Submit the details to view the result.
- Download and save the scorecard.
- Print multiple copies for counselling and document verification.
The scorecard generally contains the candidate’s name, roll number, application number, subject-wise marks, total marks, percentile score, All India Rank, category rank and qualification status.
Candidates should carefully verify all the information printed on the scorecard. Any discrepancy in personal or academic details should be reported to the NTA at the earliest.
What Happens After the NEET UG 2026 Result?
The next major stage for qualified candidates is NEET UG counselling.
The Medical Counselling Committee conducts counselling for the All India Quota in MBBS and BDS. It also manages counselling for participating central institutions, deemed universities, AIIMS and JIPMER. State counselling authorities are responsible for state-quota seats and institutions under their respective jurisdictions.
Candidates should start arranging their documents before counselling registration begins. The commonly required documents include:
- NEET UG 2026 scorecard
- NEET UG admit card
- Class 10 certificate
- Class 12 marksheet and passing certificate
- Valid identity proof
- Passport-size photographs
- Category certificate, where applicable
- Domicile certificate
- Disability certificate, where applicable
- Provisional allotment letter
The exact document requirements may differ between the All India Quota and state counselling authorities.
Prepare a Balanced College Preference List
Choice filling is one of the most important parts of NEET counselling. Candidates should avoid selecting colleges only by name or popularity.
While preparing a preference list, students should compare previous closing ranks, tuition fees, location, hospital patient flow, clinical exposure, infrastructure, hostel facilities, service bonds and postgraduate preparation opportunities.
A balanced preference list should include aspirational colleges, institutions matching the candidate’s expected rank range and safer options with relatively accessible closing ranks.
Candidates should also fill as many acceptable choices as possible. Entering only a few highly competitive colleges can reduce the chances of securing a seat during the initial counselling rounds.
Candidates Warned Against Admission Fraud
The NTA has advised students to rely only on official result and counselling portals. Candidates should avoid agents, unofficial websites and messages that promise admission, score improvement or seat blocking in return for money.
The NTA does not contact candidates to request money, passwords, banking information or one-time passwords. Suspicious calls and messages should be reported through the official NTA channels.
NEET UG 2026 Result Marks the Beginning of the Admission Process
The declaration of the NEET UG 2026 result is an important milestone for medical aspirants, but it is also the beginning of a detailed admission journey.
Aryan Gupta and Panshul Bansal have set the benchmark with 715 marks, while more than 11.21 lakh qualified candidates will now compete in national and state counselling rounds.
Students should download their scorecards, arrange the required documents, research colleges and monitor official counselling notifications. Timely registration, accurate information and careful choice filling will be essential for converting a NEET UG rank into an admission.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When was the NEET UG 2026 result declared?
The National Testing Agency declared the NEET UG 2026 result on July 16, 2026. The final answer key was also published on the same date.
2. Who secured AIR 1 in NEET UG 2026?
Aryan Gupta from Punjab secured AIR 1 with 715 marks. Panshul Bansal from Haryana also obtained 715 marks but was placed at AIR 2 based on the applicable tie-breaking rules.
3. How many candidates qualified for NEET UG 2026?
Approximately 11.21 lakh candidates qualified out of close to 20 lakh candidates who appeared for the examination.
4. What was the highest score in NEET UG 2026?
The highest score was 715 out of 720, obtained by Aryan Gupta and Panshul Bansal.
5. What should candidates do after qualifying for NEET UG 2026?
Qualified candidates should download their scorecards, arrange counselling documents and register for the relevant All India Quota or state counselling process. They should follow only official NTA, MCC and state counselling notifications.