Every year, NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) decides the future of over a million medical aspirants in India. Students often ask, “How many seats are there in NEET?”
This question hides a bigger truth – seats define opportunity, competition, and strategy. And understanding the NEET seats is as important as cracking the NEET marks.
Read on to have an idea.
What Does NEET Actually Offer?
NEET UG is not just for MBBS. It is the single gateway for admission to undergraduate medical and allied programs across India:
- MBBS: Medicine
- BDS: Dental Surgery
- AYUSH: Ayurvedic, Homoeopathy, Unani, Siddha & other traditional systems
- BVSc & AH: Veterinary science & animal husbandry
So when we talk about NEET seats in India, we are talking far more than just MBBS.
Number of Total Seats in NEET: The Big Picture
Here’s the most recent seat data from the National Testing Agency (NTA), National Medical Commission (NMC) and the Dental Council of India (DCI):
| Program | NEET seats in India (approx) |
| MBBS | 1,27,906 |
| BDS | 27,868 |
| AYUSH (BAMS, BHMS, BNYS, BUMS, BSMS) | 52,720 |
| BVSc & AH | 603 |
These numbers represent seats available across all recognised medical colleges in India.
So if you’re thinking “how many seats are there in NEET?”, the straight answer is:
There are over 2,08,000 medical and allied seats available through NEET UG across India. These include MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and veterinary seats.
How Many MBBS Seats Are There in India?
When most students ask “how many seats are there in NEET?”, they are actually asking:
How many MBBS seats are there in India through NEET?
According to the latest seat matrix released by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), India has:
Approximately 1,29,000+ MBBS seats as of the 2025-26 academic year, after recent expansions by the NMC.
This includes government, private and deemed medical colleges across all states and UTs.
Just to give a snapshot of state-wise distribution:
| State/UT | Total MBBS seats (approx) |
| Karnataka | 12,545 |
| Tamil Nadu | 11,575+ |
| Uttar Pradesh | 9,703+ |
| Maharashtra | 10,695+ |
| Gujarat | 6,900+ |
| Kerala | 4,655+ |
| Bihar | 2,565+ |
| Delhi | 1,497 |
| Data varies slightly by source year and is regularly updated. |
The capacity varies significantly by state, with some states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu leading the chart for MBBS seats.
Why Medical Seat Numbers Matter
Understanding total medical seats in India 2025-26 is not just numbers; it affects:
Competition Level
With over 20+ lakh students appearing for NEET each year, the ratio of aspirants to seats is intense. For example, about 12.36 lakh candidates qualified NEET in 2025, but only around 1,15,900 MBBS seats were available initially.
That means: Only about 1 in 10 qualified candidates secure an MBBS seat in the first round of counselling.
Strategic Planning
Knowing seat numbers:
- Helps you set realistic score goals
- Guides your state vs AIQ choice filling
- Affects college and quota preferences
Seat Expansion Trends
The NMC is expanding medical education every year. For example, over 11,000 new MBBS seats were added recently, pushing India’s total to ~1.29 lakh MBBS seats.
This slow but steady seat increase shows the government’s efforts to bridge the gap but competition remains steep.
Breakdown of NEET Seats by Course
Let’s understand the full spectrum of NEET seats in India.
MBBS (Medicine)
- The most sought-after course
- Around 1.27-1.29 lakh seats nationwide
BDS (Dental Surgery)
- Nearly 27,868 seats in dental colleges
AYUSH Programs
AYUSH includes:
- BAMS (Ayurveda)
- BHMS (Homoeopathy)
- BNYS (Naturopathy & Yoga)
- BUMS (Unani)
- BSMS (Siddha)
Total AYUSH seats: ~52,720
BVSc & AH (Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry)
- A smaller but essential field
- 603 seats available
NEET Seats and Quotas
Understanding distribution helps you plan:
- 15% All India Quota (AIQ): Seats open to candidates from anywhere in India.
- 85% State Quota: Seats reserved for domicile candidates in each state.
- Deemed, Central, and Private Quota: Including management, NRI and minority seats.
This mix determines how many seats you can realistically aim for based on rank and category.
How Many Seats Are There in NEET vs Candidates?
To put competition into perspective:
- ~20+ lakh aspirants register for NEET UG each year
- Only about 2+ lakh NEET seats exist across all courses
- MBBS seats alone hover around 1.2 lakh-1.3 lakh
The gap between seats and candidates is real and keeps rising every year.
Conclusion
So, if you are still wondering “how many seats are there in NEET?”, here is the short answer:
India has over 2,08,000 medical and allied seats through NEET UG. This includes:
- ~1.27-1.29 lakh MBBS seats
- ~27,868 BDS seats
- ~52,720 AYUSH seats
- ~603 BVSc & AH seats
These seats are spread across government, private and deemed colleges, and are allocated through AIQ, state quotas and other channels.
Understanding total medical seats in India 2025-26 helps you set the right expectations, plan exam strategy, and make informed counselling choices.
FAQs
1. How many seats are there in NEET overall?
India offers over 2,08,000 medical & allied seats through NEET UG, including MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and BVSc & AH.
2. What is the total number of MBBS seats in India?
As of the latest seat matrix, ~1.27-1.29 lakh MBBS seats are available through NEET.
3. How many NEET seats are there for dental courses?
There are approximately 27,868 BDS seats in dental colleges across India.
4. Do AYUSH programs add up to the total NEET seats?
Yes, AYUSH courses like BAMS, BHMS, BNYS, BUMS and BSMS contribute around 52,720 seats.
5. Has the number of seats in NEET increased in recent years?
Yes. Over 11,000 new MBBS seats were added recently, pushing total MBBS seats to ~1.29 lakh.
