{"id":305323,"date":"2026-07-17T09:49:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T04:19:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aakash.ac.in\/blog\/?p=305323"},"modified":"2026-07-17T09:49:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T04:19:12","slug":"neet-ug-key-data-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aakash.ac.in\/blog\/neet-ug-key-data-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"NEET UG Key Data Points 2019\u20132026: What NTA’s Official Numbers Reveal"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Updated: July 2026 | Source: National Testing Agency (NTA) Official Data<\/span><\/p>\n

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Every year, lakhs of students across India compete in NEET UG for a seat in medical college \u2014 but behind every exam is a set of numbers that tell a bigger story about competition, trends, and opportunity. The National Testing Agency (NTA)<\/strong> recently released its official Key Data Points of NEET (UG)<\/strong> report, covering registration, participation, and qualification data from 2019 to 2026.<\/p>\n

In this article, we break down these numbers in a simple, easy-to-understand way \u2014 so students and parents can see exactly how NEET UG has evolved, where the competition stands today, and what it means for NEET 2027 aspirants.<\/p>\n

Quick Snapshot \u2013 NEET UG 2026<\/strong>
\nRegistered: 22,79,743 \u00a0|\u00a0 Appeared: 19,99,895 \u00a0|\u00a0 Qualified: 11,21,185<\/div>\n

1. NEET UG Registration Trend (2019\u20132026)<\/h2>\n

NEET UG registrations have grown steadily over the years, with a few notable dips and spikes. Here’s how the numbers have moved:<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Year<\/th>\nRegistered<\/th>\nAppeared<\/th>\nAbsent<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
2019<\/td>\n15,19,375<\/td>\n14,10,755<\/td>\n1,08,620<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2020<\/td>\n15,97,435<\/td>\n13,66,945<\/td>\n2,30,490<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2021<\/td>\n16,14,777<\/td>\n15,44,273<\/td>\n70,504<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2022<\/td>\n18,72,343<\/td>\n17,64,571<\/td>\n1,07,772<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2023<\/td>\n20,87,462<\/td>\n20,38,596<\/td>\n48,866<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2024<\/td>\n24,06,079<\/td>\n23,33,297<\/td>\n72,782<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2025<\/td>\n22,76,069<\/td>\n22,09,318<\/td>\n66,751<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026<\/td>\n22,79,743<\/td>\n19,99,895<\/td>\n2,79,848<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

The peak came in 2024, with over 24 lakh registrations. While registrations have slightly stabilised since, 2026 saw a sharp jump in the number of absentees (2,79,848), the highest in the eight-year dataset \u2014 a trend worth watching for future exam-day preparedness and stress management guidance.<\/p>\n

2. Gender-Wise Participation: The Female Lead Continues<\/h2>\n

One of the clearest patterns in NEET UG data is the consistently higher participation and qualification rate among female candidates.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Gender<\/th>\nRegistered 2026<\/th>\nAppeared 2026<\/th>\nQualified 2026<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Male<\/td>\n9,46,815<\/td>\n8,47,732<\/td>\n4,67,134<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Female<\/td>\n13,32,914<\/td>\n11,52,152<\/td>\n6,54,049<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Third Gender<\/td>\n14<\/td>\n11<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Female candidates make up nearly 58% of total NEET UG 2026 registrations and account for close to 59% of all qualified candidates \u2014 a gap that has widened consistently since 2019.<\/p>\n

3. Category-Wise Qualification Numbers (2025 vs 2026)<\/h2>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Category<\/th>\nQualified 2025<\/th>\nQualified 2026<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
General<\/td>\n3,38,728<\/td>\n2,91,133<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
OBC<\/td>\n5,64,611<\/td>\n5,12,014<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SC<\/td>\n1,68,873<\/td>\n1,59,296<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ST<\/td>\n67,234<\/td>\n63,716<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
EWS<\/td>\n97,085<\/td>\n95,026<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

OBC candidates continue to form the single largest qualified group, consistent with their share in overall registrations.<\/p>\n

4. NEET UG Qualifying Cutoff Trend (2024\u20132026)<\/h2>\n

The qualifying percentile criteria remain unchanged (50th percentile for UR\/EWS, 40th for SC\/ST\/OBC), but the actual marks range required has shifted year to year based on difficulty level and normalisation:<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Category<\/th>\nNEET 2024 Marks Range<\/th>\nNEET 2025 Marks Range<\/th>\nNEET 2026 Marks Range<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
UR\/EWS<\/td>\n162\u2013720<\/td>\n144\u2013686<\/td>\n213\u2013715<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
OBC \/ SC \/ ST<\/td>\n127\u2013161<\/td>\n113\u2013143<\/td>\n177\u2013212<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Total qualified candidates dropped from 12,36,531 in 2025 to 11,21,185 in 2026 \u2014 a decline of over 1.15 lakh, despite similar registration numbers, pointing to a tougher paper or stricter normalisation this year.<\/p>\n

5. State-Wise Snapshot: Where NEET UG Aspirants Come From<\/h2>\n

Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan continue to be the top three states by NEET UG registration volume:<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
State<\/th>\nRegistered 2026<\/th>\nQualified 2026<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Uttar Pradesh<\/td>\n3,56,079<\/td>\n1,70,770<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Maharashtra<\/td>\n2,22,849<\/td>\n1,07,304<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rajasthan<\/td>\n2,08,583<\/td>\n1,33,140<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bihar<\/td>\n1,52,924<\/td>\n68,968<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Karnataka<\/td>\n1,45,852<\/td>\n65,901<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tamil Nadu<\/td>\n1,42,494<\/td>\n61,306<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Interestingly, Rajasthan’s qualification rate (nearly 64%) is notably stronger than Uttar Pradesh’s (~48%) and Maharashtra’s (~48%), despite lower registration numbers \u2014 reflecting the depth of coaching infrastructure and preparation ecosystem in the state.<\/p>\n

6. Key Takeaways for NEET 2027 Aspirants<\/h2>\n