Total medical colleges in 2026 will be around 605. Among these, which are the ideal colleges to target for NEET 2026 is an important question. It is crucial to know which colleges to target based on your NEET 2026 score to plan your strategy accordingly. There are approximately 1,09,170 medical seats across India for NEET 2026 aspirants.
AIIMS Delhi medical college and JIPMER in Puducherry, as well as BHU are the top 3 government medical colleges which NEET 2026 aspirants may set as a target. On the other hand, CMC Vellore and Dr. D.Y. Patil College along with Sri Ramachandra Institute are among the top private medical colleges for NEET 2026 aspirants to set as a target for admissions.
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Top Government Medical Colleges to Target for NEET 2026
Below is a list of top government sector medical colleges to target for NEET 2026 which include widely recognized institutional names such as AIIMS in New Delhi, JIPMER in Puducherry, BHU in Varanasi and more.
| List of Top Government Medical Colleges to Target for NEET 2026 | |
| Names of Colleges | Names of Colleges |
| AIIMS Delhi | Aligarh Muslim University |
| JIPMER Puducherry | Lady Hardinge Medical College, University of Delhi |
| Banaras Hindu University | Armed Forces Medical College |
| Madras Medical College, Chennai | AIIMS Bhopal |
| AIIMS Rishikesh | University College of Medical Sciences, University of Delhi |
| AIIMS Jodhpur | GMCH Chandigarh, Government Medical College and Hospital |
| Vardhman Mahavir Medical College | AIIMS Raipur |
| King George’s Medical University | S.M.S Medical College |
| Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research | Medical College |
| Maulana Azad Medical College, University of Delhi | Christian Medical College & Hospital Ludhiana |
| AIIMS Patna | Pt. Bhagwat Dayal Sharma, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences |
Top Private Medical Colleges to Target for NEET 2026
The table under highlights the names of all the top private medical colleges to target for NEET 2026. While some of these medical colleges have a high competition for medical seats, others are easier to get into.
| List of Top Private Medical Colleges to Target for NEET 2026 | |
| Names of Colleges | Names of Colleges |
| CMC Vellore | Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal, Mangalore Academy of Higher Education |
| Dr. D.Y. Patil College of Ayurved and Research Centre | Dayanand Medical College and Hospital |
| SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre | PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research |
| Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research | M S Ramaih Medical College |
| St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences | |
How to Choose the Best Medical Colleges After NEET 2026
Students preparing for the NEET 2026 exam must also plan ahead for the medical colleges which they want to study in. To do this properly, students must be through with the process on how to choose the best medical colleges after NEET 2026.
For choosing the most suitable medical colleges based on your NEET 2026 score, students must know all the factors which are important to consider in the context of colleges. Check the below list of factors which are important to consider while carefully choosing the best medical colleges after NEET 2026.
| Factors to Consider While Choosing Target Colleges for NEET 2026 | |
| Factors | Details |
| Infrastructure | Your target college must have a decent infrastructure with all the essentials blocks and labs. |
| Facilities | The selected college must include all the important facilities such as a first care unit, hostel, gym, etc. |
| Faculty | Your target college faculty must be experienced with the right set of skills and qualifications. |
| Ranking | Selected colleges must have a good NIRF rank with a history of maintaining that rank. |
| Fees | College fees depend on courses, it is important to set those colleges as targets for which you or your guardians are able to easily afford the fees. |
| Location | The location of the college should be closer to your home so as to avoid wasting time while travelling. |
| Exposure | Ensure that the chosen college provides proper clinical exposure. |
| Recognition | College must be recognized by authoritative institutions such as NMC, etc. |
| Accreditation | These colleges must be accredited by proper accreditation bodies. |
| Seats | The number of available seats must be higher to improve your chances of selection. |
| Cutoff | Check and ensure that the cutoff trends for the chosen target college are close to your achievable marks range. |
| Placement | The target college must have a decent placement record to guarantee a job after completion of your course. |
Top Medical Colleges in India With NEET Cutoff 2026
Below is the expected NEET 2026 cutoff for students categories including General, EWS, SC, ST, etc. The cutoff marks range between 127-720 for all categories of students including general candidates. Check the table below for more details on top medical colleges in India with expected NEET cutoff 2026.
| Top Medical Colleges in India With NEET Cutoff 2026 | ||
| Category | NEET 2026 Cutoff Percentile | NEET 2026 Marks |
| General | 50th | 720-162 |
| EWS | 50th | 720-162 |
| OBC | 40th | 163-129 |
| SC | 40th | 163-129 |
| ST | 40th | 163-129 |
| General PH | 45th | 161-144 |
| EWS PH | 45th | 161-144 |
| ST PH | 40th | 143-127 |
| SC PH | 40th | 143-127 |
| OBC PH | 40th | 143-127 |
Top Medical Colleges to Target for NEET 2026 With Fees
Fees is an important factor to consider when deciding a target college for NEET 2026. The fees for government as well as private sector colleges range between ₹5000-₹10,00,000 per annum. Check the table under for knowing the top medical colleges to target for NEET 2026 with fees.
| Top Medical Colleges to Target for NEET 2026 in India With Fees | |
| Name of the College | Fee Range |
| AIIMS Delhi | ₹5000-₹6000 |
| Banaras Hindu University | ₹3000 – ₹37,320 |
| GMC, Thiruvananthapuram | ₹17,370 – ₹1,60,350 |
| Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies | ₹65,000 – ₹10,00,000 |
| IGMER Kolkata | ₹1,100 – ₹36,000 |
| GMCH Chandigarh | ₹25,000 – ₹95,000 |
| UCMS, New Delhi | ₹13,000 – ₹39,000 |
| King’s International Medical Academy | ₹6,50,000 |
| Government Medical College, Nagpur | ₹8,800 – ₹1,56,000 |
| GMC, Amritsar | ₹1,50,000 – ₹4,50,000 |
| GRMC, Gwalior | ₹35,000 – ₹3,65,000 |
| GMC, Patiala | ₹6,300 – ₹4,50,000 |
FAQs
The top medical colleges to target for NEET 2026 include AIIMS Delhi, Aligarh Muslim University, JIPMER Puducherry, Lady Hardinge Medical College, University of Delhi, CMC Vellore, PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, and M S Ramaih Medical College.
The top 3 top government medical colleges to target for NEET 2026 are AIIMS Delhi, JIPMER Puducherry, and BHU.
The top 3 top private medical colleges to target for NEET 2026 are CMC Vellore, Dr. D.Y. Patil College of Ayurved and Research Centre and the SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre.