If you are dreaming of becoming a doctor then the first step is cracking the NEET exam, but there is one question that is always there in the mind of aspirants which is: What are the NEET Passing Marks and how many marks do students need for MBBS in a government college?
With the NEET exam total marks set at 720, knowing the passing marks in NEET out of 720, NEET pass mark, and the minimum marks required in NEET for MBBS in government colleges becomes important for every medical aspirant. Whereas the NEET qualifying marks decide whether you are eligible to appear for NEET counselling or not, the actual game begins with the cutoffs of top medical colleges. In this blog we will be talking about NEET passing marks, past year trends, category-wise passing marks in NEET exam as well as the safe score that you should aim for securing a seat in the government medical college.
So, understanding the NEET exam pass mark not only helps in planning for the exam preparation but along with that gives you a clarity so that you should aim high. As the competition is high, clearing the NEET passing marks won’t be enough. You need to aim to go above than passing marks to secure a dream seat in the government medical colleges in MBBS. It is important to understand the expected NEET Passing Marks in 2026 so to manage our NEET exam preparation strategically and see how these marks affect your chances of securing an MBBS seat in the exam.
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What is NEET Passing Marks?
The NEET passing marks means the minimum score that candidate or student must obtain in the NEET exam to qualify their result for the counselling process. In simple words, these are the NEET exam pass marks that decide whether a student or candidate is eligible to pursue a medical degree in India or abroad.
Since the NEET exam total marks are 720, the passing marks in NEET out of 720 usually ranges between 686-144 as for the general category students whereas 143-113 ranges for the OBC/SC/ST category candidates. The range is basically decided by the National Testing Agency (NTA) and every year it depends on various factors like difficulty level of the exam as well as the number of candidates appearing for the NEET exam.
It is important for candidates or aspirants to understand the NEET passing marks criteria which only mean qualifying the exam. To actually secure a medical seat in college, especially a MBBS seat in the premiere government college requires a high score. For example, if any candidate may qualify the NEET exam with just NEET passing marks but the minimum marks required to secure a prestigious seat goes above 600 in a government medical college for general category students, then just qualifying marks does not works for them.
NEET Exam Total Marks & Marking Scheme
The NEET exam total marks are 720 and the paper follows a strict marking system to main competition and every student needs to understand before targeting the NEET passing marks. So, according to the latest NEET marking scheme, each correct answer will carry +4 marks whereas every wrong answer carries the deduction of 1 mark as we are expecting the same pattern in NEET 2026 exam too. The NEET exam pass mark is basically decided on the basis of marking scheme and it also affects the NEET qualifying marks every year.
The expected NEET 2026 question paper consists of 180 MCQs that must be attempted by the students in 3 hours (180 minutes). These questions are from various categories spread across Biology, Chemistry as well as Physics. Biology section is again further divided into two sections Botany and Zoology. Here is a detailed information table mentioned below about the expected NEET marking scheme 2026.
| NEET UG Sections | Number of Questions | Marks |
| Physics | 45 | 180 |
| Chemistry | 45 | 180 |
| Biology (Botany + Zoology) | 90 | 360 |
| Total | 180 | 720 |
It is important for aspirants or students to understand the NEET marking scheme and the NEET exam total marks because it explains well how the passing marks in NEET out of 720 are calculated by the authority. Whereas the NEET pass mark (qualifying score) ensure candidates that the minimum marks required in NEET for MBBS in a government college is very high and especially talking about the general category students carries 600+.
NEET Passing Marks vs NEET Cutoff Marks
This section covers the comparison table for the NEET passing marks vs NEET cutoff marks.
| NEET Passing Marks | NEET Cutoff Marks |
| The minimum marks which is required to pass NEET exam and become eligible for admission counselling | The minimum marks required to get a seat in a medical college |
| To qualify the NEET exam and get included in the merit list | To secure admission into MBBS/BDS and other medical courses. |
| (NTA) based on percentile criteria | Depends on college, category, and seat availability |
| Fixed percentile-based every year (example- 50th percentile for General) | Variable marks that change every year |
| Only ensures you are eligible for counselling | Decides whether you actually get admission |
| A large number of candidates qualify every year | Only a limited number score above cutoff to get seats |
Passing Marks in NEET Out of 720
The passing marks in NEET out of 720 means the minimum cutoff marks which is required to qualify NEET UG exam. Every year, NTA releases the NEET qualifying percentile and cutoff scores across various categories. These NEET passing marks are the required scores for candidates to become eligible for counselling part. Your qualifying or passing marks in NEET exam makes you eligible to participate in the admission process but actually securing admission to MBBS seats in government medical colleges require high scores.
NEET Passing Marks 2026 (Expected Cutoff) – Category-wise
| Category | Qualifying Percentile | NEET Passing Marks (Out of 720) |
| UR / EWS | 50th Percentile | 686 – 144 |
| OBC | 40th Percentile | 143 – 129 |
| SC | 40th Percentile | 142 – 129 |
| ST | 40th Percentile | 141 – 129 |
| UR / EWS – PwD | 45th Percentile | 143 – 129 |
| OBC / SC / ST – PwD | 40th Percentile | 128 – 129 |
Minimum Marks Required in NEET for MBBS in Government College
Getting admission for an MBBS seat in a government medical college requires a score above the NEET passing marks. Whereas NEET qualifying marks only help you to sit in the process but the actual minimum marks required in NEET for MBBS in government colleges are much higher because of limited seats and high competition. Generally candidates from the General or UR category need to score more than 600 out of 720 to get a MBBS seat in the top government medical colleges whereas reserved category students like OBC/SC/ST require a little less score to get an MBBS seat in comparison to general category students.
Note: The numbers may differ based on multiple factors like difficulty level of exam, number of candidates and the cutoff.
NEET Passing Marks for Different Categories
This section covers the NEET passing marks for different categories include UR/EWS, OBC, SC, ST, UR/EWS-PwD and OBC/SC/ST-PwD. The table mentioned below is the expected NEET passing marks 2026 which is taken as per the analysis from the previous year trends.
| Category | Qualifying Percentile | NEET Passing Marks (Out of 720) |
| UR / EWS | 50th Percentile | 686 – 144 |
| OBC | 40th Percentile | 143 – 129 |
| SC | 40th Percentile | 142 – 129 |
| ST | 40th Percentile | 141 – 129 |
| UR / EWS – PwD | 45th Percentile | 143 – 129 |
| OBC / SC / ST – PwD | 40th Percentile | 128 – 129 |
Different Factors Affecting NEET Passing Marks
The NEET passing marks are not fixed and can vary every year that itself depends on multiple factors. Whereas the qualifying percentile (50th for the general category and 40th for the reserved category students) remains constant but the actual NEET cutoff scores in terms of marks out of 720 can vary according to multiple conditions. Understanding these factors help students cover the NEET qualifying marks and the minimum marks required for MBBS in government colleges accurately.
There are various factors that are affecting the NEET passing marks.
- Difficulty level of exam
- Number of Candidates
- Category-Wise reservation
- Total number of MBBS seats
- Previous year NEET cutoff trends
Previous Year NEET Passing Marks Trends
| NEET Passing Marks (Previous Year Trends) | ||||||
| Category | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| General (UR) | 686 – 144 | 720-162 | 720-137 | 715-117 | 720-138 | 720-147 |
| SC, ST, and OBC | 143-129 | 161-127 | 136-107 | 116-93 | 137-108 | 146-113 |
| General-PwD | 143 – 129 | 161-144 | 136-121 | 116-105 | 137-122 | 146-129 |
| PwD-SC/ST/OBC | 128 – 129 | 143-127 | 120-107 | 104-93 | 121-108 | 128-113 |
Conclusion: NEET Passing Marks
Understanding the NEET passing marks is the very first and important step for every aspirant aiming to pursue MBBS in India. The NEET passing marks makes candidates eligible for counselling and securing a prestigious seat in a government medical college which requires scoring higher than just the passing marks. The passing marks in NEET out of 720 varies every year based on various factors like difficulty level of exam, number of candidates, as well as number of seats available. So students should always have to target well above the expected cutoff marks. A clear and better understanding about the minimum marks required in NEET for MBBS in government colleges will help students create a focused plan or preparation strategy which will increase the chances of their success.
NEET Passing Marks FAQs
No, the NEET passing marks and the NEET exam total marks both are different. The total marks in NEET is 720.
Yes, there is expected negative marking in NEET 2026 as per the previous year trends. The +4 marks will give to the students if they will answer correctly whereas there is a deduction of 1 marks if you mark answer incorrect.
