High pressure to pass the exam and score good marks for a guaranteed seat creates the need to ask the question: what are the passing marks in NEET 2026 out of 720? It is a pivotal question which resolves the doubts of many students who may be confused on their position on goals with respect to the NEET 2026 exam. The answer is based on a series of analysis and historical records concerning NEET passing marks.
The passing marks in NEET out of 720 for the general and EWS category stood at 144 in 2025 compared to last year’s passing mark which was 162. From 2024 to 2025, the NEET passing marks have dropped by 11%. The drop was a result of a difficult set of questions requiring advanced problem solving skills and other exam related factors. Only those students passing the exam with the minimum marks are eligible for the next rounds of admission via the NEET counseling process 2026.
For the SC, ST and OBC candidates, the NEET passing marks out of 720 was 113 in 2025 and the same was 127 in 2024 with an increase of 17% in passing scores. Where the General PH category students had to score at least 127 marks in NEET 2025, other categories such as SC-PH, OBC-PH, and ST-PH passing marks were 113 out of 720 in NEET 2025. Check the passing marks in NEET out of 720 for different student categories and the year wise data in this article.
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Will the Passing Marks in NEET 2026 Drop?
The passing marks in the NEET 2026 has been fluctuating since the last 5 years. NEET scores are dynamic and keep changing based on the difficulty level of the paper, number of test takers, government policies, etc. Factors such as the quantum of NEET 202 test takers, number of students scoring the highest marks, the highest marks scored by a candidate and their student category, category wise applicants, number of students passed, etc are all important deciders of the big question on will the passing marks in NEET 2026 drop?
Marks keep changing but the NEET cutoff percentile remains the same. Check the table below to know the NEET cutoff percentile which is expected to remain the same for NEET 2026 and the percentage drop in the NEET 2026 passing marks in the last 5 years.
| Drop in NEET Passing Marks out of 720 in the Last 5 Years | ||||
| Category | Drop % 2025 | Drop % 2024 | Drop % 2023 | Drop % 2022 |
| General/EWS | 11% | -17% | 15% | -9.7 |
| General PH | 11.8% | -5% | -30.47% | 13.9% |
| SC | 11% | -18.69% | -15% | 13.88% |
| ST | 11% | -18.69% | -15.05% | 13.88% |
| OBC | 11.02% | -18.69% | -15.05% | 13.88% |
| SC/OBC PH | 11.02% | -18.69% | -15.05% | 13.88% |
| ST PH | 11.02% | -18.69% | -15.05% | 13.88% |
NEET 2026 Passing Percentile & Total Score
The subject -wise passing marks in the NEET 2026 exam are equivalent to the qualifying percentile per subject. Qualifying percentile for NEET 2026 is fixed by the NTA and is subject to revision by an official notification. Mostly, the NEET 2026 subject wise passing percentile is the same as previous years. Check NEET 2026 subject-wise marks from the table given below.
| NEET 2026 Total Score and Passing Percentile | |
| Category/Subject | Percentile/Marks |
| General / EWS | 50th Percentile Required to Pass |
| OBC / SC / ST | 40th Percentile Required to Pass |
| General-PwD | 45th Percentile Required to Pass |
| Physics | 180 total marks |
| Chemistry | 180 total marks |
| Biology | 360 total marks |
| NEET Total Marks | 720 marks (maximum score possible) |
How to Score Passing Marks in NEET 2026?
Scoring above the passing marks out of 720 total marks in NEET is not a choice. It is a mandatory obligation and a duty of each and every candidate who is taking the NEET 2026 exam to pass the test and score the best possible marks. Only those students who are over achievers or score higher than the passing marks are considered eligible for being allocated a seat by the MCC and state counselling bodies. Here is an answer you must know to the question on how to score passing marks in NEET 2026?
- Learn from NCERT books and available online resources for passing the exam.
- Focus on more than passing, become a topper by making a dedicated study plan to manage time and practice daily.
- Practice NEET concepts, formulas and theoretical chapters.
- Practice through mock tests, analyze mistakes, learn from mistakes, and make improvements.
- Use a timer when practicing to train your mind to answer the most difficult questions in a limited time slot.
- Use section wise mock tests to check conceptual clarity and understanding.
- Resolve your doubts online with the help of mentors to avoid negative marking due to a wrong answer.
- Save the last 2-3 days for relaxing your mind and spirit for the final exam day.
Passing Marks in NEET out of 720: Previous Year Trends
Passing marks refer to the lowest score which a student must score to clear the cutoff marks in their particular student category. For example, if a student belongs to OBC category, then they must score at least 113 marks to clear the cutoff for the category. The highest scorer in the OBC category must be above 143 which is the highest mark scored by a candidate. Check the minimum or passing marks in NEET out of 720 year wise data in the table given below.
| Last 5 Years NEET Passing Marks out of 720 | |||||
| Category | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| General/EWS | 162 | 137 | 117 | 138 | 147 |
| General PH | 144 | 137 | 105 | 122 | 129 |
| SC | 127 | 107 | 93 | 108 | 113 |
| ST | 127 | 107 | 93 | 108 | 113 |
| OBC | 127 | 107 | 93 | 108 | 113 |
| SC/OBC PH | 127 | 107 | 93 | 108 | 113 |
| ST PH | 127 | 107 | 93 | 108 | 113 |
What Happens After Passing NEET 2026?
After passing the NEET 2026 exam, a student must enrol for the counselling rounds. Just passing the exam is not sufficient to move to the next stage. Candidates must get above the passing marks to be able to confidently register for the counselling rounds. The NEET 2026 counselling process is a rigorous shortlisting mechanism for allocating seats to the toppers and high scorers at different top ranking government and private medical/dental colleges in India.
- MCC conducts the counseling of 15% AIQ seats.
- State counseling is done by state authorities for 85% state quota seats.
- Students must keep a copy and the original documents such as their class 12th marksheet, ID proof, etc for the verification rounds.
- Fill out the choices for medical colleges which you want to study in based on your preference during the choice locking stage.
- Students who have not been able to achieve their desired scores or have failed to pass by a few marks may consider enrolling for the iQuanta NEET 2026 course for thorough preparation.
