CHECKOUT IMPORTANT DATES
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the Dental Council of India (DCI) will decide the NEET MDS cutoff 2026. The board will make the announcement during the third week of March 2026. The NEET MDS 2026 cutoff marks are expected to follow a pattern similar to recent years, where the qualifying percentile and score vary by candidate category. For the General and EWS category, the typical cutoff percentile is 50, which corresponds approximately to a score of around 260-270 out of 960. For reserved categories such as SC, ST, and OBC (including PwBD of SC/ST/OBC), the cutoff percentile is generally 40, corresponding roughly to a score near 227-240. Candidates in the General PwBD category usually need to clear a cutoff percentile of 45, which translates to a score around 244-260
The number of students taking the exam, the amount of seats available for allocation, reservations, cutoff patterns, and other criteria will all be taken into consideration when determining the NEET MDS 2026 cutoff.
Criteria
Minimum Qualifying Criteria
General/ EWS
50th percentile
General PwD
45th percentile
SC/ST/OBC (Including PwD of SC/ST/OBC)
40th Percentile
The NEET MDS cutoff serves as the minimum qualifying mark needed for candidates to become eligible for seat allotment during counseling. Only those who meet or exceed the designated cutoffs for their specific category can participate in centralized counseling rounds for both All India Quota (AIQ) and state quota seats.
During each round of counseling, seat allotment is done by merit-cum-preference—candidates are ranked according to their exam score (merit), and seats are then allocated based on the preferences they select for specialization and college. The higher a candidate’s score above the cutoff, the better their chance of getting their preferred seat. However, meeting only the minimum cutoff does not guarantee a seat; it only makes a candidate eligible to participate in the counseling process.
If the number of qualifying candidates in a category is less than three times the number of available seats, authorities may officially lower the cutoff percentile to ensure all available MDS seats are filled. After each round, unfilled seats are reallocated in subsequent rounds, and candidates who could not secure seats in earlier rounds get additional chances. This ensures wide participation while prioritizing candidates with higher ranks and category-based reservation criteria
Ques.1 When will the NEET MDS 2026 cutoff be announced?
Ans. The cutoff for NEET MDS 2026 will be declared by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) after the result announcement, expected around the third week of May 2026.
Ques.2 Who decides the NEET MDS cutoff?
Ans. The NEET MDS cutoff is determined by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the Dental Council of India (DCI), and officially released by NBEMS after evaluating factors like the number of candidates, seat availability, exam difficulty, and reservation policies.
Ques.3 What factors influence the cutoff marks?
Ans. NEET MDS Cutoff depends on exam difficulty, number of test takers, total seats available, and the number of candidates qualifying. Authorities may revise cutoff percentiles downwards post-result if needed to fill seats.
Ques.4 What is the significance of meeting the cutoff?
Ans. Candidates must score at or above the NEET MDS cutoff for their category to be eligible for counseling and seat allotment in MDS programs. Meeting the cutoff does not guarantee a seat but allows participation in the counseling process.