NEET UG 2026 Eligibility: Age Limit, Qualification, Attempts & Marks Criteria

Hear it from our readers: Aryansh was not aware of the exact eligibility criteria beforehand. He realised that he had not opted for Biology in Class 12 after a discussion with us. Fortunately, NMC allows such students to attempt NEET by choosing an additional subject through NIOS. To be eligible for NEET, he took biology as an additional subject through open schooling and cleared it. And today, he is practising as a surgeon.

NEET UG 2026 Eligibility Criteria (NTA updated)

Our team has received diverse doubts and queries from many students and parents regarding the NEET UG 2026 eligibility criteria. And the most common query on a student’s mind is, “Am I eligible to take the NEET 2026?” Eligibility matters because even a top candidate can lose their NEET seat if they fail to meet any one of the NEET UG 2026 eligibility criteria.

This blog is a result of deep research on past NEET eligibility trends and discussions with previous years’ medical aspirants by considering recent changes made.

Overview of Neet UG 2026 Eligibility

NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) UG is the only national-level exam to secure admissions in MBBS, BDS, and other allied courses. We have summarised the NEET UG 2026 eligibility in a table form. Find out if you meet all the requirements or not:

Minimum age	17 years by December 31st, 2026
Upper Age Limit	No upper age limit
Academic qualifications	10+2 or its equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology
Minimum marks in the qualifying exam	General category – 50% (Physically Handicapped – 45%) OBC/SC/ST – 40% (Physically Handicapped – 40%)
Number of attempts	No restrictions
Year of passing/ appearing students	Passed class 12 or appearing for class 12 boards in the year 2026
Nationality	Indian citizens, NRIs, OCIs, PIOs, and other foreign nationals with equivalent qualifying rules.
Validity of score	The score is valid for one academic year

Age Requirements for NEET UG

NEET UG age eligibility is as important as other eligibility criteria. Let us discuss the upper, lower, and other NEET UG 2026 eligibility criteria with respect to age:

• Candidates or aspirants applying must be at least 17 years of age at the time of admission (by 31st December, 2026) to be eligible.
• Should be born on or before December 31, 2009, to clear the age eligibility. 
• There is no upper age limit to be eligible for NEET. From 2019, the NMC (National Medical Commission) confirmed the removal of the upper age limit for NEET. 
• This rule applies evenly to all categories: OBC/SC/ST/EWS/PWD. No such relaxation in the age limit for reserved categories.

Note: Students who are 16 now but will turn 17 soon can check their eligibility this way:

You are eligible if you turn 17 by the end of December 31st, 2026. Students who will turn 17 after December 31st, 2026, will not be eligible.

Educational Qualification Criteria for NEET UG

Most readers had doubts regarding which educational boards are accepted for NEET. The NEET UG 2026 eligibility criteria are based on mandatory subjects that students have studied in class 12. To check if you clear the educational qualification criteria, go through the list below:

• Subjects required in Class 12

Candidates must have passed Class 12 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology.

• Which educational board is eligible?

The candidate must pass Class 12th from an authority-recognised educational board like CBSE, ICSE (international), NIOS, all state boards, and organisations like the Council of Boards of School Education in India (COBSE).

• NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling)

For an open school board, students should ensure that they cover all the mandatory subjects, which are Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology. Also, ensure that all the necessary practical examinations are conducted and completed.

Key pointers:

• Mandatory to take Biology/biotechnology in class 12 to be eligible.
• For open boards like NIOS and distance education: Eligible if the board is recognised and all the mandatory subjects are included. Check out the NEET bulletin to verify the recognition status of the board.
• For international boards, foreign national students require an equivalence certificate from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU). This is proof that their certification is equivalent to the Indian board standards.

Overall, the eligible boards for NEET UG 2026 are CBSE, ICSE, NIOS, State boards, and other open school boards.

Category-Wise NEET UG Minimum Marks Criteria

The table below shows the latest overview of the NEET UG eligibility marks criteria for 2026. The higher the score, the higher the possibility of getting into your desired medical college. Here is the minimum score requirement for different categories:

Category	Minimum qualifying aggregate marks in PCB
General	50%
General – PWD	45%
SC/ST	40%
OBC/Reserved – PWD	40%

Number of Attempts Allowed in NEET UG

There is no limit on the number of attempts to be eligible for NEET. Candidates can apply and attempt every year as long as they meet the other eligibility criteria. Hence, aspirants, droppers, and repeaters have another chance every year to maximise their NEET score and take a step ahead towards their dream NEET college. 

NEET UG Qualifying Codes 

We have received a lot of queries regarding qualifying codes. NEET qualifying codes are a part of the eligibility criteria. As they specify the candidate’s qualifying exam and educational background. This helps NTA confirm whether the student is eligible or not. The qualifying codes range from 01 and 07. 

• Code 01: Candidates who are appearing for the Class 12 or equivalent exam in this academic year and are awaiting the results. 
• Code 02: Candidates who have passed Class 12 or equivalent exam in 2025 but have not pursued any other course after that. 
• Code 03: Candidate who has pursued and completed Intermediate/Pre degree examination from a recognized board of education with subjects Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology as mandatory subjects. 
• Code 04: Candidate who has pursued and completed a professional/Pre-medical examination after passing Class 12 or equivalent exam. In Class 12, they had Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology as their subjects, with completed practicals. 
• Code 05: Candidates are enrolled and are pursuing a three-year undergraduate degree. The candidate must be in the first year. And they must have completed their first year practicals with core subjects as Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology.  
• Code 06: The candidates who have completed BSc exams with any of the two as their core subjects: Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology. And also, they must have passed the Class 12 exams with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology as their core subjects. 
• Code 07: This code is for the candidates who have given any equivalent exam to Class 12. The core subjects that they have taken in those two years should be Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology. The code is also applicable to foreign nationals who have given an equivalent exam to class 12 and are recognized by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU). 

Nationality Criteria For NEET UG 2026 

Candidates who meet these nationality criteria are eligible to appear for NEET UG 2026. 

• Who can apply? Indian citizens, NRIs (Non-Resident Indians), OCIs (Overseas Citizens of India), PIOs (Persons of Indian Origin), and foreign nationals.
• Foreign students and NRIs must keep their academic certificates, passport copies, and other documents ready as proof to be eligible.  

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