NEET UG 2026 results out: Over 1.1 million qualify, counselling next

Thursday represented a major milestone for millions of students across India.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) declared the NEET UG 2026 results, with more than 1.12 million candidates qualifying for the next stage of the country's medical admissions process. More than half of those who qualified — around 58% — are women, continuing a trend seen in recent years. Candidates can view their scores via the official NEET portal using their application credentials.

The results followed a challenging examination cycle.

NEET UG 2026 faced uncertainty after allegations of a paper leak following the May examination. The controversy prompted investigations and, for some candidates, a re-examination before the final merit list was prepared. This episode placed India's largest medical entrance test under renewed public scrutiny. Leading this year's rankings are Aryan Gupta of Punjab and Panshul Bansal of Haryana, both scoring 715 out of 720, according to the NTA. An additional 138 candidates surpassed the 690-mark threshold, underscoring the exam's competitiveness.

However, qualifying is only the first step in the process.

Each year, the number of successful candidates exceeds the available MBBS seats. The next stage is counselling, where rankings, reservation categories, state quotas, and seat availability will determine final admissions. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) is expected to announce the counselling schedule soon, along with state authorities managing their respective quotas. Students must now focus on seat allotments, preference lists, and cut-off trends.

This year's results also stand as a key moment for the NTA. Following months of scrutiny regarding the examination's integrity, the agency stated that additional security measures were implemented during the re-examination to guarantee fairness and restore confidence in one of India's most competitive entrance tests.