NEET 2026 Eligibility Criteria –  Age, Minimum Marks, Attempts and More

NEET 2026 Eligibility Criteria: The NEET exam will be conducted by NTA for admission to undergraduate medical courses across the nation. The exam is open to Indian and foreign nationals who are 17 years old or older as of December 31, 2026. Additionally, the candidate should have passed class 12th or be appearing for the same examination, with the core subjects  Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. 

Read the full blog to learn more about NEET 2026 eligibility criteria, including age limit, maximum marks in the qualifying exam, number of attempts, and other details.

NEET Exam Eligibility 2026

The detailed highlight of the NEET 2026 exam eligibility criteria is as follows:

Particulars	Date
Qualification	Class 12th Pass or appearing
Core Subjects	Physics, Chemistry, Biology
Minimum Age	17 Years as of December 31, 2026
Maximum Age	No Upper Age Limit
Nationality	Indian CitizenNRIsOCIs Persons of Indian Origin, andForeign Nationals
Marks in Class 12th	50% for the General Category Candidates40% for the Reserved Category
Score Validity	One Year

Which subjects are required to appear for the NEET exam 2026?

To be eligible for the NEET 2026 exam, the candidate must have passed class 12th from a recognized board with core subjects:

• Physics
• Chemistry
• Biology

Check out NEET 2026 Preparation Tips

Category-Wise NEET 2026 Minimum Percentage in Class 12th

The minimum marks for each category for the NEET 2026 exam vary. The category-wise details of the NEET 2026 percentage are as follows:

Category	Aggregate marks required for NEET 2026
General	50%
PwD	45%
OBC	40%
SC	40%
ST	40%

NEET 2026 Eligibility Age

To be eligible for the NEET 2026 exam, a candidate must have been born on or before December 31, 2009. There is no age relaxation for the reserved category.

NEET 2026 Number of Attempts

In 2018, the NEET UG eligibility criteria lifted all restrictions on the number of NEET exam attempts. As a result, there is no limit to the number of times a student can sit for the NEET(UG) exam, as long as they match the eligibility criteria.

NEET 2026: Eligibility Criteria for NRI/Foreign Students

Foreign nationals appearing for the NEET exam must meet the following requirements in addition to having passed the 12th grade from their home country.

1. Admission to Medical and Dental Colleges is open to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCI), and Foreign Nationals, but it is subject to the specific regulations set forth by the respective State Governments, educational institutions, and the Government of India.
2. NRIs and OCI applicants must include a Certificate issued by the relevant Indian Diplomatic Mission in their country of residence to verify their NRI/OCI status when submitting their online application for NEET UG 2026.
3. Foreign applicants who wish to take the NEET 2026 exam should provide documentary evidence, such as pertinent pages from a valid passport or a Certificate from the competent authority in their home country confirming their citizenship status, when submitting their online NEET application.

NEET Exam Score Validity

Students who are sitting the NEET 2026 exam next year should actively apply for admission, as the NEET 2026 score is only valid for one year. In contrast, for MBBS abroad, a candidate’s NEET 2026 score has a validity period of 3 years.

Category	NEET Score Validity
MBBS Domestic	1 Year
MBBS International	3 Years

Qualifying Exam Board for NEET 2026

Any candidate appearing for the NEET exam 2026 must have passed class 12th from the board mentioned below:

1. CBSE
2. ICSE
3. State Board
4. NIOS or State Open School Boards

Check out the Top 10 NEET Coaching Institutes in Maharashtra in 2025

Domicile Eligibility Criteria for NEET 2026

The candidates belonging to the particular state are eligible to apply for the medical college seat under the 85% quota for the state cell. While 15% seats are open to All India Candidates. 

State Quota for Medical Colleges	85%
All India Quota for Medical Colleges	15%

Category-Wise Seat Eligibility Quota 

The candidate must also know the category-wise reservation so that they can check their eligibility criteria:

Category	Reservation  in 15% All India Quota
General EWS	10%
OBC-NCL	27%
SC	15%
ST	7.5%
PwD (For All Categories)	5%

NEET Qualifying Codes 2026

The qualifying code ensures the eligibility of the candidate based on their academic qualification. This code helps the NTA to find the eligibility status of the candidate based on their qualifications. These different codes and their description are as follows:

Code Name	Description
01	Currently in class 12th or appearing, whose results are awaiting. Such candidates must ensure that they meet the eligibility criteria mentioned before.
02	Applies to candidates who have passed class 12th before 2026.
03	Passed a pre-degree science exam from an Indian university or board in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and English, which included practical examinations. Applicable to individuals who have finished class 12 at a state board.
04	Passed any pre-medical examination after class 12th.
05	Candidates are currently pursuing the first year of a three-year degree course.
06	Applies to the candidates who have completed a degree course with at least two subjects, Physics, Chemistry and Biology, but have passed class 12th with core subjects Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
07	Applies to candidates who have other exams besides the 12th class. This applies to foreign national students.

The candidates must ensure that they meet the eligibility criteria before filling out the examination form or starting their preparation, as meeting the minimum requirements is mandatory for each candidate; otherwise, their candidature will be cancelled. For NEET exam preparation, connect with us, Chaitanya Academy, a leading NEET coaching institute in Maharashtra, offering NEET classes for 11th, 12th, and repeaters.