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May 3, 2026
NEET UG 2026: National Testing Agency Concludes Medical Entrance Today; Paper Analysis and Expected Cut-offs Released
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Ananya Deshmukh
May 3, 2026
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The National Testing Agency (NTA) successfully conducted the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) or NEET UG 2026 today, May 3, across thousands of centers in India and abroad. With a record-breaking registration of approximately 25.4 lakh candidates, this year's examination marks the largest medical entrance test held in the country to date. The three-hour and twenty-minute exam commenced at 2:00 PM and concluded at 5:20 PM. Security measures were stringent, with biometric verification and multi-layered frisking implemented at all venues to ensure the integrity of the high-stakes test.
Initial reactions from students emerging from centers in Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai suggest that the overall difficulty level of the paper was moderate. Most candidates found the Biology section to be the easiest, noting that almost all questions were strictly based on the NCERT curriculum. Botany was described as slightly more time-consuming than Zoology due to a higher number of statement-based and assertion-reasoning questions. Chemistry was rated as moderate, with Physical Chemistry involving some lengthy calculations, while Organic and Inorganic sections remained balanced and predictable.
However, the Physics section proved to be the differentiator this year. Many students reported that the questions were conceptually deep and mathematically intensive. 'Physics was definitely tougher than last year,' said Aarav Mehta, a student from a coaching hub in Kota. 'While the direct formula-based questions were there, the majority required a multi-step logical approach, which took up a lot of my time.' Experts from leading coaching institutes agree that the Physics section might lead to a slight dip in the overall cut-off scores for the general category compared to 2025.
Following the conclusion of the exam, the NTA is expected to release the provisional answer keys and scanned OMR sheets by the third week of May. Candidates will be given a 48-hour window to challenge any discrepancies in the answer key by paying a non-refundable fee. The final results and the All India Merit List are tentatively scheduled for declaration by June 10, 2026. Successful candidates will then participate in the centralized counseling process conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for 15% All India Quota seats and respective state authorities for the remaining 85% seats.
This year, the number of MBBS seats in India has seen an increase of approximately 5,000 due to the inauguration of several new Government Medical Colleges in Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. This expansion is a welcome relief for students, as the competition remains incredibly fierce. Education analysts suggest that for a seat in a top-tier government medical college, a score above 615 for the general category might be necessary, though this will only be confirmed once the final percentile data is released by the NTA next month.
Initial reactions from students emerging from centers in Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai suggest that the overall difficulty level of the paper was moderate. Most candidates found the Biology section to be the easiest, noting that almost all questions were strictly based on the NCERT curriculum. Botany was described as slightly more time-consuming than Zoology due to a higher number of statement-based and assertion-reasoning questions. Chemistry was rated as moderate, with Physical Chemistry involving some lengthy calculations, while Organic and Inorganic sections remained balanced and predictable.
However, the Physics section proved to be the differentiator this year. Many students reported that the questions were conceptually deep and mathematically intensive. 'Physics was definitely tougher than last year,' said Aarav Mehta, a student from a coaching hub in Kota. 'While the direct formula-based questions were there, the majority required a multi-step logical approach, which took up a lot of my time.' Experts from leading coaching institutes agree that the Physics section might lead to a slight dip in the overall cut-off scores for the general category compared to 2025.
Following the conclusion of the exam, the NTA is expected to release the provisional answer keys and scanned OMR sheets by the third week of May. Candidates will be given a 48-hour window to challenge any discrepancies in the answer key by paying a non-refundable fee. The final results and the All India Merit List are tentatively scheduled for declaration by June 10, 2026. Successful candidates will then participate in the centralized counseling process conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for 15% All India Quota seats and respective state authorities for the remaining 85% seats.
This year, the number of MBBS seats in India has seen an increase of approximately 5,000 due to the inauguration of several new Government Medical Colleges in Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. This expansion is a welcome relief for students, as the competition remains incredibly fierce. Education analysts suggest that for a seat in a top-tier government medical college, a score above 615 for the general category might be necessary, though this will only be confirmed once the final percentile data is released by the NTA next month.