NEET UG 2026 EWS Expected Cutoff: Category-Wise Qualifying Marks

The NEET UG 2026 expected qualifying cutoff for EWS (Economically Weaker Section) students is 164 marks out of 720, the same as the General category, as EWS students must clear the 50th percentile threshold to be eligible for counselling.

For All India Quota (AIQ) MBBS and BDS admissions, the EWS closing cutoff is expected to range between 455 and 580 marks depending on college tier, based on 2024 and 2025 trends. NTA releases the official qualifying marks along with NEET UG results at neet.nta.nic.in. Students applying under EWS must hold a valid EWS income and asset certificate issued by a competent authority to claim reservation benefits during counselling.

• NEET UG 2026 is conducted on a total of 720 marks (180 questions x 4 marks each).
• EWS students must score at or above the 50th percentile — the same as the General/UR category — to qualify.
• In NEET UG 2025, the General/EWS qualifying cutoff was 164 marks out of 720.
• For AIQ 15% seats, EWS closing cutoffs in 2025 ranged from approximately 455 to 580 marks for MBBS at government colleges.
• EWS students benefit from a 10% reservation in centrally funded institutions under the 103rd Constitutional Amendment of 2019.

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What is NEET UG 2026 EWS Cutoff

The NEET UG EWS cutoff is the minimum score that EWS students must achieve to be eligible for medical admission. Two distinct cutoffs apply to EWS students, and understanding the difference is critical:

• Qualifying Cutoff: The minimum marks to pass NEET UG and become eligible for counselling. EWS students must clear the 50th percentile, which is identical to the General/UR threshold.
• Admission Cutoff: The closing rank or marks at which EWS seats fill up in a specific college during AIQ counselling. This varies by college, course, state, and counselling round and is significantly higher than the qualifying cutoff.

The EWS reservation of 10% in centrally funded institutions was introduced under the 103rd Constitutional Amendment. In NEET UG counselling, EWS seats are carved from the AIQ 15% pool. Students compete within their own EWS category pool during MCC counselling rounds, separate from General/UR students.

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EWS Qualifying Marks: Previous Year Trends

The table below shows NTA-declared qualifying cutoff marks for EWS and all other categories over the past four years. These marks are the minimum required to qualify for NEET UG counselling and are not the same as the AIQ admission closing cutoff.

Based on these trends, the NEET UG 2026 EWS qualifying cutoff is expected to remain at or near 164 marks (50th percentile), provided exam difficulty is comparable to 2024 and 2025. A harder paper could bring the cutoff to the 130-145 mark range, as seen in 2023.

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NEET UG 2026 EWS AIQ Expected Cutoff

For MBBS and BDS admissions through AIQ 15% seats, the EWS closing cutoff shows the marks at which EWS seats were last filled in counselling. The table below provides expected NEET UG 2026 EWS AIQ closing cutoff marks by college tier, based on 2024 and 2025 closing data.

All figures above are expected estimates based on 2025 closing rank trends. The actual NEET UG 2026 EWS AIQ cutoff will be published by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) after results are declared and counselling begins.

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Category-Wise Qualifying Cutoff Comparison

The table below compares expected NEET UG 2026 qualifying cutoff marks across all categories, helping you see exactly where EWS stands relative to other reservation categories.

EWS students must score at least 164 marks (out of 720) in NEET UG 2026 to qualify — the same threshold as the General category. The EWS reservation benefit applies only during seat allotment in counselling, not at the qualifying stage.

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Factors Affecting NEET UG 2026 EWS Cutoff

Several key factors influence where the final EWS cutoff settles each year. Understanding these helps you gauge your admission chances more accurately:

• Number of EWS applicants: A higher pool of qualified EWS students intensifies competition and pushes AIQ closing marks upward across counselling rounds.
• Exam difficulty level: Easier papers raise raw scores across all students, lifting all category cutoffs. A harder paper brings them down — the 2023 qualifying cutoff dropped to 137 marks from 164 marks in 2024 due to difficulty variation.
• Total EWS seats available in AIQ: The 10% EWS quota in central institutions determines how far the closing rank extends. A higher seat count typically brings down the closing cutoff and widens access.
• Topper concentration within EWS: When high scorers are concentrated among EWS applicants in a cycle, competition for premier colleges becomes intense even above 550 marks.
• State quota versus AIQ participation: EWS students who secure state quota seats do not participate in AIQ counselling, directly affecting the AIQ EWS closing cutoff for that cycle.
• Normalisation policy: If NEET UG 2026 is conducted across multiple sessions, normalised scores determine the final merit list and affect all category cutoffs, including EWS.