INI CET July 2026 SC Category Expected Cutoff: Closing Rank and Institute-Wise Predictions

The expected INI CET July 2026 SC category overall closing rank is 21,000–24,000, with a minimum qualifying percentile of 45 for SC students, based on January 2025, July 2025, and January 2026 session trends.

INI CET (Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test) is conducted by AIIMS New Delhi for admissions to MD, MS, DM, MCh, and MDS programs across 23 top medical institutes including all 18 AIIMS campuses, PGIMER Chandigarh, JIPMER Puducherry, NIMHANS Bengaluru, and SCTIMST Thiruvananthapuram. SC students benefit from 15% reservation across all participating institutes. With over 1,300 seats across specialties, knowing your expected SC category cutoff helps you plan counselling choices before official allotment begins.

• Minimum qualifying percentile for SC category: 45th percentile (General category: 50th percentile).
• Overall SC closing rank in January 2025 was 21,661 and in July 2025 was 23,513.
• For INI CET July 2026, the overall SC closing rank is expected in the 21,000–24,000 range, based on recent session trends.
• AIIMS New Delhi and PGIMER Chandigarh are the most competitive INI CET institutes, with the lowest SC closing ranks.
• The total marks for INI CET is 200 (200 MCQs, +1 for correct, −0.33 for incorrect).

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INI CET SC Category Cutoff July 2026 – Key Highlights

The INI CET SC category cutoff covers two distinct thresholds: the minimum qualifying percentile (below which you are not eligible for counselling) and the overall closing rank (the rank of the last SC student allotted a seat across all institutes in the final counselling round). The table below summarises expected key figures for INI CET July 2026.

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INI CET SC Category Closing Rank – Session-Wise Trends

The SC category overall closing rank in INI CET has varied between sessions, driven by exam difficulty, the number of SC students competing, and changes in the seat matrix. The table below tracks the SC closing rank across recent sessions, which forms the basis for the July 2026 projection.

The trend shows that the July session historically carries a slightly more relaxed (higher) SC closing rank than the January session of the same year. This is because the July session typically draws a different pool of students, some of whom secured seats in January. This pattern is expected to hold for July 2026, with the SC closing rank projected in the 21,000–24,000 range.

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Expected INI CET July 2026 SC Closing Rank – What It Means for You

An overall SC closing rank of approximately 21,000–24,000 means that if your INI CET July 2026 rank falls within this range in the SC category, you may have a chance at a seat in at least one participating institute and specialty during the final counselling round. However, more competitive institutes and popular specialties close at significantly lower ranks. The table below shows what your SC rank may realistically fetch.

All projections are expected values based on INI CET January 2025, July 2025, and January 2026 session trends. Actual closing ranks for July 2026 will be published on the official AIIMS website after each counselling round.

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Institute-Wise SC Cutoff Predictions for INI CET July 2026

While official institute-wise SC closing ranks are declared only after counselling, the competitive hierarchy among INI CET institutes remains consistent across sessions. The table below provides expected SC category closing rank ranges for July 2026 at each participating institute, based on historical counselling patterns. Specialties shown are indicative — premium specialties (Radiodiagnosis, Dermatology, Ophthalmology) close earlier than para-clinical or niche disciplines.

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Factors Affecting INI CET July 2026 SC Category Cutoff

Several variables will influence whether the INI CET July 2026 SC closing rank tightens or relaxes compared to the projected 21,000–24,000 range. Understanding these helps you interpret any shift from the expected figures once official data is published.

• Exam difficulty level: A harder paper pulls scores down across all students. Lower overall scores typically ease the rank threshold, meaning the SC closing rank may shift upward (more relaxed).
• Number of SC students appearing: A higher number of SC students competing for the July 2026 session increases competition and can push the SC closing rank lower, making it harder to secure a seat.
• Seat matrix changes: If AIIMS New Delhi or other institutes add SC-reserved seats in new specialties for July 2026, the overall closing rank eases slightly as more seats absorb SC students.
• Number of counselling rounds: Mop-up and stray-vacancy rounds redistribute seats from students who do not join. SC students who miss Round 1 may still secure seats in later rounds, effectively extending the practical SC cutoff.
• Choice preferences of top SC-ranked students: If top SC-ranked students cluster their choices at AIIMS New Delhi, seats at other institutes open up for students ranked further down, relaxing the effective cutoff at those campuses.