Difference Between Qualifying Marks And Cut Off in NEET

eSaral Academic and Editorial Team
NEET is the entrance examination in India for admission to undergraduate medical courses (MBBS/BDS) in various government and private medical colleges in India.
The qualifying marks for the NEET exam are usually expressed in terms of the percentile. Candidates are required to score equal to or more than the minimum NEET qualifying marks to be eligible for admission to undergraduate medical courses (MBBS/BDS) in various government and private medical colleges in India. NEET qualifying marks are calculated based on the candidate's relative performance compared to other candidates.
NEET passing marks may vary for different categories such as General, OBC, SC, and ST. Additionally, NEET passing marks can also depend on factors like the difficulty level of the exam and the number of candidates appearing for the test.
NEET qualifying marks are different from NEET cutoff marks. If you thought otherwise all these years then you are right. NEET qualifying marks are the marks that you have to score to get selected for NEET counseling. There is a common misconception that NEET qualifying marks should be 50% of NEET score i.e. half of 720 = 360.
NEET qualifying marks are 50th percentile and there is a distinction between percentage and percentile. Therefore, you need to score higher than 50 percent of the total number of aspirants who have taken the test.
NEET qualifying marks vary from year to year and are usually between 150 and 200.
NEET CutOff Marks
The NEET cutoff marks are the minimum qualifying scores a candidate has to achieve in the NEET to be eligible for MBBS/BDS admissions in different government and private institutions in India.
NEET cutoff marks are determined based on the percentile system. This system takes into account a candidate’s relative performance in comparison to other candidates who have appeared in the exam.
The percentile score indicates the percentage of candidates who scored equal to or less than a given score.
NEET cutoff marks are generally specified for General, Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Caste, ST, and in some cases other reserved categories.
It is important to note that NEET cutoff marks can change from year to year and candidates need to meet or exceed the cut-off marks to be eligible to be admitted to MBBS/MBDS colleges.
NEET cutoff marks are generally announced along with NEET results.
What are the Cut Off Marks for NEET?
The NEET cutoff marks change annually based on many factors. It is the minimal number of points an applicant has to receive to pass NEET, move on to NEET counseling, and ultimately get admitted. The cutoff is announced for a variety of categories, including SC/ST, unreserved, and reserved. For your information, please see the NEET 2020, 2022, and 2021 cutoff dates below. The NEET 2023 cut-off will be updated as soon as the relevant authorities release the data.
Mentioned NEET Cutoff marks for the last 5 years
NEET cutoff marks change annually based on many factors. It is the minimal number of points an applicant has to receive to pass NEET, move on to NEET counseling, and ultimately get admitted. The cutoff is announced for a variety of categories, including SC/ST, unreserved, and reserved. For your information, please see the NEET 2020, 2022, and 2021 cutoff dates below. The NEET 2023 cut-off will be updated as soon as the relevant authorities release the data.
Category-wise NEET Cut Off 2023
Cutoff marks for NEET 2023 | |||
Category | Qualifying criteria | Marks range | Number of candidates |
UR/EWS | 50th Percentile | 720-137 | 1014372 |
OBC | 40th Percentile | 136-107 | 88592 |
SC | 40th Percentile | 136-107 | 29918 |
ST | 40th Percentile | 136-107 | 12437 |
UR / EWS & PH | 45th Percentile | 136-121 | 405 |
OBC & PH | 40th Percentile | 120-107 | 179 |
SC & PH | 40th Percentile | 120-107 | 50 |
ST & PH | 40th Percentile | 120-108 | 23 |
NEET 2022 Cut-off
Category | Marks Range | Qualifying Criteria |
UR/EWS | 715-117 | 50th Percentile |
OBC/SC/ST | 116-93 | 40th Percentile |
UR / EWS & PH | 116-105 | 45th Percentile |
OBC/SC/ST & PH | 104-93 | 40th Percentile |
NEET 2021 Cut-off
Category | Marks Range | Qualifying Criteria |
Unreserved/EWS | 720-138 | 50th Percentile |
OBC/SC/ST | 137-108 | 40th Percentile |
Unreserved/EWS – PWD | 137-122 | 45th Percentile |
OBC/SC/ST – PWD | 121-108 | 40th Percentile |
NEET 2020 Cut-off
Category | Marks Range | Qualifying Criteria |
General | 720-147 | 50th Percentile |
General – Physically Handicapped | 146-129 | 45th Percentile |
SC/ ST/OBC | 146-113 | 40th Percentile |
SC/ST- Physically Handicapped | 128-113 | 40th Percentile |
NEET 2019 Cut-off
Category | Marks Range | Qualifying Criteria |
Unreserved (UR) | 701-134 | 50th Percentile |
Unreserved Physically Handicapped (UR-PH) | 133-120 | 45th Percentile |
Scheduled Caste (SC) | 133-107 | 40th Percentile |
Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 133-107 | 40th Percentile |
Other Backward Classes (OBC) | 133-107 | 40th Percentile |
SC-PH | 133-107 | 40th Percentile |
ST-PH | 133-107 | 40th Percentile |
OBC-PH | 133-107 | 40th Percentile |

Team eSaral
eSaral Academic and Editorial Team
Team eSaral is the collective author profile for educational content created by eSaral’s teachers and academic contributors. The team draws on expertise from IIT graduates, doctors, experienced educators and subject specialists to develop resources for JEE, NEET and school students. Our articles aim to explain concepts clearly and help students study with confidence.
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