Highest Marks in NEET Exam: Last 5 Years' Trends with Cutoff Analysis

The highest marks in NEET surprise us every year. In 2025, the highest marks saw a sharp decline, with the AIR 1 candidate achieving only 686, while in 2024, the highest marks were 720, achieved by a record-breaking 17 candidates. To predict 2026 cut-off marks, we have studied the trends in the competition and the overall decline/incline in the marks over the years. Based on that, NEET 2026 qualifying cutoff for UR/ EWS category may range from 720-160; for SC/ ST/ OBC, the cutoff range may be 159-129. Remember, NEET cut-off marks depend on the paper's level of difficulty and the candidates' overall performance.

Refer to the detailed analysis of the NEET highest marks and cutoff marks released by NTA for the last 5 years.

Also Check -NEET Question Paper 2026: All Sets Question Paper PDF Download

NEET Highest Marks Trend (2021-2025)

Every year, we see a new trend for the highest marks in NEET. Last year, we saw a dip in the highest marks. Mahesh Kumar from Rajasthan scored 686 marks out of 720 with an AIR 1 rank, while in 2024, almost 17 candidates scored 720 out of 720. Refer to the trends recorded for the last 5 years below:

Also Check -NEET Cutoff 2026 for BAMS: What Score Do You Actually Need?

Year-Wise Cutoff Analysis: The Qualifying Benchmark

The cut-off marks for NEET are usually set between 120 and 165 for general category candidates; however, factors influencing the cut-off marks include exam conditions such as the difficulty level of the paper and the number of candidates. These are the last year's trends:

Also Check -List of Medical Colleges for 200 to 300 Marks in NEET UG 2026

What is the safe score for a Government Medical College?

A safe score for a government medical college in NEET 2026 can be between 650-700 for the General/UR category, 590-640 for OBC, 640-690 for EWS, 520-570 for SC, and 490-540 for ST. Getting a safe score increases your chances of securing a government seat in MBBS colleges across India.

With over 23 lakh candidates fighting for a seat through NEET this year, it becomes quite essential to secure more than at least 550 marks. While the cut-off marks depend upon the difficulty level of the paper and the number of seats, it will never be easy to secure a seat for MBBS.

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