What is the Use of NEET Category Rank?
The NEET Category Rank determines a student's performance in the NEET UG entrance exam, in comparison to other test-takers within their specific reserved category. However, NEET Category Rank and NEET AIR are not the same.
The use of NEET Category Rank is to secure medical and dental admission in various undergraduate medical programs in India. AIR rank also does the same but it is very different from a category rank. Through the category ranks students can get an idea of their position within a specific category (such as General, SC, ST, OBC, etc.)
Different categories have different reservation quotas. When colleges release cut-off ranks for admission, they often list separate cut-offs for each category. That is when the category rank comes into play. A good NEET Category Rank allows students belonging to the reserved classes to apply for admission across the top medical colleges in the country regardless of their overall All India Rank (AIR) in
NEET 2025 Exam
. Scroll down and get an answer of what is the use of NEET Category Rank 2025.
What is Category Rank in NEET 2025 Exam?
The National Testing Agency (NTA) introduced the NEET Category Rank in the entrance exam to simplify the medical admission process for the reserved category students. The NEET Category Rank is released by the NTA along with the NEET UG Result, NEET Cutoff, and NEET AIR, for reserved category students to reflect on their NEET performance within their specific reserved category. While applying for admission to medical colleges through NEET through the reservation quota, students belonging to SC/ST/OBC/PwD categories with a good NEET Category Rank will be considered first among others within the same category-group.
What is the Use of NEET Category Rank 2025
The use of a good NEET Category Rank 2025 is as follows:
- Students who secure a good NEET Category Rank will have a higher chance of getting admission into their preferred top medical colleges in the country when compared to others within the same student category.
- The use of NEET Category Rank can be explained through its significance during the NEET 2025 Counselling . Students with a good NEET Category Rank will be given preference over others within the same category.
- Additionally, students who successfully secure a good NEET Category Rank and a good AIR, will have a greater chance of getting admission into the top medical colleges in the country.
NEET Category Rank 2025: Reservation Criteria
Students are offered seats through their individual NEET category rank and the reservation criteria set by the NTA. Here is the reservation quota:
Student Category | NEET Reservation Criteria (Under 15% AIQ) |
Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) | 10% |
Other Backward Classes (OBC) | 27% |
Scheduled Caste (SC) | 15% |
Scheduled Tribes (ST) | 7.5% |
Persons with Disabilities (PwD) | 5% |
NEET Category Rank vs All India Rank
The primary differences between the NEET Category Rank and the All India Rank in NEET are mentioned below:
Sl. No. | NEET Category Rank | NEET All India Rank (AIR) |
1. | It is released specifically for students belonging to the reserved categories such as SC, ST, OBC, EWS, etc. | It is released for all participants regardless of their student category. |
2. | It indicates the NEET performance of a student within a specific group. | It indicates the overall NEET performance of students. |
3. | It is analyzed for admission purposes through Reservation Quota during the NEET Counselling | It is taken into consideration for admission purposes during the NEET Counselling for all students |
4. | The level of competition is usually lower. | The level of competition is usually higher. |
The NEET Category Rank is used during the medical course admission through NEET Counselling for the reserved quota seats. It is not a substitute for NEET All India Rank (AIR), and therefore does not indicate the overall performance of a student. The NEET Category Rank is released for each reserved category separately to analyze students’ performance within their specific reserved category.