Difference Between NEET Cutoff and Qualifying Marks

Shubhangi Pandey

Updated On: March 24, 2025 10:01 PM | NEET

The NEET qualifying marks, released by NTA, allow students to participate in AIQ and State Quota counselling. However, the NEET cutoff determines admission to specific colleges. Read to know more Difference between NEET Cutoff And Qualifying Marks!
Difference Between NEET Cutoff And Qualifying Marks

NEET, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, is a gateway for students who aspire to pursue and build a career in the medical field. But as the term suggests, they get confused about the terms ‘NEET qualifying marks' and ‘NEET cut-off marks. The candidates can read the article below to get an insight into these terms. NEET qualifying marks are the minimum marks that a candidate must score to be eligible for the NEET counselling process 2025. Contrary to the existing belief, qualifying marks are not 50% of the total NEET score. Rather, NEET qualifying marks is a percentile-based system.


The difference between NEET Cutoff and Qualifying Marks lies in their nature. While qualifying marks are required to participate in NEET counselling, the NEET cutoff is necessary to qualify for admission to any specific Medical/Dental College.
NEET qualifying marks are necessary for registering for AIQ and State Quota NEET Counselling 2025 . They are expected to range between 720 to 135 for General Category students and 138 to 150 for SC/ST/OBC category students. However, the admission cutoff marks/rank vary for each college. The NEET cutoff for government colleges is higher than for any other MBBS/BDS private colleges.
Keep Scrolling for more information NEET Cutoff And Qualifying Marks and the Difference between NEET Cutoff And Qualifying Marks!

Significance of NEET Cutoff And Qualifying Marks

The NEET cutoff showcases the competition in MBBS/BDS college admissions and the academic competition of the universities. On the other hand, NEET qualifying marks act as a check on the candidate's minimum qualification in the topics related to the NEET test.

NEET qualifying marks certify whether the candidate has at least the minimum knowledge required for medical or dental education. Nonetheless, NEET UG Cut Off 2025 determine if applicants meet the standard for a certain college.

Difference Between NEET Qualifying Marks and NEET Cutoff

NTA releases NEET qualifying marks along with NEET UG 2025 Result , and the NEET Cutoff is released by during counselling process. To understand the difference between NEET Qualifying Marks and Cutoff, check out the table given below.

Particulars

Qualifying Marks

NEET Cutoff

Purpose

The lowest score required for admission into any colleges

NEET cutoff is different for every college

Releasing Body

Published by NTA

Published by MCC, and state counselling committees such as the

  • Director General of Medical Education Uttar Pradesh,

  • Directorate of Health Services (DHS) Manipur

  • Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal, and many more

Official Website

neet.ntaonline.in

  • mcc.nic.in

  • cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea/

  • medadmgujarat.org/pg/home.aspx, and

  • dgme.up.gov.in

Release Date

June 14, 2025

Final week of July or Initial week of August 2025

Registration

Anyone can register, regardless of their college preferences or academic backgrounds.

Connect selectively to candidates depending on the colleges they wish and the number of seats vacant in their choices of colleges


Must Read :

Difference Between NEET Cutoff And Qualifying Marks based on Purpose

Students need to score equal to or above the qualifying marks, also known as NEET Passing Marks 2025, to register for 15% AIQ and 85% State Quota Counselling. These marks represent the minimum score required in the NEET exam. They indicate whether a candidate has demonstrated the necessary cognitive and technical skills to proceed with the admissions process.

However, NEET qualifying marks do not ensure admission into MBBS/BDS programs. On the other hand, if a student scores equal to or above the NEET Cutoff of a particular college, admission to that college is guaranteed. NEET Cutoff marks signify the minimum score required for admission to specific medical or dental colleges.

Difference in NEET Qualifying Marks and NEET Cutoff based on Uniformity

NEET qualifying marks are standard across the country, while NEET Cutoff marks are specific to colleges.

NEET Qualifying marks make sure that the same standard is used for passing the examination throughout the whole country. However, the NEET cutoff marks may depend on factors such as the number of seats available, the popularity of the college, and the general competitiveness of the process.

Also Read:

Qualifying Marks for NEET 2025

As per the explanation, the NEET qualifying marks 2025 or passing marks are the minimum scores that students who have taken the exam must achieve to be considered eligible for counseling and admission to medical colleges in the counselling process. These qualifying marks serve as a crucial benchmark that allows students to progress in the NEET admission process. It is important to note that qualifying marks are not fixed percentages. Rather, qualifying marks are based on obtained percentiles. This means that to qualify, a student must score better than at least 50% of the candidates who took the NEET exam. Each year, the qualifying marks typically range from 150 to 200, but achieving these marks does not guarantee admission as the qualifying marks are different for different category candidates. The National Testing Agency (NTA) decides the NEET qualifying scores annually based on the exam's difficulty level, setting the threshold at the 50th percentile. Therefore, if a student scores better than half of the participants who appeared, they qualify for further steps in the NEET admission process, indicated by a percentile score above 50. It is also essential to understand that merely reaching the NEET 2025 qualifying marks does not assure a seat in a medical college. But, securing a higher score is necessary to meet the NEET cutoff criteria for admissions. Here is a table representing the NEET qualifying criteria for different categories:

Category

Qualifying Criteria

Gen/EWS

50th Percentile

OBC

40th Percentile

SC

40th Percentile

ST

40th Percentile

Gen/EWS & PH

45th Percentile

OBC & PH

40th Percentile

SC & PH

40th Percentile

ST & PH

40th Percentile

Read More: NEET 2025 Preparation Tips

Previous Year NEET Cutoff

The NEET cutoff 2025 represents the minimum score students need to score to qualify for securing admission to medical colleges. Achieving or surpassing this NEET score is essential for candidates to engage in the counseling process, as it greatly influences their likelihood of securing a seat in the prestigious medical program. The NEET cutoff is calculated using a percentile system, which showcases the percentage of candidates who scored at or below a particular mark. As the NEET cutoff scores can vary from year to year, it is important for students to aim and secure a score higher than the previous year’s cutoff to enhance their chances of admission to their preferred program in the college. Each year's NEET cutoff scores are determined by assessing the overall performance of the candidates. An increase in the NEET cutoff reflects a more competitive exam environment, indicating that candidates must achieve better results. The NEET cutoff scores and the average marks of qualified candidates (out of 720) fluctuate each year. The candidates must see the NEET year wise cutoff’s for different category candidates which is shown below:

Category

Cut- Off 2024

Cut-Off 2023

Cut-Off 2022

Cut-Off 2021

Cut-Off 2020

Cut-Off 2019

General/ EWS

720-162

720-137

715-117

720-138

720-147

701-134

General-PH

161-144

720-137

116-105

137-122

146-129

133-120

SC

161-127

136-107

116-93

137-108

146-113

133-107

ST

161- 127

136-107

116-93

137-108

146-113

133-107

OBC

161-127

136-107

116-93

137-108

146-113

133-107

SC-PH/OBC-PH

143-127

120-107

104-93

121-108

128-113

119-107

ST-PH

142-127

120-107

104-93

121-108

128-113

119-107

What After Securing NEET Qualifying Marks and NEET Cutoff?

After securing NEET qualifying marks, students are enabled to be involved in the counselling process conducted for MBBS/ BDS course . This doesn't ensure admission into top medical/dental colleges in India. If a student meets the NEET cutoffs, there are higher chances of getting accepted to the preferred colleges. It demonstrates that the candidate not only passed the exam but also fulfilled the requirements that individual colleges have in place.

Factors Affecting NEET Cutoff And Qualifying Marks

NEET cutoff and qualifying differs every year based on many factors. Mention below are the factors affecting NEET cutoff marks/ranks and qualifying/passing marks-
  • Exam Difficulty: NEET 2025's difficulty level directly influences cutoff and qualifying marks, adjusting to candidates' performance.
  • Seat Availability: Limited seats in medical colleges impact cutoffs, prioritizing top-performing candidates.
  • NEET 2025 Reservation Policy : Quotas for SC, ST, OBC, and EWS categories can adjust cutoffs by allocating seats accordingly.
  • Total number of students who appeared NEET UG: Total number of students who appeared and their overall performance create a huge impact on NEET Cutoff And Qualifying Marks. The cutoff increases when the number of students is high and their performances are above average.
Related Articles:

To conclude, understanding these key differences between NEET qualifying marks and cut-off scores is crucial for every aspiring medical student who are appearing for the NEET exam 2025.  While NEET qualifying marks signify eligibility, the NEET cut-off scores set the bar for admissions into prestigious medical colleges. Knowing and understanding these distinctions empowers students to approach NEET preparation with targeted goals and informed strategies and score good marks in the NEET 2025 exam.


For more information on NEET UG 2025 cutof marks, Stay tuned at CollegeDekho!

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FAQs

What factors affect NEET Cutoff and Qualifying Marks?

Factors such as the difficulty level of NEET UG, seat availability in medical/dental colleges, reservation policies, and previous year’s cutoff trends affect the NEET Cutoff and Qualifying Marks.

Who releases the NEET qualifying marks and NEET cutoff?

NTA releases NEET qualifying marks. Students who secure marks within the cutoff range mentioned by NTA in the NEET result PDF can participate in the counselling process. Later, NEET cutoff ranks/marks are released by MCC and other state counselling committees during the seat allotment process.

When will NEET cutoff and NEET qualifying marks release?

The NEET cutoff will be released once the counselling process begins. On the other hand, NEET qualifying marks will be out along with the result, on June 14, 2024.

What is the difference between NEET Cutoff and Qualifying Marks?

NEET Qualifying Marks enables students to participate in AIQ and State Quota counselling. However, the NEET cutoff ranks are required to be secured, to pursue MBBS/BDS courses from any particular Medical/Dental college.

NEET Previous Year Question Paper

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NEET 2024 Question Paper Code Q1

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NEET 2024 Question Paper Code R1

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NEET 2024 Question Paper Code S1

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NEET 2024 Question Paper Code T1

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