NEET Answer Key 2026 LIVE: NTA NEET question paper with solutions, expected cut-off; qualifying marks

As per the marking scheme, candidates will get 4 marks for each correct answer, while 1 mark will be deducted for every wrong response, confirming the presence of negative marking. No marks will be awarded for unanswered questions.

In last year's UP NEET UG counselling, the round 1 MBBS opening and closing ranks showed that top government medical colleges in UP closed at relatively low ranks. ESIC Medical College, Noida (Unreserved category) had an opening rank of 7,449 and a closing rank of 11,743. Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences, Saifai (Unreserved category) had an opening rank of 8,388 and a closing rank of 13,489.

• Visit the official NEET website
• Click on the NEET UG 2026 answer key link
• Enter login credentials
• View and download the answer key
• Match responses with recorded answers

These are the steps to download the provisional answer key, which will be released by NTA later. Careers360 will share the unofficial answer key of sets 11, 12 and 13 shortly.

MBBS aspirants can check the NEET UG 2026 cut-offs for Karnataka colleges from the table given below.

Around 22.79 lakh MBBS aspirants appeared for NEET UG 2026, and the exam was easy, with Biology being the most difficult part.

As NEET UG 2026 draws closer, lakhs of students are not just preparing for the examination but also setting their eyes on India’s most prestigious medical institutions. According to the latest NIRF 2025 rankings, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi has once again emerged as the country’s best medical college, retaining the number one position with a score of 91.8. Known for its elite faculty, unmatched clinical exposure, advanced laboratories and national-level patient inflow, AIIMS Delhi remains the ultimate destination for top rankers.

Following closely behind are institutions like Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Christian Medical College and JIPMER, all of which continue to attract NEET qualifiers because of strong academics and hospital training. The NIRF list also shows a growing dominance of institutes from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, indicating that aspirants now have several high-quality choices beyond AIIMS Delhi if they secure a competitive NEET rank.

As per NIRF 2025 rankings, these are the top 10 medical colleges in India that NEET aspirants can set as their admission targets.

The NEET UG 2026 is concluded and the NTA will release recorded OMR responses and a provisional answer key, allowing students to estimate scores and raise objections. Only after the objection window closes will the final answer key and NEET result 2026 be prepared.

The result will include total marks, percentile, qualifying cutoff, category rank and All India Rank. These numbers will determine participation in the Medical Counselling Committee’s All India Quota counselling as well as individual state counselling rounds. In practical terms, therefore, NEET is not just a one-day examination but the first step of a months-long medical admission process stretching into multiple counselling phases.

Even as more than 22 lakh candidates prepare to sit for NEET UG 2026, the number of available government MBBS seats remains only a small fraction of that figure, once again exposing the extreme imbalance between aspiration and opportunity in India’s medical education system. While NEET serves as the single national gateway for undergraduate medical admissions, only top-ranking students eventually secure seats in low-fee government institutions, leaving lakhs to compete for private colleges or alternative allied courses.

This seat scarcity is one of the biggest reasons why every additional mark in NEET becomes crucial. Students are not merely competing to qualify the exam, but to survive a national ranking compression where even 10 to 15 marks can separate a government medical seat from a costly private option. As counselling season approaches after the result, this supply-demand gap will once again shape admission realities.

In last year's UP NEET UG counselling, the round 1 MBBS opening and closing ranks showed that top government medical colleges in UP closed at relatively low ranks. ESIC Medical College, Noida (Unreserved category) had an opening rank of 7,449 and a closing rank of 11,743. Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences, Saifai (Unreserved category) had an opening rank of 8,388 and a closing rank of 13,489.

The test serves as the primary gateway for admission to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other allied medical programmes in government and private institutions across the country. As per NTA, a total of 22.79 lakh candidates had registered for NEET UG 2026. The medical entrance test was conducted across 566 examination cities, including 552 centres within India and 14 overseas locations.

The physics exam was fairly average. Students who prepared well would've been able to answer most questions while other students may have found a few questions tricky. "There were quite a few questions that required deep thinking and solving. So we can say it was more calculation-oriented but the questions were pretty uniformly distributed across the syllabus so overall it was a good paper," said Neeraj Kumar Chaudhary, Faculty- Physics, PhysicsWallah (PW).

"Biology, including botany and zoology was easy. It was completely NCERT-based. Questions could've been done using the elimination method for instance, match the following type of questions. There were fewer assertion type questions and statement-based questions.Mostly the questions were lengthy and there were quite a few match the following questions. It would've been beneficial for the  students. Students who had prepared well would've been able to cover biology in an hour or so. Physics and Chemistry were tougher compared to Biology," said Vipin Kumar Sharma, Faculty- Botany, PhysicsWallah (PW).

Rupesh Chaudhary, Faculty- Botany, PhysicsWallah (PW) shared that Botany was very easy, based on NCERT and with very direct questions. There was nothing with any calculations, or questions on pedigree or numericals on genetics. Easy questions from genetics and ecology unlike the questions last time.

"The inorganic chemistry section was very easy, with all 13 questions being straightforward and based on NCERT," said Mohit Dadheech, Faculty of Inorganic Chemistry at PhysicsWallah (PW).  Amit Mahajan, Faculty of Chemistry at PhysicsWallah (PW), noted that the paper followed previous years’ patterns, including 2024, and was largely easy, though a few questions were slightly time-consuming due to calculations.

Pankaj Sijairya, Chief Content Officer, PhysicsWallah (PW) shares, "Physics was moderate to tough. It was calculation oriented but not as rough as last year. Chemistry was easy to moderate. It wouldn't have been as stressful and was largely based on what students will have studied in class.  Biology was moderate to tough because it was lengthy and time-taking. So overall, the NEET exam was moderate. Students who put in the time and effort over the last two years will have found it satisfactory".

To pass NEET, general category students usually need around 144 marks or more, while OBC, SC, and ST categories need around 113 marks or more.

The correct options and unofficial answer key for NEET can be checked here.

Check correct option, difficulty level and chapter details here.

NEET UG 2026 Chemistry section was mostly moderate, with a mix of easy and difficult questions.

NEET 2026 was a well-balanced paper that leaned slightly easier than last year, but importantly, it tested discipline over difficulty. Physics and Chemistry required conceptual clarity and precision, while Biology remained largely accessible—with Botany introducing a time challenge due to its length. "What stands out is that success this year is not about tackling a tough paper, but about managing time, staying consistent, and having strong fundamentals. Students who built their preparation steadily and stayed close to NCERT concepts would have found themselves at a clear advantage,” said Ujjwal Singh, Founding CEO, infinity Learn by Sri Chaitanya.

The Biology section in NEET 2026 was mostly easy and based on NCERT. Zoology was simple and scoring, while Botany was easy but very lengthy, taking more time. Overall, students who managed their time well and revised NCERT thoroughly completed the paper on time.

NEET UG answer key for code 12 can be checked here. Candidates who appeared in NEET UG can check exam analysis, subject-wise difficulty level and answer key PDF here.

NEET UG 2026 unofficial answer keys, prepared by Careers 360 team, are now LIVE. Candidates who appeared for exam, can check and download the NEET answer key PDF now. They can also cross-check the same to check if they marked the answers correctly.

NEET UG 2026 is over and candidates found the exam easier than last year. Overall the paper was rated easy. However, candidates found the Biology section a little time-consuming. NEET UG analysis can be checked here.

The overall difficulty level of the NEET UG 2026 exam was reported to be easy. However, the Biology section was considered difficult and lengthy by aspirants.

Over 22 lakh who appeared in the exam conducted today, can check the NEET UG 2026 answer key (unofficial) here. Candidates should calculate 4 marks for correct answers and should deduct 1 mark for each wrong answers.

Careers360 experts will share a detailed section-wise analysis of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, highlighting the difficulty level, distribution of concepts, and the balance between numerical and theoretical questions. In addition, educators will assess expected cut-off trends based on the paper’s overall difficulty and student performance. This analysis will help aspirants estimate their probable scores and rank range ahead of the release of the official answer key.

NEET UG 2026 question paper is divided into Physics, Chemistry, and Biology sections, aiming to assess conceptual clarity, accuracy, and time management skills. Biology carries the highest weightage, followed by Chemistry and Physics, as per the NEET UG exam pattern.

• Visit the official NEET website
• Click on the NEET UG 2026 answer key link
• Enter login credentials
• View and download the answer key
• Match responses with recorded answers

These are the steps to download the provisional answer key, which will be released by NTA later. Careers360 will share the unofficial answer key of sets 11, 12 and 13 shortly.

NEET UG 2026 code 11 paper analysis will be updated here soon. Candidates who appeared in NEET UG 2026 conducted today betweem 2-5pm, will be able to check and calculate their probable scores shortly.

Based on previous admission trends, aspirants scoring 650 marks and above in NEET 2026 are generally considered to have a stronger chance of securing a seat in a government medical college. However, the actual outcome depends on factors such as category-wise cut-offs, seat availability, and counselling trends in a given year.

Careers 360 experts will be sharing the question paper, analysis and section-wise review for question paper code 11, 12 and 13 shortly. Keep an eye on this blog for latest update on cut-offs, passing marks, past-year trends and opening and closing ranks of top medical colleges.

NEET UG 2026 exam has concluded, and we will be updating the answer key for code 12 shortly. Once out, candidates will be able to check and match the answers and can further refer to the marking scheme to calculate their probable scores.

NEET UG 2026 is now over, and aspirants are coming out of exam centres. Parents and friends are busy searching online for “how was today’s NEET paper” to understand the difficulty level. Careers360 experts will share the question paper analysis and section-wise difficulty level shortly.

Here's the category-wise expected NEET cut-off for CMC Vellore.

NTA conducted NEET UG 2026 between 3 pm and 5 pm for over 22 lakh. Questions were asked from Physics, Chemistry and Biology subjects. Candidates who appeared in the exam, can check the section-wise and subject wise difficulty level soon. Detailed exam analysis, answer key details will also be shared here.

NEET UG 2026 exam will end in another 7 minutes. Soon after that, Careers360 experts will release the unofficial answer key, which candidates can refer to for calculating their probable scores.

NTA usually releases the provisional answer key a month after the exam date. NEET 2026 is being conducted on May 3, and following the trends, the answer key is expected around June 2.

No, the NEET official answer key for NEET UG 2026 has not been released yet. The NTA is currently conducting the NEET UG exam for MBBS and BDS aspirants across the country. The NEET UG 2026 official answer key will be released tentatively between May 10 and 15 for around 22.37 lakh aspirants.

The NTA will issue the NEET UG 2026 answer key few days after the MBBS, BDS exam is concluded. As per previous years trends, among the three subjects in the NEET Paper, Physics subjects difficulty determines final rank volatility.

While Biology offers the largest weightage and relatively direct NCERT-based questions, Physics has historically been the subject where calculation errors, conceptual traps and time consumption create the biggest score drops, as per previous year students' reactions.

In last year's UP NEET UG counselling, the round 1 MBBS opening and closing ranks showed that top government medical colleges in UP closed at relatively low ranks. ESIC Medical College, Noida (Unreserved category) had an opening rank of 7,449 and a closing rank of 11,743. Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences, Saifai (Unreserved category) had an opening rank of 8,388 and a closing rank of 13,489.

The NEET UG 2026 question paper comprises of 180 questions, carrying a total of 720 marks. Candidates will be given admission to MBBS, BDS and allied programmes as per the cut-offs, and marks.

The opening rank for AIIMS Delhi has consistently remained 1.

The exam comprises a total of 180 compulsory multiple-choice questions from Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (Botany and Zoology), carrying a maximum of 720 marks. Each subject is divided into two sections, covering topics from both Class 11 and Class 12 syllabus based on NCERT guidelines.

Physics and Chemistry consist of 45 questions each, while Biology has 90 questions, split equally between Botany and Zoology. All questions are objective-type with four options, out of which only one is correct.

Sharing her experience, first-time aspirant Shweta said the exam went well overall. She found Biology to be the easiest section, while Physics was the most difficult. She added that she attempted Chemistry last, due to which she had to leave two questions.

Another aspirant, Aditya from RK Puram, Delhi, described the paper as slightly difficult, mainly because of physics. He said Biology was easy and Chemistry was manageable, but Physics was quite tough. Although he attempted most questions, he said the final outcome would depend on his accuracy.

Shefali Agarwal from Dabri also found Physics challenging, noting that the questions were lengthy and somewhat unconventional, requiring more time to read and understand. However, she found Chemistry and biology sections relatively easy.

As per the revised NEET UG exam pattern, aspirants were required to attempt 180 compulsory questions within a duration of three hours. The paper covered three core subjects—Physics, Chemistry, and Biology—and carried a total of 720 marks.

To qualify, candidates from the General and EWS categories must secure at least the 50th percentile, while those from OBC, SC, and ST categories need to meet the 40th percentile. NEET qualifying cut-offs are determined by factors such as the exam’s difficulty level, the level of competition, the number of aspirants who appeared, and trends from previous years.

Last year, NEET cut-offs recorded a slight decline across all categories—General, OBC, SC, ST, and EWS—highlighting the intense competition in the medical entrance exam. For the General and EWS categories, the qualifying marks dropped from 162 to 144. Likewise, the cut-offs for OBC, SC, and ST categories decreased from 127 to 113 compared to NEET 2024.

The NTA will conduct NEET UG 2026 today from 2 pm to 5 pm. Soon after the exam concludes, in-house career experts will share a section-wise analysis of the paper. It will include difficulty level, memory-based questions, and other related details.

In 2025, opening ranks of some of the popular Maharashtra private colleges were-

Scoring 650+ can increase the chances of getting a seat in a government medical college. Check NEET cut-off past trends here.

Candidates must carry admit card, photographs, valid ID proof, and PwD certificate (if available) to the exam hall.  Check NEET exam-day guidelines and other details here.

Some of the most courses after NEET include MBBS, BDS, and other traditional and alternative medicine programmes. The full forms of these top courses are given below.

• MBBS – Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery
• BDS – Bachelor of Dental Surgery
• BAMS – Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery
• BSMS – Bachelor of Siddha Medicine and Surgery
• BUMS – Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery
• BHMS – Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery

As per the official marking scheme, each correct answer is awarded 4 marks, while 1 mark is deducted for every incorrect response. No marks are awarded or deducted for unanswered questions.

Detailed updates on the exam’s difficulty level, along with the answer key and question paper analysis will be released shortly by experts and coaching institutes. The NEET UG exam is conducted for a total of 720 marks, comprising 180 questions.

NEET UG 2026 will conclude at 5 pm today. Soon after that, Careers 360 in-house experts, as well as a few coaching centres, will share the unofficial answer key with us. Aspirants can quickly refer to the responses and calculate their probable scores.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) is conducting the NEET UG 2026 exam today from 2 pm to 5 pm for over 22 lakh MBBS aspirants at centres across the country. After 5 pm, coaching institutes and subject experts will release unofficial NEET answer keys.