New Delhi: The NEET cutoff represents the minimum marks a student must secure to gain admission to top government or private medical colleges in India. However, this cutoff is not a fixed benchmark; it varies yearly based on several exam-related factors.
To clarify how the NEET 2025 cutoff factors will be determined, students must recognize that it depends on a dynamic range of variables. These include the previous year’s cutoff trends, the difficulty level of the exam, the number of applicants, the highest scores achieved, available seats, reservation criteria, and any changes in exam pattern or syllabus.
Join NEET News 2025 NEET 2025 Cutoff Factors
1. Difficulty Level of the NEET Exam
The exam’s difficulty level plays a significant role in shaping the cutoff. Typically, the NEET exam ranges from moderate to difficult. However, variations in paper-setting standards may affect the difficulty level.
NEET Difficulty Trends (Past 5 Years):
| Year | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Moderate to difficult (expected) |
| 2024 | Moderate to difficult |
| 2023 | Moderate to difficult |
| 2022 | Moderate to difficult |
| 2021 | Moderate to difficult |
| 2020 | Easy to moderate |
2. Number of NEET Applicants
The total number of students taking the exam directly impacts the cutoff. Higher participation increases competition, thus influencing the threshold for admission.
NEET Applicant Statistics (Past 5 Years):
| Year | Number of Applicants |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Approx. 23 lakh (expected) |
| 2024 | Approx. 24 lakh |
| 2023 | Approx. 21 lakh |
| 2022 | Approx. 19 lakh |
| 2021 | Approx. 16 lakh |
| 2020 | Approx. 16 lakh |
3. Availability of Medical Seats
The limited number of medical seats across MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other programs intensifies the competition, thereby affecting the cutoff.
Seat Distribution Across Medical Programs:
| Course/College | Number of Seats |
|---|---|
| MBBS | 91,415 |
| AIIMS MBBS | 1,205 |
| JIPMER MBBS | 200 |
| BDS | 27,948 |
| AYUSH | 52,720 |
| BSc Nursing | 487 |
| BVSc | 603 |
4. Reservation Policies
The NEET cutoff varies by student category. For example, the expected general category cutoff for 2025 ranges from 720 to 162 marks, while for SC candidates, it ranges from 161 to 127 marks.
NEET 2025 Reservation Quota:
| Category | Reservation Percentage |
|---|---|
| SC | 15% |
| ST | 7.5% |
| OBC-NCL | 27% |
| EWS | 20% |
| PwD | 5% |
5. Highest Marks Secured
The top scores candidates obtain serve as a reference point and contribute to setting the cutoff. Historically, top scores have consistently approached the maximum possible mark.
Top Scores (Past 5 Years):
| Year | Highest Score |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 720 |
| 2023 | 720 |
| 2022 | 715 |
| 2021 | 720 |
| 2020 | 720 |
6. Previous Year NEET Cutoffs
Historical cutoffs provide a benchmark for setting the new cutoff. Based on the cutoff trends from 2023 and 2024, the expected NEET 2025 general category cutoff will likely range from 720 to 162 marks.
General Category Cutoff Trends:
| Year | Cutoff Range |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 720–162 (expected) |
| 2024 | 720–164 |
| 2023 | 720–137 |
| 2022 | 715–117 |
| 2021 | 720–138 |
| 2020 | 720–147 |
7. Changes in NEET Exam Pattern or Syllabus
Any syllabus or exam format modification directly affects student performance and exam difficulty. The revised NEET 2024 syllabus included major changes such as:
- Reverting to the pre-COVID exam format
- Eliminating optional questions in Section B
- Reducing exam duration to 180 minutes
- Trimming chapters from 97 to 79
- Removing topics like Digestion, Absorption and Reproduction in Organisms
- Dropping 18 chapters from Physics
- Dividing the Chemistry syllabus into Physical, Organic, and Inorganic Chemistry
