New Delhi/Patna: The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Thursday declared the NEET UG 2026 results and released the final answer key, with Bihar emerging among the top-performing states in this year’s national medical entrance examination.
Around 20 lakh candidates appeared for the examination, of whom more than 11.21 lakh qualified for admission to undergraduate courses in medicine, dentistry, AYUSH and allied medical disciplines.
Bihar Students Among National High Scorers
According to NTA data, students from Bihar are among the 17 state toppers who secured more than 705 marks, highlighting the state’s improving performance in national-level medical entrance examinations.
The highest scorers this year came from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
Education experts said the results reflect Bihar’s growing presence in highly competitive medical entrance examinations, with students from coaching centres in Patna, Kota and other cities performing strongly.
Girls Continue To Lead
Female candidates once again outperformed their male counterparts.
Women accounted for more than 58% of all qualified candidates, underscoring their increasing participation and success in medical education.
138 Candidates Cross 690 Marks
The NTA said 138 candidates scored more than 690 out of 720 marks, while 17 state toppers secured 700 marks or above.
Among the highest scorers:
- 138 candidates scored above 690 marks
- 17 state toppers secured 700 marks or more
- Candidates from 26 states and Union Territories scored above 690 marks
- The top performers came from 66 cities across the country
Most Top Scorers Were First-Time Candidates
According to the NTA, more than 93% of candidates scoring above 690 marks were appearing for the examination for the first time.
The agency also reported that 99% of the top-ranking candidates were between 17 and 19 years of age, reflecting strong performances by fresh school graduates.
Exam Held Across India And Abroad
NEET UG 2026 was conducted at 5,440 examination centres across 551 cities in India and overseas.
The examination was held in 13 languages, with candidates participating from all 36 states and Union Territories.
Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of successful candidates, with more than 1.7 lakh qualifiers, while Lakshadweep had the fewest successful candidates, with 43.
One Question Dropped
The NTA also released the final answer key, confirming that one question had been dropped from this year’s examination.
Candidates can download their scorecards and view their results through the official NTA portal.
With the results now declared, qualified candidates will proceed to the counselling and seat-allotment process for admission to medical, dental, AYUSH and other undergraduate healthcare programmes across the country.
