The National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced the results of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2026, ending the wait for nearly 20 lakh doctoral aspirants across the country. Candidates who have appeared in the entrance exam can now download their admit card from the official website, neet.nta.nic.in.According to NTA, more than 11.21 lakh candidates are eligible for admission to technical courses in medicine, dentistry, AYUSH and allied health sciences. The exam was held on June 21 in 5,440 centers spread across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad, in 13 languages.The board said the results were announced on time to ensure that medical counseling begins without delay. The Medical Counseling Committee (MCC) will advise on 15 per cent All India Quota seats, while the state authorities will monitor the admissions based on the state quota.
Aryan Gupta of Punjab defends AIR 1
Punjab’s Aryan Gupta emerged as one of the world’s toppers scoring 715 out of 720, sharing the top spot with Haryana’s Panshul Bansal.Speaking to PTI after the results were announced, Aryan described the achievement as a dream come true after months of continuous preparation.“I got AIR 1. I got 715 out of 720. My father and mother are doctors. I worked hard. I didn’t sleep, but I feel surreal now, it seems like a dream. Everyone is happy,” he told PTI.Aryan revealed that his preparation required special discipline. During the last part of his studies, he spent 16 to 17 hours every day preparing for the most difficult medical entrance exams.
A childhood promise inspired his career choice
Beyond academic success, Aryan’s desire to pursue medicine is personal. He said he wanted to be an oncologist, a decision made by a childhood tragedy.“My grandmother had died of cancer. I was in the third stage then, and I had made a promise,” he said in an interview with PTI, adding that “there is more to do in life.”
A message for future NEET candidates
Aryan also had a message for students who are preparing for the upcoming edition of NEET and for those who could not make it this year.He encouraged the candidates not to lose hope and to be committed to their goals, saying that hard work pays off. According to him, success does not come suddenly, but sincere efforts are not noticed. He encouraged the students to continue working with dedication, expressing his belief that if one continues to work hard, the universe will recognize the sincere effort and the reward of hard work.His advice comes as thousands of people start preparing for the next NEET, while others look to learn from this year’s experience.
NEET UG 2026 and numbers
This year’s results show the high competitiveness of the exam.
- 19 candidates scored more than 700 points.
- 138 candidates scored more than 690 marks.
- 1,492 candidates scored 650 and above.
- 10,160 candidates scored 600 and above.
- 90,780 followers crossed the 500 mark.
The NTA also noted that more than 93 per cent of the top 138 were first-timers, with almost 99 per cent aged between 17-19. More than 58 percent of the eligible are women.
Counseling work will begin soon
With the results now available, the approval process will reach the advisory stage. The MCC will conduct counseling for the All India Quota seats, while individual states will release their own list of counseling for candidates approved by the government.The NTA has advised candidates to rely only on websites for counseling and has warned them against fraudulent phone calls, messages or websites that promise to accept, block seats or raise scores in exchange for money.