NEET 2026 Age Criteria: Complete Breakdown by Category

 


NEET 2026 Age/Eligibility Criteria:  NEET or National Eligibility cum Entrance Exam is a national-level medical entrance exam for students who have passed class 12th in PCM with a minimum of 50% marks from a recognised board. The candidate appearing for the exam must be 17 years old as on December 31st of the admission year, i.e., 2026. 

Therefore, candidates born on or before December 31st, 2009, for all categories are eligible to fill out the NEET 2026 application form. However, there is no upper age limit for the exam, which means you can take the NEET exam an unlimited number of times.

NEET 2026 Age Limit Details

Before filling up the NEET 2026 application form, the candidate must have a look at the minimum age limit.

ParticularsDetails
Minimum Age17 Years
Age at the time of admissionThe candidate must be 17 years of age on December 31st, 2026.
Upper Age LimitThere is no upper age limit for the NEET exam.
Category-wise Age LimitGeneral/EWS/SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PwBD and PwD category candidates must be born on or before December 31st, 2009.

Check out the Top 5 NEET Coaching Institutes in Pune in 2025

NEET 2026: Category-wise Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility conditions for the NEET 2026 exam are defined by the NMC, DCI, NCISM, and other recognized authorities, like NCH, CCH, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Ministry of AYUSH, etc. These standards are a critical parameter in determining which students are qualified to apply for the NEET 2026 exam, depending on their category, academic qualifications, age, and so on.

CategoryMinimum Marks
General50% in class 12th
OBC-NCL/SC/ST40% in class 12th
PwD (General EWS)/ PwD (OBC/SC/ST)45% in class 12th

NEET 2026 Minimum Age Requirement

Students born on or before December 31, 2009, are eligible to fill out the NEET 2026 application form. The rules of the minimum age requirement are set by NMC and DCI.

CriteriaSpecifications
NEET Cutoff Date of BirthBorn on or before December 31, 2009
Lower Age LimitLower Age Limit
CategoriesGeneral, General EWS, SC, ST, OBC NCL, and PwD

NEET 2026 Maximum Age Limit

The upper age limit of the NEET 2026 exam, as per the NMC, is as follows:

CriteriaSpecifications
Age at the time of admission17 years
Upper Age LimitNo restrictions
CategoriesGeneral, General EWS, SC, ST, OBC NCL, and PwD

Check Out: NEET 2026 Total Marks: Section-Wise Distribution

NEET 2026: Documents Required for Age Proof

The list of documents required for age proof is as follows:

  1. Class 10th Certificate
  2. Birth Certificate
  3. Government ID such as Aadhaar Card, passport, etc. 

NEET 2026 UG Score Validity

For admission in India, NEET-UG scores are only valid for one year, which means they can only be used for admissions in the same year the exam is conducted. For example, NEET 2026 scores can only be used for the 2026-27 academic year. 

If you are applying to overseas medical institutes, your NEET score is valid for three years from the date of result declaration. This prolonged validity helps to fit the lengthy admission timelines that are common for international universities.

Conclusion

Understanding the NEET 2026 age limit is critical for all aspirants to ensure seamless eligibility and avoid last-minute misunderstandings during the application process. NEET is a significant exam for the medical aspirant, therefore understanding every single eligibility criterion is important. 

IIB Career Institute is one of the leading NEET coaching centres in Maharashtra. We offer NEET classes for 11th, 12th and repeater students at Nanded, Latur, Pune- PCMC, Kolhapur, Pune-FC Road, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, and Akola. Join hands with us to ensure your success in the NEET exam.  


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