The sharp rise in NEET-UG qualifying cutoff marks has left several medical aspirants concerned about their chances of securing seats in government medical colleges. Students have expressed disappointment over the higher cutoff following the re-test, with many questioning whether scores between 500 and 600 marks will be enough for admission this year.Aspirants said the increase has created uncertainty, especially for students who have spent years preparing for the examination. Many pointed out that despite multiple years of preparation, their scores did not rise significantly, while several first-time test-takers secured high marks after the re-test.• Rickshaw puller’s grandson becomes first from Bihar village to crack NEET UG, advises consistency to aspirants

Qualifying cutoff sees major jump across categories

The minimum qualifying marks for NEET-UG have increased significantly compared with the previous year. The General and EWS category cutoff rose from 144 marks to 213 marks, while the cutoff for OBC, SC and ST categories increased from 113 marks to 177 marks.

Students said the sudden increase in qualifying marks has added pressure during the admission process. They also noted that the percentage of General category candidates among qualified students has declined by around 3 per cent compared with last year.

Aspirants seek clarity over admission chances

Several students raised concerns about the impact of higher scores on government medical college admissions. They questioned how candidates scoring around 500 to 600 marks would compete when a larger number of students have entered the higher score bracket.According to students, the re-test played a role in pushing scores upwards, as many candidates achieved marks close to 700. Some aspirants also questioned why their performance did not improve despite three years of preparation, particularly when the re-test paper was considered easier by some students.

CBSE counselling cell receives stress-related queries

The rise in cutoff marks led to a surge in queries at the CBSE counselling cell. Counsellors received several calls from students seeking guidance about admission possibilities and future options.CBSE counsellor Dr Pramod Kumar said the highest number of queries came from Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. He added that most students were concerned about the increased qualifying cutoff and uncertainty over admissions.Individual experts at the counselling cell received more than 100 calls in a single day, with many students expressing stress over their scores after years of preparation.

Experts explain impact on medical admissions

NEET preparation expert Aditya explained that the increase in qualifying cutoff indicates that more students achieved higher scores compared with previous years. He said the change is likely to affect admission requirements, particularly for government medical colleges.According to him, competition for government medical seats is expected to become tougher, and even candidates with scores up to 600 marks may face uncertainty during the admission process.