Every year, lakhs of students appear for the NEET UG exam, but one question remains the most common: how many minimum marks are required to secure a government medical college, and is it possible to pursue an MBBS if you score below 500? If your score is below 500, there’s no need to panic. Based on estimated trends, students scoring between 400 and 449 marks may secure an AIR of around 1.8 lakh to 2.8 lakh. At this score, the chances of getting a government MBBS seat are limited, but admission to private medical colleges, AYUSH courses, and management quota seats remains possible. (AI Image)

According to estimates, students scoring between 450 and 499 marks may secure an All India Rank (AIR) between approximately 90,000 and 180,000. Some estimates place this range between 50,000 and 100,000. The variation depends on factors such as the exam’s difficulty level, the number of candidates, and the cut-off in a particular year. Although a score below 500 does not guarantee a specific rank, it generally reduces the chances of getting admission to a govt medical college, particularly for students in the general category. (AI Image)

Students scoring between 490 and 500 who belong to SC, ST, OBC, EWS, or other reserved categories may still have a chance of securing a government MBBS seat in certain states. The highest number of govt medical seats are in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Therefore, if a child chooses a seat in these states as their counselling option, they will likely benefit. However, it can be quite challenging for general category students. (Representative image/File)

An MBBS degree is not the only career option for students scoring below 500. Several other professional courses are also available through NEET. Students can apply for MBBS in private medical colleges as well as courses such as BDS (Dental), BAMS (Ayurveda), BHMS (Homeopathy), BUMS, BSMS, and various paramedical and health science programmes. However, private medical colleges generally have much higher tuition fees than government institutions. (Representative image/File)

According to the latest data, a total of 1,36,939 MBBS seats will be available for admission across 823 medical colleges in India. Out of the total seats, 1,27,028 seats have already been approved, while 9,911 new MBBS seats have been added this year. Along with this, NMC has approved 25 new medical colleges, which will collectively offer 2,400 additional MBBS seats. The seat matrix will play a crucial role for candidates seeking medical admission through NEET UG 2026 counselling. (Representative image/File)