New Delhi, October 15, 2026: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has reduced the NEET-MDS 2026 qualifying percentile by 20.576 percentile points across the listed categories, offering a renewed opportunity to dental graduates seeking postgraduate admission. The decision applies to the 2026–27 academic session and was communicated through a letter issued by the Ministry’s Dental Education Section on October 12.
The order revises the qualifying criteria originally stated in the NEET-MDS 2026 Information Bulletin. However, the Ministry’s decision and the publication of a revised result are separate steps. Although NBEMS has been directed to issue revised results, candidates should wait for an official update before assuming their scorecard or counselling eligibility has changed.
Revised NEET-MDS 2026 Qualifying Percentiles
The Ministry’s letter specifies the following revised thresholds:
|
Category |
Original percentile |
Revised percentile |
|
General/UR/EWS |
50th |
29.424 |
|
SC/ST/OBC, including PwD candidates in these categories |
40th |
19.424 |
|
UR-PwBD |
45th |
24.424 |
These figures are qualifying percentiles, not minimum marks or percentages of marks. A percentile reflects a candidate’s relative position among test-takers; it cannot be directly converted into a specific score without an official NBEMS update. Candidates should therefore avoid relying on unofficial claims about revised marks cut-offs.
NBEMS Revised Result Is Still Awaited
The Ministry has directed NBEMS to publish revised NEET-MDS 2026 results in line with the lowered percentiles and has asked MCC to take the necessary action on a priority basis. The decision refers to the DCI MDS Regulations, 2017, and the second proviso to Clause 7(1) of the DCI Master of Dental Surgery Course (First Amendment) Regulations, 2018.
The Ministry’s letter was addressed to the NBEMS Executive Director and the MCC Deputy Director General (Medical Education), with a copy to the National Dental Commission (NDC). The NDC listed a public notice on the reduction on October 14.
As of October 15, the MCC MDS Counselling portal states that the revised result or notification from the NDC and NBEMS is awaited. No separate revised NEET-MDS 2026 result announcement was available in the NBEMS records checked for this report.
What the Cut-Off Reduction Means for Candidates
The lower threshold may make more candidates eligible to participate in counselling. For those who did not meet the earlier qualifying percentile, the decision offers a fresh possibility—but qualifying does not guarantee an MDS seat. Allotment will depend on merit, seat availability, candidate preferences, eligibility requirements and applicable counselling rules.
Candidates should:
- Monitor official updates on the NBEMS website, MCC portal and relevant state counselling portals.
- Wait for the revised result before making decisions based on an assumed score cut-off.
- Keep documents ready, including scorecards and applicable category or disability certificates.
- Verify counselling dates through fresh official notices rather than relying on earlier schedules.