Tamil Nadu NEET cutoff 2026 for government MBBS colleges

By Magnus Academy, Hosur · Updated October 2026

How MBBS admission works in Tamil Nadu

Your NEET score is used in two separate counselling processes:

• All India Quota (15%) of seats in government medical colleges is filled through national counselling by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), open to students from every state.
• State quota (85%) of government college seats, plus the government-quota seats in private (self-financing) colleges, is filled by the Tamil Nadu Selection Committee under the Directorate of Medical Education. This is where most Tamil Nadu students get their seats.

State counselling follows Tamil Nadu's 69% reservation: BC 26.5%, BC (Muslim) 3.5%, MBC/DNC 20%, SC 18% (including 3% for Arunthathiyar), and ST 1%, with the rest open to all. On top of this, 7.5% of government seats are reserved for students who studied in Tamil Nadu government schools from Class 6 to Class 12.

The Selection Committee publishes a merit list ranked by NEET marks. For 2026–27, the government-quota rank list had 35,926 candidates, with marks ranging from 705 down to 177.

2026 Round 1 closing ranks: government colleges

These are the Round 1 closing state ranks on the general list for 2026, compared with 2025. A lower number means the college filled up faster.

For students in and around Hosur, Salem, Vellore and the newer district colleges are often realistic targets. Because many colleges close within a few hundred ranks of each other, a difference of just 10–20 marks can change which college you get.

What these ranks mean in marks

Closing marks depend on your community, so there's no single cutoff. Based on the 2025 Round 1 allotment lists:

• Top colleges: Madras Medical College closed at about 609 marks for OC and 591 for BC.
• Newer district government colleges: about 500–517 marks for BC and 441–465 for SC.
• 7.5% government-school quota: much lower. Madras Medical College closed around 498 (BC) and 492 (SC), and newer colleges around 409–446.

The 2026 Re-NEET was scored more generously than 2025, so analysts estimate that a 2025 closing mark corresponds to a mark roughly 5–9 points higher in 2026. Treat these as guides, not guarantees, and compare your state rank and community rank, not just your marks.

Seats and competition are changing

Tamil Nadu now has 13,999 MBBS seats across government and private colleges. Government MBBS seats rose from 5,200 in 2025 to 5,349 in 2026, and private seats from 7,800 to 8,650. At the same time, the number of Tamil Nadu students who qualified NEET fell from 76,181 in 2025 to 61,306 in 2026. More seats and fewer qualified candidates can loosen closing ranks in later rounds.

What this means for your preparation

• Aim for a buffer. If your target college closed around a certain mark last year, aim 20–30 marks above it to stay safe from year-to-year changes.
• Know your category and quota. Your community and, if eligible, the 7.5% government-school quota can change your options significantly. Keep certificates ready well before counselling.
• Don't ignore later rounds. Seats open up in Round 2 and mop-up rounds as students move to other colleges.
• Consider all options. Government-quota seats in private colleges, BDS and AYUSH courses such as BSMS (Siddha) also use NEET scores.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: 2026 and 2025 Round 1 closing ranks and seat figures from published Tamil Nadu Selection Committee allotment data as reported by Careers360 (September 2026); marks analysis based on 2025 Selection Committee allotment lists. Always check the official site, tnmedicalselection.net, and mcc.nic.in for the latest lists and rules.