NEET UG 2026 Topper List Out: Aryan Gupta, Panshul Bansal Secure AIR 1

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially declared the results for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2026 on July 16, 2026. Punjab’s Aryan Gupta and Haryana’s Panshul Bansal have emerged as the joint national toppers, both scoring an impressive 715 out of 720 marks to secure All India Rank (AIR) 1. The timely release of the results ensures that the upcoming admission and counselling processes for undergraduate medical (MBBS), dental (BDS), AYUSH, and allied courses remain on schedule.

Official NEET UG 2026 National Toppers

A highly competitive pool of nearly 20 lakh candidates appeared for the examination on June 21, 2026, across 5,440 centres in India and 14 international locations. Out of these, 11.21 lakh candidates successfully qualified. NEET UG 2026 Re-Exam Results Out: 11.21 Lakh Candidates Qualify; Check Toppers, Cut-Offs, Scorecard Download Details.

While the top tier of candidates saw exceptionally close margins, the absolute top positions were secured by two male candidates who achieved a score of 715 out of 720:

High Scorers and Mark Distribution

The NTA’s official merit statistics indicate a dense concentration of high-scoring candidates just below the top rank. Rather than perfect 720 scores dominating the top tier, the marks were distributed as follows:

• Above 700 Marks: 19 candidates

• Above 690 Marks: 138 candidates

• 650 Marks or Above: 1,492 candidates

• 600 Marks or Above: 10,160 candidates

• 500 Marks or Above: 90,780 candidates

Among the 138 candidates who scored more than 690 marks, approximately 93% were first-time test-takers, and around 99% fell within the 17 to 19 age bracket. The top 17 rank holders—all scoring above 705 marks—belong to a diverse group of states, including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana.

State-Wise Performance and Regional Highlights

The 2026 results show a strong showing from traditional academic hubs, alongside notable achievements from candidates in outlying regions and Union Territories with historically smaller applicant pools.

A total of 17 state toppers across India scored 700 marks or above, and 26 state toppers recorded scores exceeding 690. Some of the standout performances from unique regional jurisdictions include:

• Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Dhruv Tripathi (Topper) – 606 marks

• Lakshadweep: Fahmida Anees (Topper) – 573 marks

• Ladakh: Jigmet Yangchan Lamo (Topper) – 530 marks

Gender and Category-Wise Breakdowns

Female candidates continued their trend of outperforming male candidates in overall qualifying percentages. According to the NTA’s consolidated statistics, women accounted for more than 58% of all qualified candidates nationwide. Specifically, 56.8% of the registered female candidates who sat for the test qualified, compared to 55.1% of male candidates.

The category-wise distribution of the 11.21 lakh qualifying candidates is structured as follows:

• OBC-NCL: 5.12 lakh candidates

• General: 2.91 lakh candidates

• SC: 1.59 lakh candidates

• Gen-EWS: 95,026 candidates

• ST: 63,716 candidates

• PwBD: 3,666 candidates

• PwD: 303 candidates

Next Steps for Qualified Candidates

With the official scorecards now available for download on the NTA’s official portal (neet.nta.nic.in), the seat allocation and admission process is set to begin.

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) will oversee the counselling for the 15% All India Quota (AIQ) seats in central and state medical colleges. Respective state medical authorities will coordinate admissions for the remaining 85% state quota seats.

The NTA has released a public warning advising candidates and parents to monitor only official MCC and state counseling websites. Aspirants are cautioned against fraudulent agencies, websites, or calls promising direct admissions or seat blocking in exchange for financial transactions.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 16, 2026 11:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).