NEET UG 2026 Eligibility Criteria & Code 01–07: Age Limit, Qualification and Subject Requirements
NEET UG 2026 eligibility criteria by NTA check age limit, educational qualification, nationality rules (Indian, NRI, OCI, Foreign) and Code 01–07 qualifying exam codes for MBBS, BDS and AYUSH admissions.
NEET UG 2026 Eligibility Criteria
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the official eligibility rules for NEET UG 2026 according to the regulations of the National Medical Commission (NMC) and Dental Council of India (DCI). Every student planning to take admission in MBBS, BDS, AYUSH or other undergraduate medical courses must satisfy these conditions. If a candidate does not meet the eligibility criteria, admission can be cancelled during counselling even after qualifying NEET.
NEET UG 2026 Age Limit
As per Graduate Medical Education Regulation-2023 (amended on 16 June 2023), candidates must complete 17 years of age on or before 31 December 2026 to appear in NEET UG 2026.
| Criteria | Requirement |
| Minimum Age | 17 years by 31 December 2026 |
| Eligible Date of Birth | Born on or before 31 December 2009 |
| Applicable Categories | All categories (General/EWS/OBC/SC/ST/PwBD) |
| Upper Age Limit | No upper age limit (removed by NMC) |
Nationality Eligibility (Indian, NRI, OCI & Foreign Candidates)
Indian citizens and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) are eligible to appear in NEET UG 2026. Students planning to study MBBS abroad must also qualify NEET, otherwise they will not be eligible for medical registration in India later.
| Candidate Type | Eligibility | Required Document |
| Indian Citizen | Eligible | Standard ID proof |
| NRI / OCI | Eligible | Certificate from Indian Embassy/Diplomatic Mission |
| Foreign National | Eligible | Passport or Citizenship Proof |
| Students Studying MBBS Abroad | Must qualify NEET | NEET Qualification Mandatory |
As per the Supreme Court order dated 3 February 2023, OCI candidates continue to receive the same admission privileges that existed before the 2021 notification, subject to government rules.
Educational Qualification Requirements
Candidates must have studied Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology and English in Class 12 or equivalent examination. Students appearing in Class 12 in 2026 may apply, but admission will only be granted after passing the qualifying examination before counselling.
| Subject Requirement | Status |
| Physics | Compulsory |
| Chemistry | Compulsory |
| Biology/Biotechnology | Compulsory |
| English | Compulsory |
NMC has also allowed candidates who studied PCB subjects as additional subjects after Class 12 to appear in NEET, provided they produce proper documents during admission.
Qualifying Examination Codes (Code 01 to Code 07)
| Code | Eligibility |
| Code 01 | Appearing in Class 12 (result awaited) – must pass before counselling |
| Code 02 | 12th/Equivalent with PCB & English including practicals |
| Code 03 | Intermediate/Pre-degree Science with PCB & English |
| Code 04 | Pre-medical/Pre-professional exam with PCB |
| Code 05 | First year of recognized university degree with PCB |
| Code 06 | B.Sc. degree with at least two subjects among Physics/Chemistry/Biology |
| Code 07 | Foreign/Equivalent exam equal to Indian Class 12 Science |
Note for Tamil Nadu 2021 SSLC Students
Due to COVID-19, Tamil Nadu State Board did not conduct Class 10 exams in 2021 and students were declared “Pass”. While filling the NEET 2026 application form, candidates selecting passing year 2021 and Tamil Nadu State Board will not be required to enter marks because the marks field will automatically be disabled.
