With over 20.8 lakh candidates competing for approximately 1.08 lakh MBBS seats in 2025, the competition is high. However, not all states in India face the same level of competition. Certain states offer better opportunities for securing seats due to lower cut-off scores, higher seat availability, or fewer applicants relative to seats. For NEET 2025, aspirants expecting a low score can target the low competition states for NEET UG 2025 that offer a combination of high seat availability, lower cut-offs, and domicile advantages.
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The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET UG) is the only exam through which admission to MBBS, BDS, and other undergraduate medical courses is granted in India. However, considering the competition level for a single seat in NEET UG, candidates can try their chances of getting admission in such states where the competition is relatively lower. Read the full article to know comprehensively about the low competition states for NEET UG 2025.
Based on the previous year’s trends, the difficulty level of the NEET 2025 exam, and various factors that affect the competition level in states, the expected cutoff of low competition states for NEET 2025 is provided below.
State/ UT | Expected NEET 2025 state cutoff |
Nagaland | 410 - 420 |
Arunachal Pradesh | 420 - 455 |
Sikkim | 460 - 470 |
Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 465 - 475 |
Meghalaya | 475 - 485 |
Tripura | 525 - 535 |
Manipur | 535 - 545 |
Jammu & Kashmir | 555 - 565 |
Assam | 570 - 580 |
*Disclaimer: The above provided cutoff scores for different states are based on the previous year’s trends, exam analysis, and several other factors. The above data is only indicative and should not be considered conclusive.
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The states with the lowest competition can be derived on the basis of NEET cutoff marks for each category. The lowest NEET cutoff state wise provided below is the minimum marks at which admission was granted in government colleges in previous years.
Lowest Score (2024): ~550–619 marks (General, State Quota, Goa Medical College, Bambolim).
Historical Low: ~451 marks (2019, General, State Quota).
Reason: Single government medical college with low competition.
Reserved Categories: SC/ST cut-offs ~400–450 marks in 2024.
Lowest Score (2024): ~147 marks (General, State Quota, Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences).
Reason: Low applicant numbers in northeastern states.
Reserved Categories: SC/ST cut-offs ~100–120 marks.
Lowest Score (2024): ~119 marks (General, State Quota, Koppal Institute of Medical Sciences).
Reason: High seat availability (45 government colleges) reduces competition.
Reserved Categories: SC/ST cut-offs ~100–113 marks.
Private Colleges: ~350 marks (e.g., Arunai Medical College, management quota).
Lowest Score (2024): ~113 marks (OBC/SC, State Quota, Darbhanga Medical College).
General Category: ~550–590 marks.
Reason: Large seat numbers and reservations lower cut-offs for OBC/SC/ST.
Lowest Score (2024): ~113 marks (ST, State Quota, Government Medical College, Karur).
General Category: ~600–630 marks.
Reserved Categories: SC/ST ~420–500 marks.
Private Colleges: ~350 marks (e.g., Karpagam Faculty).
Lowest Score (2024): ~400 marks (General, State Quota, Zoram Medical College).
Reason: Low competition and fewer candidates.
Reserved Categories: ST ~300–350 marks.
Lowest Score (2024): ~400 marks (General, State Quota, Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences).
Reason: Limited applicants.
Reserved Categories: ST ~300–350 marks.
Lowest Score (2024): ~450 marks (General, State Quota, Andaman & Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences).
Reason: Small population and low competition.
Reserved Categories: SC/ST ~350–400 marks.
Lowest Score (2024): ~500 marks (General, State Quota, NEIGRIHMS, Shillong).
Reason: Low competition in the northeastern region.
Reserved Categories: ST ~350–400 marks.
Lowest Score (2024): ~500 marks (General, State Quota, NAMO Medical Education & Research Institute).
Reason: Fewer applicants due to a small population.
Reserved Categories: SC/ST ~350–400 marks.
A state can be considered to have low competition for NEET UG 2025 based on some factors that are discussed below:
The state having a relatively high number of MBBS and BDS seats compared to the number of applicants can make the competition for a particular seat lower. The more the number of seats available, the less number of students are competing for a single seat, hence making it a state with low competition.
Many states have fewer candidates applying for NEET UG exam, often due to lower population density or less awareness about medical education. The fewer the number of candidates appearing for NEET 2025 in a state, the less is the competition for a seat in that state, eventually making it a state with low competition.
Several states have strict domicile policies for the NEET UG exam. These NEET state domicile criteria lower the competition for state quota seats (85% of seats reserved for state residents) and provide better opportunities for local candidates.
On Question asked by student community
Hello Dear Student,
Yes, qualifying for the NEET is mandatory if you are seeking admission to core medical courses like
MBBS
,
BDS
,
BAMS
,
BHMS
, and
BSc Nursing
across India.
You can check, find and access more information here:
https://medicine.careers360.com/articles/neet-eligibility-criteria
Hope it helps!
Hello Dear Student,
If you are a PCB student and want to keep your career options open apart from NEET, there are several excellent courses and entrance exams you can consider.
Agriculture & Allied Sciences
ICAR UG admissions for courses such as B.Sc. Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry, Fisheries, and related fields.
Hello Dear Student,
The NEET syllabus can seem overwhelming at first, but with a proper strategy and consistent effort, it becomes much more manageable. The key is to focus on the most important topics and practice regularly.
Effective NEET Preparation Tips
Prioritize NCERT Books: NCERT should be your primary study
Hello Dear Student,
You generally do not need to upload your physical category certificate during the initial online application. However, you must declare your category (OBC-NCL) to claim reservation benefits and enter the certificate details. You must provide the physical certificate during counseling and document verification.
You can check, find
Hello Dear Student,
For the NEET PG application form, you do not need to upload your actual OBC or OBC-NCL (Non-Creamy Layer) certificate. You only need to declare your category and claim the OBC-NCL reservation during the registration phase.
You can check, find and access more information here:
https://medicine.careers360.com/articles/neet-caste-certificate-2025
Hope
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