Maharashtra NEET UG Counselling 2026 is expected to see a shift in admission as the state has added more MBBS seats while recording a significant decline in the number of NEET qualified candidates. According to the latest data, Maharashtra has increased its MBBS seat intake by 400 seats, taking the total from 12,699 in 2025 to 13,099 in 2026. At the same time, the number of qualified candidates has dropped from 1,25,727 to 1,07,304, a decline of 18,423 candidates, about 14.65%. The combination of more MBBS seats and fewer qualified candidates could improve admission opportunities during Maharashtra NEET UG Counselling.
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Maharashtra has expanded its MBBS seat capacity for NEET 2026 by adding 400 new MBBS seats. According to the latest NMC MBBS Seat Matrix 2026, the total number of MBBS seats has increased from 12,699 in 2025 to 13,099 in 2026, registering a 3.15% growth.
Although the seat increase is smaller than in some other major states such as Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra continues to have one of the largest MBBS seat pools in the country, creating more admission chances for NEET aspirants.
Particulars | 2025 | 2026 | Change | Growth |
Total MBBS Seats | 12,699 | 13,099 | 400 | 3.15% |
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The additional MBBS seats in Maharashtra have been distributed across both government and private medical colleges. According to the latest seat matrix, government medical colleges account for 6,000 MBBS seats, while private medical colleges have 7,099 seats in 2026. The distribution of seats across both quotas will influence Maharashtra NEET UG admission.
College Type | 2026 Seats |
Government Medical Colleges | 6,000 |
Private Medical Colleges | 7,099 |
Total | 13,099 |
Source: NMC MBBS Seat Matrix 2026
While Maharashtra has increased its MBBS seat intake, the number of students qualifying for NEET 2026 has declined considerably. The number of qualified candidates fell from 1,25,727 in 2025 to 1,07,304 in 2026, a decline of 18,423 candidates (14.65%).
The reduction in qualified candidates means fewer aspirants will compete for MBBS admissions during Maharashtra NEET UG Counselling 2026, which could improve the overall seat to candidate balance.
Particulars | 2025 | 2026 | Change | Percentage Change |
Qualified Candidates | 1,25,727 | 1,07,304 | -18,423 | -14.65% |
Source: Careers360 analysis of Re-NEET 2026 state-wise qualification data
Practise the latest NEET and Re-NEET papers with answer keys and solutions.
MBBS admissions in Maharashtra are conducted through both the 15% All India Quota (AIQ) and the 85% Maharashtra State Quota. Government medical college seats are divided between these two counselling processes, while private medical colleges follow separate admission categories under the state counselling process. As Maharashtra has increased its overall MBBS seat intake, candidates applying through both AIQ and the Maharashtra State Quota may benefit from the additional seats notified in the final NEET counselling seat matrix.
Seat Category | Share of Government MBBS Seats | Counselling Authority |
All India Quota (AIQ) | 15% | Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) |
Maharashtra State Quota | 85% | State CET Cell, Maharashtra |
Maharashtra NEET UG Counselling 2026 could see lower competition as the state has added 400 MBBS seats while the number of NEET-qualified candidates has declined by 14.65%. More MBBS seats combined with fewer qualified aspirants may improve admission opportunities across government and private medical colleges.
The higher seat availability could also influence the Maharashtra NEET Cutoff 2026, although the final opening and closing ranks will depend on counselling participation, reservation policy, college preferences and seat allotment under different quotas.
One of the key indicators of admission competition is the seat to qualified candidate ratio. In Maharashtra, the ratio has improved in 2026 as MBBS seats increased while the number of qualified candidates declined.
Particulars | 2025 | 2026 |
Total MBBS Seats | 12,699 | 13,099 |
Qualified Candidates | 1,25,727 | 1,07,304 |
Qualified Candidates per MBBS Seat | 10 | 8.19 |
Source: Careers360 analysis of NMC MBBS Seat Matrix 2026 and Re NEET 2026 state-wise qualification data.
On Question asked by student community
Hi Sahana
You can download NEET Previous Year Question Papers with answer keys and detailed solutions from Careers360. The papers include Physics, Chemistry and Biology.
https://medicine.careers360.com/articles/neet-question-paper
https://medicine.careers360.com/articles/neet-previous-year-question-paper-with-solution
Hi Asta,
NEET Chapter wise pyqs for Class 11 and 12th you can check from the below link.
https://medicine.careers360.com/articles/neet-pyq-chapterwise
Hope it works.
Hello Students,
For the NEET UG 2026 Question Paper PDF with Answer Key and Solutions, refer to the article below:
https://medicine.careers360.com/articles/neet-previous-year-question-paper-with-solution
Hello Student,
You can check the resource provided below:
Download NEET Previous 10 Years Question Papers with Solutions PDF
You can also check the NEET 2026 question paper with solutions
Hope this helps!
Hello Chetan,
Here are the links you asked for. I hope they serve your purpose.
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