In a major update, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has released official data for NEET UG 2025, confirming that over 9.72 lakh students failed to qualify this year. The high number of unsuccessful candidates has raised serious concerns among students, parents, and education experts nationwide.

Despite a drop in cutoff marks across all categories due to an overall decline in scores, the failure rate remains unexpectedly high. The data, announced along with the results on June 14, shows how big the problem is and has made many people worried about how students are getting ready for medical entrance exams.

Category-Wise NEET UG 2025 Performance

Key Factors Behind the Low Qualification Rate

Experts from NEET coaching institutes and educational bodies suggest several reasons behind the unusually high number of failures this year:

1. Increased Difficulty Level

Many students found the NEET UG 2025 question paper, especially in Physics and Biology, tougher than in previous years. The presence of tricky multiple-choice questions and ambiguous options added to the challenge.

2. Cutoff Pressure Despite Low Scores

Even though the scores were lower overall, the cutoff remained relatively high. This led to many borderline candidates missing the qualifying mark by just a few points.

3. Conceptual NCERT-Based Questions

While NEET is based on NCERT textbooks, this year’s paper included several indirectly framed questions. These required deeper understanding and affected students who focused only on superficial preparation.

4. Mental Health and Performance Anxiety

With intense academic pressure and back-to-back competitive exams, many students faced stress and anxiety, impacting their performance during the exam.

5. Confusion Over Pattern Changes

Minor modifications in the exam structure or marking pattern may have led to confusion, especially around time management and section prioritisation.

Category-Wise Performance Trends

The decline in qualifying numbers was seen across all categories, from General and OBC to SC, ST and EWS. Even well-prepared candidates found themselves falling short of the qualifying cutoff, showing that the issue was widespread and Structural.

What Experts Say

Dr. Sanjay Tiwari, a noted NEET mentor and MBBS admission advisor, remarked:

“The number of non-qualified candidates this year is alarming. It highlights the need for students to move beyond rote learning and focus on conceptual clarity. The education system must also support deeper understanding over memorization.”

Implications for MBBS Admissions

While the failure rate is high, qualified candidates may find slightly better chances during counselling, especially for private and deemed universities. Competition for government college seats remains intense, but the smaller number of qualified candidates could slightly reduce competition in the later counselling rounds.

Next Steps for Students

• For Qualified Students: Begin document preparation and stay updated on NEET UG counselling schedules and procedures.
• For Non-Qualified Students: Don’t be discouraged. You can plan to reattempt NEET in 2026 with improved strategies or consider alternate medical career paths such as B.Sc Nursing, BPT, or paramedical programs.

Note: The NEET UG 2025 results have sent a strong message to India’s medical education ecosystem. With nearly 10 lakh students unable to qualify, it’s clear that there's an urgent need for more concept-based learning, psychological support, and adaptive exam strategies.