Which State Has the Lowest Cutoff in NEET?

Every year, over 22 lakh students appear for NEET UG with one dream — a government MBBS seat. However, in today's competitive landscape, many below-average players are unsure how to keep up. Well, the good news is that even with a moderate score, one can get a government MBBS seat if he or she chooses the right state strategically. This guide utilises all the information you need to know about the lowest NEET cut-off for each state, state-wise NEET cut, NEET cut trends based on category, and a step-by-step approach to getting admission.

What Is the NEET State Quota System?

It is important to know about the distribution of seats before knowing about the NEET state quota cutoff. Government seats are divided into 2 categories: There are 15% AIIQ seats (All India Quota) allocated by MCC and 85% SQ seats (State Quota) allocated by the medical board of each state. NEET state-wise cutoffs differ by state, as each state conducts its own counselling with its own reservation policies and seat matrix.

• The cut-off of the NEET state quota is always below the AIQ cut-off
• Every state publishes their own round-wise cut-off after counselling
• Reservation policy for SC/ST/OBC is different from state to state.
• State quota seats are only available to citizens with a valid domicile certificate.

Which State Has the Lowest Cutoff in NEET 2024?

The list of the lowest NEET cutoff states is led by Northeast India. Data from the Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences for 2024 showed that, over a period of time, the lowest admission score of just ~147 marks was in the General category in Arunachal Pradesh. This makes it a perfect option for the students who are looking for admission in a Government Medical college with a lower NEET Score.

Lowest NEET Cutoff State-wise for SC, ST, and OBC Categories

The lowest NEET cutoff state-wise for SC, ST, and OBC categories drops even further due to reservation policies. In Bihar and Karnataka, the admissions of SC/ST have occurred at less than 100-113 marks. In the case of the reserved category, the chances of getting a government MBBS seat in a low-competitive state are high. The category-wise break-up of key states is given below.

• Bihar has the lowest OBC/SC cutoffs in all large states.
• Karnataka boasts a large number of government medical colleges with a surplus of seats. There are 45+ medical colleges that are run by the government in Karnataka, and thus, there is a substantial number of seats available.
• Northeast states have the lowest ST cutoffs as there are fewer applicants and tribal reservations.
• The cutoff for ST in Tamil Nadu is one of the lowest in South India at ~113.

Year-wise NEET Cutoff Trend 2019–2024 — Low Cutoff States

It is important to know the trend of the NEET cut-off percentage over a few years by looking at it for different states. On comparison of the year-wise trend data of the minimum cut-off of different states, the states of the Northeast region have had a consistent low minimum cut-off, while states such as Karnataka and Bihar have experienced a slight variation in the minimum cut-off. This historical data is essential to help you gauge your likelihood of getting in in 2025.

• In 2019, Arunachal Pradesh scored ~120 marks, which was their lowest ever, and they have improved slightly and are still the lowest in India.
• Nagaland and Mizoram cutoffs are stable for the last 3 years and can be relied upon.
• Cut-off in Manipur is slowly increasing, and earlier applications are of much importance.
• The reservation category cutoffs for Bihar and Karnataka have been as low as they could be (good for SC/ST/OBC students)
• Overall trend: Northeast state cutoffs are gradually being increased, so students should apply as early as possible.

Private College Cutoff vs Government College Cutoff in NEET 

There is one common doubt of the NEET aspirants, which is about the difference between the cutoffs of government colleges and private colleges for NEET. However, in the case of government colleges, there is a huge competition as compared to the fees charged by private colleges, which have lower scores but hike the fees as well. This difference is important to grasp for formulating a realistic plan, in addition to your primary plan for the lowest NEET marks government option MBBS.

• Government MBBS fee is a minimum of ₹5000 per year, which makes it the cheapest option.
• There are no domicile certificate requirements for private college management quota — open to any students from India.
• Private colleges in low cutoff states such as Karnataka take as low as ~350 in NEET.
• Private colleges will have very high fees for the NRI quota, which is Rs 40-80 lakh per year and requires marks of ~400-450.
• Pursue the government college first, before going for a private management college, if you are considering a management seat.

Why Do These States Have Easy NEET Cutoffs?

It is vital to understand the reason for the lower cutoff in easy states for government medical colleges, so that you can plan accordingly. Major causes are the smaller number of applicants, a higher number of seats available than the population, and strict domicile-based reservation. However, the NEET 85% state quota cutoff for low competition states in Northeast India is very low, as very few candidates compete for these states.

• Low Competition: States such as Nagaland, Mizoram and Sikkim have a smaller number of NEET aspirants.
• High Seat to Applicant ratio: Karnataka has 45 government colleges, which have more seats than the local demand,
• Each State's internal competition remained unaffected by the introduction of the strict domicile rules. The introduction of the strict domicile rules affected no competition as it was confined within the State.
• Location Factor: The preference and demand are low in remote and island UTs such as the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
• States have strong reservation policies: In states such as Bihar and Tamil Nadu, cutoffs are brought low due to their deep OBC/SC/ST quotas.

MBBS Admission with 200–300 Marks in NEET — Which State?

If you are thinking about MBBS admission with 200 marks in NEET, which state is possible to get into, then yes, you can get admission with 200 marks in NEET to MBBS admission in any medical college of any state and can also get admission with 300 marks in NEET to MBBS in any medical college in any State of India as well. If you have a good domicile and state selection, you can get a government MBBS seat with marks ranging between 200 and 300 in some states. The table below is an approximation of the realistic state options to which score ranges are mapped.

How to Get an MBBS Seat with a Low NEET Score in India

Getting an MBBS seat with a low NEET score in India is not merely about identifying a low-cutoff state; it's about implementing the correct strategy at the proper time. Those students who have planned early and understood counselling timelines and have utilised NEET admission with a low score in the Northeastern states are on track to take advantage of government seats in MBBS. Follow this action plan step-by-step.

• Step 1:  is to get your state domicile certificate ahead of time: it is mandatory!
• Step 2: Monitor Counselling Schedule for Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh.
• Step 3: Create a preference list using NEET state quota cut-off data for your state.
• Step 4: This is all about the BAMS/BHMS admission eligibility process.It is all about the eligibility criteria to get admission in BAMS/BHMS.
• Step 5: If you are unable to get the state quota, then explore the private college management quota (~350 marks sufficient)
• Step 6: Talk to a professional NEET counsellor — NEET cutoffs change annually and a professional opinion is important!

Manipur Mizoram NEET State Quota Cutoff 2024 — Detailed Data

The Manipur Mizoram NEET state quota cut-off 2024 has always been the lowest in the country. The top two states in the Northeast that are sought by low-score MBBS aspirants are these two. The latest available NEET UG 2024 Cutoff data for all major categories of NEET UG 2024 government colleges in Northeast India is given below.

• Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis for seats in NE states, but it is advisable to make early applications in the counselling rounds.
• The Nagaland NEET UG state quota cutoff is 2024 is consistently stays below 200 for General in the last few years.
• Arunachal Pradesh NEET Cutoff 2024 for Government College remains the lowest among all colleges in India, which is ~147 marks.
• Competition is internal – only those who are domiciled holders are allowed to compete

Top Government Medical Colleges in Low-Cutoff States

It is obvious that if you know the lowest NEET cutoff in India for general girls' merit, you will need to know about which government colleges are present in these states. These institutions provide an NMC (National Medical Commission) recognised complete MBBS degree at a low price. Following is a list of the best Government Medical Colleges in states with the smallest cut-off score.

Conclusion

Understanding which state has the lowest cutoff in NEET can improve your MBBS admission strategy. States like Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Manipur often offer the lowest NEET cutoff opportunities. Analyze state-wise NEET cutoffs, domicile requirements, and counselling trends carefully to maximise your chances of securing a government MBBS seat.