In short
For private college seats a non-domicile candidate can apply for, the lowest cutoffs are in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Haryana, which admit the widest range of scores among states open to outsiders. For deemed university seats, which have no domicile rule, the lowest are in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, closing lowest in the later rounds. For government seats the question has no useful answer — every state closes far above the low-score range. In 2026 every one of these is capped by the qualifying score: 213 for General/EWS and 177 for OBC/SC/ST.
Read cutoffs against the 2026 scale. The qualifying score rose from 144 to 213 for General candidates this year, so mark ranges quoted for earlier cycles — including the “expected” ranges in the table below, compiled from earlier counselling — no longer describe what is possible. Compare states by the closing ranks each authority publishes after a round; the live windows are listed next. How the cutoff changed.
State counselling windows open now (25 September 2026)
As reported from each authority’s notices; confirm on the official portal, and see our list of state portals.
| State | Where it stands | Deposit / fee notes |
|---|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | Round 2 result 25 Sept; reporting 26 Sept to 1 Oct; Round 3 not announced | ₹2,00,000 refundable deposit for private seats (see our UP guide) |
| Haryana | Round 3 registration and choice filling 28 Sept to 10 Oct; result 12 Oct; last joining 17 Oct | Round 2 result was 14 Sept; 1,166 MBBS/BDS seats allotted |
| Rajasthan | Round 3 registration from 23 Sept; choice filling to 7 Oct; fee deadline 3 Oct | Reported deposits: ₹5,00,000 private MBBS, ₹2,00,000 management, ₹5,00,000 NRI, ₹50,000 government |
| Karnataka (KEA) | 459 vacant management-quota seats notified in 23 private colleges | Course fees ₹27,11,950 to ₹45,00,000 (Medical Dialogues, citing KEA) |
Three questions hiding in one
“Which state has the lowest cutoff” is really asking about three different things, and the answers do not overlap.
- Government seats. High everywhere. Some states are marginally lower than others for reserved categories, but no state is low, and state quota requires domicile.
- Private seats you can actually apply for from another state. Only open states count — Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, and management quotas in closed states like Rajasthan and Karnataka. This is the question that matters to most people asking.
- Deemed university seats. No state rule at all; allotted through MCC on all-India merit. Here the “state” is where the college happens to be, and the lowest cutoffs cluster in the south.
State by state, from this directory’s data (earlier-cycle ranges)
| State | Lowest cutoff | At | Cheapest fee | Non-domicile access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puducherry (3) | 130 marks | Aarupadai Veedu Medical College (AVMC) | ₹19.5 Lakhs | Open to all-India |
| Tamil Nadu (4) | 130 marks | ACS Medical College and Hospital | ₹20 Lakhs | Open to all-India |
| Bihar (6) | 140 marks | Lord Buddha Koshi Medical College | ₹10 Lakhs | Open to all-India |
| Haryana (5) | 140 marks | World College of Medical Sciences & Research | ₹12 Lakhs | Open to all-India |
| Uttar Pradesh (13) | 140 marks | Santosh Medical College & Hospital | ₹11.78 Lakhs | Open to all-India |
| Karnataka (3) | 160 marks | Shri B. M. Patil Medical College (BLDE University) | ₹18 Lakhs | Open to all-India |
| Rajasthan (1) | 160 marks | Pacific Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) | ₹28 Lakhs | Management quota only |
| Maharashtra (4) | 170 marks | D. Y. Patil Education Society Medical College | ₹20.6 Lakhs | Open to all-India |
| Delhi (1) | 200 marks | Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences & Research (HIMSR) | ₹16 Lakhs | Open to all-India |
Cutoffs are expected closing ranges for the 2026 cycle, compiled from previous rounds — not guarantees. Fees are the advertised annual tuition and change by notification. Verify both on the official counselling portal before locking your choices.
Lowest cutoff is not the same as best option
The states with the lowest deemed cutoffs — Tamil Nadu, Puducherry — also carry the highest fees, roughly ₹19–25 Lakhs a year. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar close higher but cost roughly half. A qualified candidate in the lower ranks has a realistic path in both; the question is whether the family can fund ₹1.2 Crore or ₹65 Lakhs, and that decides the state more than the cutoff does.
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Frequently asked questions
Which state has the lowest NEET cutoff for private MBBS?
For seats open to candidates from any state, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Haryana have historically closed lowest. Deemed universities in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry close lower still in the later rounds, but at roughly double the fee. In 2026 the minimum qualifying score of 213 (General/EWS) and 177 (OBC/SC/ST) applies in every state.
Which state has the lowest cutoff for government MBBS?
No state has a low government cutoff. The lowest are reserved-category state-quota seats in smaller states, which require the category certificate and that state's domicile, and still close far above the private-college range.
Can I apply in a state where I have no domicile?
In open states — Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Haryana in later rounds — yes, for 100% of private seats. In closed states such as Rajasthan and Karnataka, only through the management and NRI quotas. For deemed universities, domicile never applies.
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Sources and how to verify this page
Cutoffs and fees on this page are compiled estimates for the 2026 cycle, not official figures. Every claim about eligibility, counselling process and legality can be checked against the primary sources below, and you should check them before acting.
- National Medical Commission — recognised colleges and seat matrix
- Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) — deemed and all-India quota
- National Testing Agency — NEET-UG results and percentiles
- UP DGME — Uttar Pradesh private MBBS counselling
- BCECEB — Bihar private MBBS counselling
Found something wrong? Report a correction — we publish what changed and when.