In short
Going by how far down the rank list seats were still allotted in NEET PG 2025 counselling, the least competitive clinical branches were MS ENT (highest closing rank 69,765), MD Transfusion Medicine (60,833), MS Ophthalmology (49,819), MD Anaesthesiology (47,857) and MS Orthopaedics (36,192), as compiled by Careers360. These are the latest closing ranks anyone can show you. They come from the deepest allotment in 2025, often a deemed or private seat in a late round, and they are not a promise for 2026. MCC’s 2026 Round 1 choice filling closes on 22 October.
Updated 16 October 2026. The branch table is Careers360’s compilation of NEET PG 2025 closing ranks (page updated 29 September 2026); it does not say which round, quota or category each closing rank belongs to. The 2026 schedule and fees are from Careers360’s live coverage of MCC’s notice (last entry 14 October). MCC’s site was not reachable for us, so check mcc.nic.in before you lock choices.
Least competitive clinical branches, by 2025 closing rank
| # | Branch | Highest closing rank, NEET PG 2025 | AIQ seats, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MS ENT | 69,765 | 389 |
| 2 | MD Transfusion Medicine | 60,833 | 61 |
| 3 | MS Ophthalmology | 49,819 | 519 |
| 4 | MD Anaesthesiology | 47,857 | 1,267 |
| 5 | MS Orthopaedics | 36,192 | 658 |
| 6 | MD Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation | 33,452 | 39 |
| 7 | MD TB & Respiratory Diseases | 23,062 | 256 |
| 8 | MD Psychiatry | 22,337 | 329 |
| 9 | MD Radiation Oncology | 22,254 | 174 |
| 10 | MD Emergency Medicine | 20,681 | 88 |
Source: Careers360, compiled from NEET PG 2025 counselling. The seat count tells you as much as the rank. Anaesthesiology’s 1,267 AIQ seats make its late closing rank far more usable than Physical Medicine’s, where only 39 seats existed.
How to read a “highest closing rank”
- It is the single deepest allotment, not the typical one. A branch with a closing rank of 69,765 may have closed at a few thousand in government colleges and reached 69,765 only at one deemed or private seat, usually in Round 3 or the stray round.
- Fees follow the depth. Late closing ranks usually sit at deemed universities, where the deposit alone is ₹2,00,000 and annual tuition is far higher. Ask what the seat costs before you treat it as an option.
- 2025 and 2026 are not like for like. NEET PG 2026 was marked out of 720 (it was 800 before), and the 2026 qualifying cutoff is 262 for General/EWS, 244 for General-PwBD and 226 for SC/ST/OBC. Compare ranks, not marks.
- Non-clinical branches go much deeper. In the same Careers360 list, MD Pathology closed at 65,680 and anatomy, physiology and biochemistry seats went beyond 1,50,000. They are a real path, but a different career.
MCC 2026 Round 1: the dates that matter now
| Step | Date (2026) |
|---|---|
| Registration and payment | 12–21 October |
| Choice filling and locking | 13–22 October (no changes after 22 October) |
| Seat allotment processing | 22–23 October |
| Round 1 result | 24 October |
| Reporting and joining | 26 October – 2 November |
| Round 2 / Round 3 / stray round (tentative) | 6–14 November / 26 November – 4 December / 16–24 December |
| Seat pool | Registration fee | Refundable deposit |
|---|---|---|
| 50% AIQ and central universities — General | ₹1,000 | ₹25,000 |
| 50% AIQ and central universities — SC/ST/OBC | ₹500 | ₹10,000 |
| Deemed universities — all categories | ₹5,000 | ₹2,00,000 |
Building a choice list with a low rank
- Register even if Round 1 looks out of reach. Later rounds and the stray round generally draw on candidates already in the system.
- Fill wide, in true preference order. Put the branch-and-college pairs you would actually join first. A long list costs nothing; a short one is the most common reason eligible candidates end up with no seat.
- Price every deemed choice before you lock it. The ₹2,00,000 deposit is the smallest number involved. Check tuition, hostel and bond terms with the institute in writing.
- Run state counselling in parallel. States fill their 50% quota on their own calendars, and state closing ranks can differ sharply from AIQ.
- Ignore anyone selling a clinical seat. PG seats are allotted only through MCC and state counselling. There is no management seat for sale outside that process.
For what a low score can and cannot do in 2026, including DNB and the 2025 percentile cut, see our NEET PG 2026 low-score guide. The full schedule and seat-matrix explainer is on our NEET PG counselling 2026 page.
Send this to a friend filling choicesFrequently asked questions
Which is the least competitive clinical branch in NEET PG?
On 2025 data compiled by Careers360, MS ENT had the deepest closing rank among clinical branches (69,765), followed by MD Transfusion Medicine (60,833) and MS Ophthalmology (49,819). These are the deepest single allotments in 2025, not guarantees for 2026.
Can I get a clinical branch with a rank above 50,000 in NEET PG 2026?
In 2025, a few clinical branches were allotted beyond 50,000, mostly at the deepest end of the list, which usually means deemed or private seats in late rounds. Whether that repeats in 2026 depends on seats, choices and resignations, which no one can predict.
When does NEET PG 2026 Round 1 choice filling close?
22 October 2026, as reported from MCC’s schedule. The Round 1 result is due on 24 October and joining runs from 26 October to 2 November.
What is the NEET PG 2026 cutoff?
262 for General/EWS (50th percentile), 244 for General-PwBD (45th) and 226 for SC/ST/OBC including PwBD (40th), out of 720.
Is anaesthesia a good option for a low NEET PG rank?
On 2025 data it combined a deep closing rank (47,857) with the most AIQ seats among the branches listed (1,267), which gave late-rank candidates more chances. It is a clinical, procedure-heavy specialty, so choose it for the work, not only the rank.
Sources
- MCC — Medical Counselling Committee (check the live notice)
- Careers360 — NEET PG 2026 top 10 least competitive branches (2025 closing ranks)
- Careers360 — NEET PG counselling 2026 live (schedule, fees)
- Careers360 — NEET PG counselling 2026 schedule out
- MedBound Times — NEET PG 2026 result and cutoff
NEET 2026 counselling support
NEET PG 2026: get a choice-filling checklist
Get a personalised list of NMC-approved private and deemed medical colleges matching your NEET score and budget.
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
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