The NEET UG 2026 BDS Admission guide covers seats, expected cutoff, counselling and the documents you need. BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) is the primary dental degree. BDS cutoffs are generally lower than MBBS, making it accessible at a wider rank range.
BDS Seats & Quota
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Approx. BDS Seats (India) | ~27,000+ |
| All India Quota (AIQ) | 15% of government seats + AIIMS/JIPMER/ESIC/AFMC — via mcc.nic.in |
| State Quota | 85% of government seats + private/deemed colleges — via state authority |
Expected BDS Cutoff & Rank
| Marks Range | Expected AIR | Admission Possibility |
|---|---|---|
| 700–720 | Top 100 | AIIMS Delhi, Top Govt Medical Colleges |
| 680–699 | 100–500 | AIIMS (other campuses), Top Govt Colleges |
| 660–679 | 500–1,500 | AIIMS regional, Top State Govt Colleges |
| 640–659 | 1,500–4,000 | State Top Govt Medical Colleges |
| 620–639 | 4,000–8,000 | Good State Govt Medical Colleges |
| 600–619 | 8,000–15,000 | State Govt Colleges, ESIC Medical Colleges |
| 580–599 | 15,000–25,000 | State Govt Colleges (State Quota) |
| 550–579 | 25,000–45,000 | Govt Colleges (SC/OBC), Private Colleges |
| 500–549 | 45,000–80,000 | Private Medical Colleges (State Quota) |
| 450–499 | 80,000–1,20,000 | Private / Deemed Medical Colleges |
| 400–449 | 1,20,000–1,80,000 | Deemed Universities, AYUSH Colleges |
| 350–399 | 1,80,000–2,50,000 | AYUSH (BAMS, BUMS, BHMS) — possible |
| 145–349 | >2,50,000 | Only AYUSH if seats available; consider reappear |
See the full NEET 2026 cutoff and try the College Predictor.
How to Get BDS Admission
Qualify NEET UG 2026 above your category cutoff, then participate in counselling (AIQ and/or state quota), fill choices, and report to your allotted college with the required documents.
Frequently Asked Questions — BDS Admission
All India Quota (AIQ) covers 15% of government medical college seats plus all seats at AIIMS, JIPMER, ESIC and AFMC; it is conducted by MCC at mcc.nic.in and is open to candidates from any state. State Quota covers the remaining 85% of government seats plus all private/deemed college seats in a state; it is conducted by the State Authority and usually requires a state domicile certificate. Private college fees are considerably higher (₹10–30 lakh per year).
NEET UG 2026 qualifying cutoff percentiles are: General (UR) — 50th percentile (approx. 145–165 marks expected), General-PwBD — 45th percentile, and SC/ST/OBC-NCL — 40th percentile (approx. 100–120 marks expected). These are only the qualifying cutoffs needed to appear in counselling. For actual admission to a Government Medical College, General category candidates usually need 600+ marks.
For NEET UG 2026, the minimum age is 17 years as on 31 December 2026. There is currently no upper age limit (following the Supreme Court order), and there is no cap on the number of attempts. Eligibility requires passing Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology/Biotechnology as compulsory subjects, with a minimum of 50% marks for General and 40% for SC/ST/OBC candidates.