Assam's NEET-UG 2026 performance slips as qualified candidates fall by nearly 7 per cent

The National Testing Agency (NTA) data for NEET (UG) 2026 shows a decline in the number of candidates qualifying from most Northeastern states compared to the previous year, with Mizoram and Nagaland emerging as the only states in the region to register an increase in successful candidates.

Assam continued to account for the highest number of qualified candidates in the Northeast, with 18,435 students clearing the examination this year. However, the figure was lower than the 19,809 qualifiers recorded in 2025. The state registered 43,187 candidates for NEET (UG) 2026, of whom 36,283 appeared for the examination.

Arunachal Pradesh recorded a decline in qualified candidates from 2,645 last year to 2,179 in 2026. The state saw 4,891 registrations, while 3,940 candidates appeared for the examination.

Manipur also witnessed a year-on-year drop, with 5,070 candidates qualifying compared to 6,116 in 2025. A total of 9,657 candidates registered, and 8,321 appeared for the national medical entrance test.

Meghalaya reported a marginal decline, with the number of qualified candidates decreasing from 1,681 last year to 1,658 in 2026. The state recorded 4,183 registrations and 3,425 candidates appeared.

In contrast, Mizoram registered an improvement, with qualified candidates increasing from 1,243 in 2025 to 1,353 this year. Nagaland also posted higher numbers, recording 1,946 qualifiers compared to 1,813 in the previous year.

Tripura saw its tally of successful candidates fall from 2,265 in 2025 to 1,807 in 2026, while Sikkim recorded a decline from 643 to 579 qualified candidates.

At the national level, 22,79,743 candidates registered for NEET (UG) 2026, of whom 19,99,895 appeared for the examination. A total of 11,21,185 candidates qualified.

The latest NTA data indicates that while the Northeast continues to contribute a substantial number of medical aspirants to the country's premier undergraduate medical entrance examination, most states in the region recorded a year-on-year decline in the number of successful candidates. Mizoram and Nagaland were the only exceptions, registering an increase in the number of qualifiers over the previous year.