Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Aug 13
Competition for medical seats in Jammu and Kashmir is expected to remain intense this year, with 1,064 candidates scoring more than 500 marks in the provisional NEET-UG 2026 merit list released for candidates from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The merit list, issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (BOPEE), ranks candidates according to their NEET-UG scores and includes their gender, category, and national rank.
A total of 1087 candidates scored at least 500 marks out of 720.
The candidate ranked 1064th scored 501, while the score at the next position was 500.
The figures indicate the level of competition in the regional merit pool but do not represent the minimum score required to secure an MBBS seat.
The eventual cut-off will depend on category, college, seat type and the choices candidates make during counselling.
For Open Merit candidates, the closing score for government MBBS seats is expected to remain in the low-to-mid 500s, while the most sought-after colleges could close at around 540-550 marks, according to the supplied assessment.
Reserved-category cut-offs are expected to be lower, although their final levels will depend on the number of seats and candidate preferences.
Jammu and Kashmir has 1675 approved MBBS seats for the 2026-27 academic session, comprising 1525 government and 150 private seats, according to the information provided. The exact category-wise seat matrix is yet to be updated by BOPEE.
The provisional merit list also showed a gender gap among the highest-ranked candidates. Twenty-eight women were among the top 100 candidates.
The first 100 candidates scored at least 602 marks, while the highest-ranked candidate from Jammu and Kashmir was a woman with an All India Rank of 99.
The provisional list is subject to change.
BOPEE has allowed candidates to raise objections regarding their merit position or document deficiencies by August 14 and has retained the right to make corrections after verification.
The final MBBS closing scores will only become clear after counselling and seat allotment.
Students who do not secure an MBBS seat can also pursue other medical and allied-health programmes, including dentistry, AYUSH courses, veterinary studies, nursing and related disciplines.
