Women keep their NEET edge: Over 58% of 2026 qualified candidates are female

Women once again outpaced men in NEET UG 2026, making up more than 58% of the 11.21 lakh candidates who qualified. The results extend last year's pattern and underline a sustained rise in women's participation and success in India's medical admissions race.NEET UG 2026 results out: Women account for over 58% qualifiers, outpace men (Image source: PTI)The top two ranks in NEET (UG) 2026 went to male candidates, but the bigger story belonged to women. Accounting for more than 58% of the 11.21 lakh qualified candidates, female aspirants once again outnumbered men among successful candidates, extending a trend that began in 2025.Women also recorded a higher qualification rate than men, underscoring their growing academic edge in one of the country's most competitive entrance examinations.WOMEN DOMINATE THE QUALIFIERSThe National Testing Agency (NTA) said 11.21 lakh candidates qualified for NEET (UG) 2026 after nearly 20 lakh aspirants appeared for the examination. Women made up over 58% of all successful candidates and outperformed men in terms of qualification rate.According to the NTA, 56.8% of female candidates who appeared qualified, compared with 55.1% of male candidates, highlighting a consistent performance advantage for women. STRONG PRESENCE AMONG TOP RANKERSWomen also made a significant mark among the country's highest scorers.Of the 138 candidates who scored 690 marks or above, several women secured top All India Ranks, including: AIRCandidateState5Kudale Shravani KrishnaMaharashtra6Riya RanjanBihar17Mansha GargHaryana20Vaishnavi DasKarnataka23Manasvi KulshresthaHaryana24Kashvi DhallDelhiOverall, 19 candidates scored above 700 marks, while 138 candidates crossed the 690-mark threshold.HOW 2026 COMPARES WITH 2025The pattern mirrors last year's results.In NEET UG 2025, women also formed the majority of successful candidates, accounting for 7,22,462 of the 12,36,531 qualifiers (58.45%), compared with 5,14,063 male qualifiers.However, despite dominating the overall qualifiers in 2025, the very top ranks were largely occupied by male candidates. The highest-ranked female candidate was Avika Aggarwal of Delhi, who secured AIR 5, followed by Aashi Singh (AIR 12) and Badhe Siddhi Manjabapu (AIR 26).A CONSISTENT TRENDDespite the top two All India Ranks going to male candidates, the overall outcome tells a different story. Women continued to dominate the list of successful candidates, accounting for more than 58% of qualifiers while also outperforming men in terms of qualification rate.Coupled with their strong presence among the top rankers, the results signal a sustained shift in India's medical entrance landscape, where female aspirants are increasingly emerging as the driving force behind the country's next generation of doctors.- EndsPublished By: Apoorva AnandPublished On: Jul 17, 2026 13:29 IST