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What happens if two students get the same NEET score?
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When two students have the same NEET-UG total, NTA ranks them using tie-breaking rules: higher marks in Biology come first, then Chemistry, then Physics, then fewer wrong answers. If they are still tied after every step, the tie is resolved by a random process under an independent expert committee. Age and application number are no longer used.
The order, as reported for the 2025 bulletin
| Step | The candidate ranked higher is the one with |
|---|---|
| 1 | Higher marks in Biology (Botany and Zoology together) |
| 2 | Higher marks in Chemistry |
| 3 | Higher marks in Physics |
| 4 | Fewer incorrect answers across all subjects |
| 5 | Fewer incorrect answers in Biology |
| 6 | Fewer incorrect answers in Chemistry |
| 7 | Fewer incorrect answers in Physics |
| 8 | If still tied: a random process guided by an independent expert committee |
These steps come from coverage of the 2025 information bulletin and were reported again for 2026. The official 2026 bulletin wording was not checked for this page, so confirm the list in the bulletin.
A worked example
Two candidates both score 600. Candidate A has 320 in Biology and 280 in the other two subjects together. Candidate B has 310 in Biology. A is ranked above B at step 1 and the rest of the list is not needed.
If both had 320 in Biology, step 2 compares Chemistry, and so on down the list.
What was removed
Earlier versions of the rules put the older candidate ahead, and then the application number. Those criteria are no longer used. Sources disagree on the exact year the change happened, so we only say they are no longer applied. If you are older than most candidates, that is neither an advantage nor a disadvantage in a tie.
Why this matters for your preparation
Biology is 90 of the 180 questions and carries 360 of the 720 marks, so it is also the first tiebreaker. A student who is strong in Biology gets two benefits: the marks themselves and the edge in a tie. The effect of wrong answers is the same: the fourth step rewards the student who guessed less.
Ranks, in turn, decide which round and which college you can reach. NEET marks vs rank explains how marks map to ranks and why that mapping moves each year. For the exam's structure, see how many questions are in NEET.
Official source
Tie-breaking criteria are listed in the NEET (UG) information bulletin on neet.nta.nic.in. Verify them in the latest bulletin.
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- NEET marks vs rankHow NEET marks turn into All India Rank: the percentile link, the tie-break order, why one score gives different ranks each year, and how to estimate yours.
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