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What is the age limit for NEET?
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The minimum age for NEET-UG is 17 years on or before 31 December of the year of admission. For the 2026 cycle, that date was 31 December 2026. Recent NEET cycles have not applied an upper age limit, as widely reported, but confirm this in the current information bulletin because it was not checked against the 2026 text.
How the minimum age works
The rule is stated in the NEET-UG bulletin and repeated in the Tamil Nadu MBBS/BDS prospectus for 2026-27: the candidate must have completed 17 years by 31 December of the admission year. The test is your age on that date, not on the exam date or the application date.
For the 2026 admission year, a candidate born on or before 31 December 2009 met the rule. Applying the same wording to a later year moves the date forward by one year, but read the bulletin for that year rather than assuming it.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 17 years completed by 31 December of the admission year |
| Reference date | 31 December, not the exam date |
| Upper age limit | None reported in recent cycles; verify in the current bulletin |
About the upper age limit
Some older articles quote an upper age limit of 25 years for NEET. Check which year's bulletin such an article is describing before you believe it. Coverage of recent NTA bulletins reports no upper limit. Because this site did not have the 2026 bulletin text open, the safe course is to open the 2027 bulletin when NTA publishes it and read the age clause yourself.
Age is no longer a tie-breaker
Reports on the current tie-breaking rules say that age (the older candidate ranking higher) and application number are no longer used. If you are older than most candidates, it does not help or hurt you in a tie. The order that does apply is on the NEET marks vs rank page.
Age is only one eligibility condition
Meeting the age rule does not make you eligible on its own. You also need the required Class 12 subjects and marks, and for Tamil Nadu counselling a valid nativity certificate. See how much Class 12 marks are needed and the full NEET eligibility guide.
If you are planning a repeat year, the related question is the number of attempts. We cover that in how many attempts are allowed in NEET.
Official source
The age clause is in the NEET (UG) information bulletin at neet.nta.nic.in. The 2026-27 Tamil Nadu prospectus, which quotes the rule, is on tnmedicalselection.net. Check the latest bulletin before you apply.
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