NEET MDS 2026 — eligibility, 240 questions, cut-off percentiles & fees

NEET-MDS is the eligibility-cum-ranking examination prescribed under the Dentists Act, 1948 as the single entrance test for MDS courses. No state or institution may hold its own MDS entrance. For 2026 it covers the All India 50% quota, the state quota of every state and UT, all private dental colleges and universities, the Armed Forces Medical Services institutions and the screening for Short Service Commission in the Army Dental Corps. AIIMS New Delhi is not covered. [1]

NEET-MDS 2026 calendar (Information Bulletin) [1]

NBEMS only holds the test and hands the result to the counselling authorities. It has no role in counselling or seat allotment; documents and eligibility are checked at counselling. [1]

• A recognised BDS degree from a university or institute in India, registration (provisional or permanent) with a State Dental Council, and a 12-month compulsory rotatory internship in an approved dental college.
• Candidates still doing the internship may sit if they will finish it by 31 May 2026; they get admission only after completing it and getting registered by that date.
• A foreign dental degree recognised by the Government of India / DCI also counts.
• Candidates found ineligible at any stage lose their candidature, and the fee is not refunded. [1]

• Computer-based test, 240 multiple-choice questions with four options each, in English only; 3 hours.
• Part A: 100 questions in 75 minutes. Part B: 140 questions in 105 minutes. You cannot go back to Part A once its time is over.
• +4 for a correct answer, −1 for a wrong one (25% negative marking), 0 for unattempted. [1]

Subject-wise questions [1]

• Ties are broken by: fewer wrong answers overall, then higher score in Part B, then fewer wrong answers in Part B, then higher aggregate % in all BDS professional exams, then date of birth. [1]

Minimum percentile for MDS counselling [1]

• If fewer than three times the seats qualify in a category, the cut-off is lowered automatically.
• Seat reservation follows Government of India and state norms. Only Central-list OBC (non-creamy layer) get OBC reservation in MCC counselling; NRI, OCI and PIO candidates are treated as unreserved.
• 5% PwD reservation applies in the All India quota; 33 centres issue the disability certificate. [1]

Source [1]

Payment gateway charges are extra. The fee is never refunded or carried forward. [1]

• MCC (DGHS) counsels the All India 50% quota and central institutions; each state's counselling authority uses the NEET-MDS merit list for its own quota.
• The Armed Forces use NEET-MDS marks to shortlist for their MDS seats and for Short Service Commission in the Army Dental Corps.
• Some universities do not let a candidate already doing a PG course take another seat until it is finished. [1]

1. NBEMS — NEET-MDS 2026 Information Bulletin (v1, 11 Mar 2026) (opens in a new tab) scope, AIIMS exclusion, dates, fee, eligibility, internship cut-off, 240-question scheme, part timing, marking, subject split, tie-break, qualifying percentiles, reservation, counselling roles, AFMS · Last checked 31 Oct 2026

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