The latest state-wise data released by the National Testing Agency has revealed that nearly two out of every five students who registered for NEET UG 2026 came from just four Indian states. Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Bihar together contributed around 9.4 lakh candidates.
According to the official figures, a total of 22.7 lakh candidates registered for the highly competitive medical entrance examination this year. Out of these, more than 22 lakh students appeared for the exam, resulting in an overall attendance rate of 96.9 per cent.
Uttar Pradesh Registers Highest Number Of NEET Candidates
Uttar Pradesh once again emerged as the state with the highest number of NEET UG candidates. Around 3.6 lakh students from the state were allotted examination centres, making it the biggest contributor to the national candidate pool.
Maharashtra followed with nearly 2.2 lakh candidates, while Rajasthan recorded close to 2 lakh registrations. Bihar also witnessed strong participation with around 1.5 lakh aspirants appearing for the exam process.
Together, these four states accounted for nearly 41.4 per cent of all NEET UG 2026 registrations across the country.
Major States Continue To Dominate NEET Participation
Apart from the top four states, several other large states also reported high numbers of candidates. Karnataka and Bihar both crossed the 1.5 lakh mark, while Tamil Nadu registered around 1.4 lakh candidates.
Madhya Pradesh saw approximately 1.2 lakh registrations, followed by Kerala with 1.1 lakh and West Bengal with around 1 lakh candidates.
The data shows that the top nine states alone contributed more than 17 lakh NEET aspirants, which is nearly three-fourths of the total national candidate base.
Smaller States And Union Territories Report Lower Numbers
In comparison, several smaller states and Union Territories reported significantly lower participation figures. Some regions recorded fewer than 5,000 candidates, underlining the uneven geographical spread of medical aspirants across India.
Education experts often point out that factors such as population size, coaching culture, educational infrastructure and availability of medical colleges influence NEET participation levels in different states.
NEET UG 2026 Attendance Remains Strong Nationwide
Despite the massive scale of the examination, attendance rates remained consistently high across the country. Out of the 22.7 lakh registered candidates, only 69,976 students were absent from the examination.
Gujarat recorded the highest attendance rate at 98.1 per cent, closely followed by Puducherry at 98 per cent. Rajasthan also reported an impressive attendance figure of 97.9 per cent.
Among the larger states, Uttar Pradesh achieved a strong attendance rate of 97.5 per cent, while Maharashtra reported 97.4 per cent turnout.
Kerala Records Lowest Attendance Among Major States
While attendance remained high overall, a few states recorded comparatively lower turnout. Kerala reported the lowest attendance rate among major states at 94.4 per cent.
Assam followed with 95.1 per cent attendance, while Tamil Nadu recorded a turnout of 95.9 per cent.
Even with these comparatively lower numbers, attendance across India remained above 94 per cent in most regions, reflecting the importance of NEET UG for students seeking admission into medical courses.
NEET UG 2026 continues to remain one of the most competitive entrance exams in India, with lakhs of students competing every year for limited MBBS and other medical seats.
According to the official figures, a total of 22.7 lakh candidates registered for the highly competitive medical entrance examination this year. Out of these, more than 22 lakh students appeared for the exam, resulting in an overall attendance rate of 96.9 per cent.
Uttar Pradesh Registers Highest Number Of NEET Candidates
Uttar Pradesh once again emerged as the state with the highest number of NEET UG candidates. Around 3.6 lakh students from the state were allotted examination centres, making it the biggest contributor to the national candidate pool.Maharashtra followed with nearly 2.2 lakh candidates, while Rajasthan recorded close to 2 lakh registrations. Bihar also witnessed strong participation with around 1.5 lakh aspirants appearing for the exam process.
Together, these four states accounted for nearly 41.4 per cent of all NEET UG 2026 registrations across the country.
Major States Continue To Dominate NEET Participation
Apart from the top four states, several other large states also reported high numbers of candidates. Karnataka and Bihar both crossed the 1.5 lakh mark, while Tamil Nadu registered around 1.4 lakh candidates.Madhya Pradesh saw approximately 1.2 lakh registrations, followed by Kerala with 1.1 lakh and West Bengal with around 1 lakh candidates.
The data shows that the top nine states alone contributed more than 17 lakh NEET aspirants, which is nearly three-fourths of the total national candidate base.
Smaller States And Union Territories Report Lower Numbers
In comparison, several smaller states and Union Territories reported significantly lower participation figures. Some regions recorded fewer than 5,000 candidates, underlining the uneven geographical spread of medical aspirants across India.Education experts often point out that factors such as population size, coaching culture, educational infrastructure and availability of medical colleges influence NEET participation levels in different states.
NEET UG 2026 Attendance Remains Strong Nationwide
Despite the massive scale of the examination, attendance rates remained consistently high across the country. Out of the 22.7 lakh registered candidates, only 69,976 students were absent from the examination.Gujarat recorded the highest attendance rate at 98.1 per cent, closely followed by Puducherry at 98 per cent. Rajasthan also reported an impressive attendance figure of 97.9 per cent.
Among the larger states, Uttar Pradesh achieved a strong attendance rate of 97.5 per cent, while Maharashtra reported 97.4 per cent turnout.
Kerala Records Lowest Attendance Among Major States
While attendance remained high overall, a few states recorded comparatively lower turnout. Kerala reported the lowest attendance rate among major states at 94.4 per cent.Assam followed with 95.1 per cent attendance, while Tamil Nadu recorded a turnout of 95.9 per cent.
Even with these comparatively lower numbers, attendance across India remained above 94 per cent in most regions, reflecting the importance of NEET UG for students seeking admission into medical courses.
NEET UG 2026 continues to remain one of the most competitive entrance exams in India, with lakhs of students competing every year for limited MBBS and other medical seats.
