ArdorComm Media News Network
June 16, 2025
In a significant shift from last year’s controversial NEET-UG results, the 2025 edition of the medical entrance exam saw no candidate achieving a perfect score of 720. This marks a stark contrast to 2024, when 67 students initially scored full marks—17 of them following a revised result—amid concerns over grace marks and incorrect NCERT references.
This year, Mahesh Kumar from Rajasthan emerged as the sole national topper with a score of 686 and a percentile of 99.9999547. He was closely followed by Utkarsh Awadhiya from Madhya Pradesh, who secured the second position with a percentile of 99.9999095, according to the results declared by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on Saturday.
The exam, conducted in May under heightened security measures due to last year’s controversies, saw a significant drop in the top score for the first time in several years. In fact, 686 is the lowest top score since 2019, the year NTA began administering NEET-UG. Previously, full scores were recorded in 2020, 2021, and 2023, while the highest scores in 2019 and 2022 were 701 and 715 respectively.
This year’s results also brought a notable decline in cut-off marks. For the general category, the qualifying range dropped to 686–144, compared to 720–162 in 2024 and 720–137 in 2023. A total of 73 candidates scored between 651 and 686 marks. Interestingly, the NTA did not disclose individual scores of the top 50 candidates, a detail that had been publicly shared in previous years.
Out of the 22.09 lakh candidates who appeared for NEET-UG 2025—lower than last year’s 23.33 lakh—12.37 lakh qualified for admission to undergraduate medical courses. Female candidates continued to dominate both in participation and qualification, making up over half of all test-takers and 58% of those who passed.
State-wise, Uttar Pradesh led in the number of qualified candidates with 1.70 lakh students, followed by Maharashtra (1.25 lakh), Rajasthan (1.19 lakh), Karnataka (83,582), and Bihar (80,954). Among the top 20 rankers, Rajasthan and Delhi each contributed four candidates.
In response to the 2024 exam controversy, which included a retest and a Supreme Court-mandated revision of results, the 2025 exam was held under strict vigilance. Oversight was carried out at multiple levels, including central, state, and district authorities, in line with recommendations from a government-appointed committee focused on strengthening the integrity of public examinations.
The absence of full scores this year and the tighter scrutiny of the exam process may reflect a more standardized and credible testing environment going forward.
Source: Indian Express