BAMS eligibility 2026 — marks, NEET percentile and age.

Category-wise requirement

Percentile is relative to the year's candidate pool, so the equivalent raw score changes annually.

Subjects, not just marks

Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English must each have been studied and passed at the 10+2 level from a recognised board. Biology taken as an additional subject after 10+2 through an open school is accepted for NEET, but always confirm the current counselling notification before relying on it.

Age

The lower limit is firm: 17 years completed on or before 31 December of the year of admission. The NCISM regulation records an upper limit of 25 years with a five-year relaxation for SC, ST, OBC and physically handicapped candidates — this has been litigated and relaxed in some years, so read the current notification rather than an older article.

If you fall short

When too few candidates in a category clear the bar, the Central Government in consultation with the Council may lower the qualifying percentile for that year alone, usually before mop-up rounds. There is no attempt limit on NEET, so a reattempt remains a legitimate plan. There is no route to a BAMS seat without NEET — see why.

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