No Perfect Scores in NEET UG: Why 720/720 Stays Rare (2026)

Perfect scores in NEET, the full 720 out of 720 marks, are rarer than most aspirants assume, and two consecutive NTA cycles now prove it: the 2024 retest produced zero perfect scorers, and the 2026 re-exam's highest mark was 715 out of 720, again short of a perfect score. A perfect score means answering every one of NEET-UG's 180 questions correctly under its negative-marking scheme, and the data below explains exactly why so few candidates, in any year, manage that.

Key Takeaways

• In the NEET UG 2024 retest, 1,563 candidates were offered a second attempt after grace marks were withdrawn; only 813 appeared, and none achieved a perfect 720/720, cutting the topper count from 67 to 61.

• In the NEET UG 2026 re-exam, roughly 20 lakh candidates appeared and 11.21 lakh qualified, but the highest score was 715/720, again no perfect score, per NTA's July 2026 results.

• Perfect scores have appeared in some past years (two in 2020, three in 2021, two in 2023) but not in the 2024 retest or the 2026 re-exam, showing how inconsistent they really are.

• NEET-UG's negative marking (-1 for each wrong answer across 180 four-mark questions) means a single mistake anywhere on the paper rules out a perfect score.

• Missing a perfect score does not affect MBBS-abroad eligibility, since that route runs on a qualifying NEET-UG percentile, not an all-India rank.

What Happened in the NEET UG 2024 Retest?

The NEET UG 2024 retest was offered to 1,563 candidates after grace marks awarded for reported exam-time loss were withdrawn following legal challenges. Of those eligible, only 813 candidates chose to reappear, sitting the retest at different centres from their original exam city. The final answer key was released on 30 June 2024, allowing every retest candidate to cross-check their responses against the officially accepted answers before results were declared.

How Are NEET UG Retest Results Checked?

Candidates check retest results the same way as the main NEET UG result: by logging into NTA's official scorecard portal with their application number and date of birth. Comparing the scorecard against the final answer key confirms exactly how each response was evaluated, which matters most near a state or category cutoff.

How to Verify Your Own NEET Result Against the Perfect-Score Benchmark

Rather than guessing where perfect scores in NEET actually stand this year, follow these steps to check a result properly:

1. Log in to NTA's official NEET UG scorecard portal with your application number and date of birth.

2. Compare every answer against the officially released final answer key, not a coaching institute's unofficial key.

3. Note your total out of 720 and check it against that year's category and state cutoffs, not against a perfect score almost no one reaches.

4. If you qualify but miss a government-college seat, review the marks actually required for MBBS admission before ruling out any option.

Toppers Count Dropped From 67 to 61 After the Retest

Before the retest, 67 candidates were shown as scoring the maximum 720/720 under the original grace-marks scheme. After the retest and rescoring, that topper count fell to 61, and none of the 813 retest candidates themselves added a new perfect score to the list. This single data point -- zero perfect scores among 813 retest attempts -- is a useful, if small, sample of how rare perfect scores in NEET actually are under real exam conditions, not just in a large national candidate pool.

State-Wise Participation in the 2024 Retest

Participation in the 2024 retest varied sharply by state, which shaped how much each region's results moved after rescoring, though none produced any perfect scores in NEET among reappearing candidates:

• Chandigarh: 0 out of 2 eligible candidates appeared.

• Chhattisgarh: 291 out of 602 candidates participated.

• Gujarat: only 1 eligible candidate appeared.

• Haryana: 287 out of 494 candidates participated.

• Meghalaya (Tura): 234 candidates participated.

Are Perfect Scores in NEET Really That Rare?

Yes -- perfect scores in NEET are rare in most years and were entirely absent in both the 2024 retest and the 2026 re-exam. Historical results show perfect 720/720 scores did occur in some cycles (two candidates in 2020, three in 2021, and two sharing AIR 1 in 2023), but the count swings from zero to several depending on paper difficulty and the size of the candidate pool that year, which is exactly why no single year should be treated as the norm.

What Changed by NEET UG 2026?

NEET UG 2026 confirmed the same pattern at much larger scale: NTA declared results on 16 July 2026 for a re-exam that drew nearly 20 lakh candidates, of whom 11.21 lakh qualified. The highest score recorded was 715 out of 720, jointly held by two candidates, meaning even a candidate pool of roughly 20 lakh produced no perfect 720/720 score that year. For students who qualify but do not land a government-college seat despite a strong score, MBBS abroad at an NMC-recognised university in futureMBBS's nine EU partner countries remains an option that depends on a qualifying score, not a perfect one -- provided the university is listed on the World Directory of Medical Schools.

What Should NEET Aspirants Take Away From This?

Chasing a literal 720/720 is not a realistic preparation goal, and treating it as one adds pressure without improving outcomes. A far more useful target is minimising negative-marking errors: since one wrong answer costs 5 marks under the +4/-1 scheme, prioritising accuracy on attempted questions over guessing unfamiliar ones does more for a final score than any amount of speed. Aspirants preparing for the next cycle should also check the marks actually required for an MBBS seat rather than benchmarking themselves against a perfect score almost no one reaches.