How Many Students Appeared for NEET 2025?

 

 

 

Over 23 lakh candidates had registered for the NEET exam 2025, a lakh less than the previous year (2024). The number of participants in the competitive NEET exam 2025 was significantly less compared to the previous years. Read on to understand the number of students appeared for NEET 2025, drop in participation, and attendance in the previous years.

 

 

 

Number of Students Appeared for NEET 2025

 

Knowing the number of students appeared for NEET 2025 helps in understanding the competition better.

 

Registration and Appearance

 

• Registered: NEET 2025 saw a total of 22.7 lakh applicants for the exam. The number of registered candidates was around 1 lakh less than 2024.
  
  
• Students Appeared for NEET 2025: Out of the 23 lakh candidates that registered for the NEET exam 2025, only 20.8 lakh candidates participated in the NEET 2025 exam. 91.1% of the registered candidates appeared for the NEET exam 2025. This percentage is considered the lowest since 2021.
  
  
• Drop in Students Appeared for NEET 2025: The NEET exam 2025 saw a 1.9 lakh drop in participation.

 

 

Reasons for the Drop in Students Appeared for NEET 2025

 

 

Here are a few reasons which could have led to the drop in students appeared for NEET 2025:

 

• Strict Pre-exam Checks: Stricter measures compared to the previous years were in place to scrutinize candidates carefully before they entered their exam halls. This may have caused some of the fake applicants to back out from participating in the NEET exam 2025.
  
  
• Biometric Authentication: The National Testing Agency (NTA) implemented biometric systems to ensure that only genuine candidates participate in the exam, preventing the participation of impersonators.
  
  
• Increased Surveillance: Installation of CCTV cameras across all the exam centers and multi-level frisking by the police further discouraged candidates to indulge in malpractices.

 

The drop in the number of students appeared for NEET 2025 could be due to the above-mentioned reasons. The other reasons for the reduction in the students appeared for NEET 2025 could be delayed arrival at the venue and biometric failures.

 

 

Also Read Attendance Drop in NEET 2025 by 1.9 Lakh as 20.8 Lakh Students Appear

 

 

 

Participation in NEET Exam Over the Years

 

The registration and participation for the NEET exam saw consistent increases over the years; however, the year 2025 saw a drop in application and attendance. Here are registration and participation trends over the years:

 

Year	Registered	Attended	Percentage of Participation
2021	16.1 Lakh	15.4 Lakh	95.6%
2022	18.7 Lakh	17.6 Lakh	94.2%
2023	20.9 Lakh	20.4 Lakh	97.6%
2024	24.1 Lakh	23.3 Lakh	97.9%
2025	23 Lakh	20.8 Lakh	91.4%

 

 

The table above shows that the year 2025 saw a major decline in participation from the total registered candidates.

 

 

Also Read NEET 2025 Exam Paper Set Wise Answer Key PDF Download

 

 

Students Appeared for NEET 2025 State-wise Analysis

 

The competition for medical seats is expected to be intense due to the limited number of seats. Candidate must know the state-wise participation to understand the competition in each state. The following information shows the state-wise participation:

 

 

• Uttar Pradesh: Over 3.3 lakh candidates
• Maharashtra: Over 2.4 lakh candidates
• Rajasthan: Over 2 lakh candidates
• Jammu & Kashmir: 51,000 candidates
• Assam: Over 45,000 candidates
• Manipur: 10,198 candidates

 

 

The increased participation from each state highlights the intensity of the competition for the limited MBBS seats. The cut-off bar for counselling is anticipated to be on the lower side as many candidates claimed that the NEET exam paper 2025 was tough, especially Physics.

 

 

Also Read What is the NEET 2025 Expected Cut-Off? Category-wise Qualifying Cut-Off