INI CET July 2026 Round 1 cutoff rank for the General (UR) category stands at 7,218 — 403 ranks lower than January 2026 (7,621), confirming that the July session is more competitive this year across all categories.
AIIMS has released the Round 1 allotment cutoff for INI CET July 2026 admissions at aiimsexams.ac.in. Students who secured a merit rank at or below the Round 1 cutoff are eligible for the first seat allotment across all 23 participating Institutes of National Importance. Comparing these figures with the January 2026 Round 1 data reveals a consistent pattern: the July cycle draws a larger and better-prepared pool, pushing cutoff ranks down across every category.
- INI CET qualifying marks: 100/200 (50%) for General/UR and 90/200 (45%) for SC, ST, OBC-NCL, and PwD.
- INI CET July 2026 UR Round 1 cutoff rank: 7,218; January 2026: 7,621 — a difference of 403 ranks.
- July 2026 OBC-NCL cutoff rank: 10,897 vs January 2026’s 11,318.
- SC and ST categories both show tighter Round 1 cutoffs in July 2026 compared to January 2026.
- Students who missed Round 1 should expect cutoff ranks to ease by 400–700 ranks in Rounds 2 and 3 based on previous July session trends.
| Direct Link — INI CET July 2026 Round 1 Cutoff at aiimsexams.ac.in (OUT) |
INI CET 2026 Round 1 Cutoff — Session Overview
INI CET is held twice a year by AIIMS. The July 2026 session (exam on May 17, 2026) covers admissions beginning July 2026, while the January 2026 session (exam on November 9, 2025) covered admissions beginning January 2026. The Round 1 allotment rank is the last merit position to receive a seat in the first counselling round across all 23 participating INIs, which include 17 AIIMS campuses, JIPMER Puducherry, NIMHANS Bengaluru, PGIMER Chandigarh, and SCTIMST Thiruvananthapuram.
| Parameter | INI CET July 2026 | INI CET January 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Exam date | May 17, 2026 | November 9, 2025 |
| Total marks | 200 | 200 |
| UR qualifying marks | 100/200 (50%) | 100/200 (50%) |
| Reserved qualifying marks | 90/200 (45%) | 90/200 (45%) |
| Round 1 cutoff rank — UR | 7,218 | 7,621 |
| Round 1 cutoff rank — OBC-NCL | 10,897 | 11,318 |
| Round 1 cutoff rank — SC | 19,483 | 20,266 |
| Round 1 cutoff rank — ST | 25,961 | 27,569 |
| Round 1 cutoff rank — EWS | 17,062 | 17,596 |
A lower rank number means a more competitive cutoff. The July 2026 session shows tighter Round 1 cutoffs than January 2026 across all categories, consistent with the higher volume of qualified applicants in the mid-year cycle.
Category-wise Cutoff Rank: July vs January 2026
Every category recorded a lower (tighter) Round 1 cutoff rank in July 2026 compared to January 2026. The ST category saw the largest absolute drop of 1,608 ranks, while the UR category dropped 403. This category-wise spread reflects the fixed reservation quotas applied uniformly across all INIs: 15% SC, 7.5% ST, 27% OBC-NCL, and 10% EWS. Because the ST seat pool is smallest relative to total applicants, small shifts in overall competition produce a larger rank movement for that category.
| Category | July 2026 R1 Rank | January 2026 R1 Rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | 7,218 | 7,621 | −403 (tighter) |
| OBC-NCL | 10,897 | 11,318 | −421 (tighter) |
| SC | 19,483 | 20,266 | −783 (tighter) |
| ST | 25,961 | 27,569 | −1,608 (tighter) |
| EWS | 17,062 | 17,596 | −534 (tighter) |
A negative change indicates a more competitive Round 1 — students must rank closer to position 1 to secure a seat compared to the previous session.
Year-on-Year Trend Across Sessions
The UR Round 1 cutoff rank for the July session has tightened steadily: 7,512 in July 2024 ? 7,380 in July 2025 ? 7,218 in July 2026. The January session shows a parallel downward drift. Both trends reflect a growing pool of qualified applicants while total INI seat intake has expanded at a slower pace. Based on available session-wise data from aiimsexams.ac.in across previous cycles, the trajectory for all four major categories is as follows:
| Session | UR R1 Rank | OBC-NCL R1 Rank | SC R1 Rank | ST R1 Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2024 | 7,512 | 11,568 | 20,785 | 28,213 |
| January 2025 | 7,809 | 11,697 | 21,053 | 28,604 |
| July 2025 | 7,380 | 11,094 | 20,517 | 27,896 |
| January 2026 | 7,621 | 11,318 | 20,266 | 27,569 |
| July 2026 | 7,218 | 10,897 | 19,483 | 25,961 |
Pre-2026 figures are based on data released at aiimsexams.ac.in in earlier cycles and are presented for trend reference.
Factors Driving the Session-wise Cutoff Difference
The July session reliably produces tighter Round 1 cutoff ranks than January. Several structural factors explain this:
- Larger applicant pool in May: The May exam coincides with the end of MBBS internship for the single largest graduating cohort each year, bringing the maximum number of first-time test-takers into one sitting.
- Focused preparation window: Students completing MBBS by March–April can dedicate two to three months exclusively to INI CET preparation before May, raising average scores and compressing the merit list at the top.
- Stable seat availability: MD, MS, DM, and MCh seats across AIIMS Delhi, JIPMER, NIMHANS, PGIMER, and other INIs have not grown proportionally with the applicant base, keeping Round 1 demand-to-seat pressure elevated.
- Consistent exam structure: Both the November 2025 and May 2026 papers carried 200 questions across four sections of 50 questions each, with 1 mark per correct answer and −⅓ for wrong answers. No paper-level change contributed to the rank shift — the movement reflects student performance alone.
- Uniform reservation quotas: SC (15%), ST (7.5%), OBC-NCL (27%), and EWS (10%) quotas apply across all participating INIs in both sessions, so category-wise rank tightening mirrors the overall competition pattern.
What to Expect in Round 2 and Round 3
Round 1 allots the most in-demand institute-speciality combinations, so seats fill at the tightest cutoff ranks. Students who narrowly missed Round 1 should stay registered — cutoff ranks ease in later rounds as seats vacated by non-joiners or upgrading students are reallocated. Based on previous July session data, the UR cutoff rank typically rises by 400–700 between Round 1 and Round 2, and by a comparable margin into Round 3.
| Round | UR Cutoff Rank | OBC-NCL Cutoff Rank | SC Cutoff Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | 7,218 | 10,897 | 19,483 |
| Round 2 (expected) | 7,700–8,100 | 11,500–12,200 | 20,400–21,300 |
| Round 3 (expected) | 8,300–8,900 | 12,500–13,300 | 21,500–22,600 |
Round 2 and Round 3 ranges are expected figures based on previous July session trends. Official cutoffs will be published at aiimsexams.ac.in once each round opens.
INI CET 2026 Cutoff Comparison FAQs
Ques. Why is INI CET July 2026 Round 1 cutoff rank lower (more competitive) than January 2026?
Ans. The July 2026 session drew a larger and better-prepared applicant pool than January 2026. With total INI seats broadly unchanged, stronger performance compressed the top of the merit list, lowering the Round 1 cutoff rank across all categories.
Ques. What are the qualifying marks for INI CET 2026?
Ans. Students must score at least 100 out of 200 marks (50%) to qualify in the General/UR category. SC, ST, OBC-NCL, and PwD students need a minimum of 90 out of 200 marks (45%). Qualifying marks determine eligibility for the merit list; the Round 1 allotment rank determines which qualified students get seats.
Ques. What does a lower INI CET Round 1 cutoff rank mean?
Ans. A lower rank number is more stringent — only students ranked 1 to 7,218 (for example) received UR seats in Round 1. A higher cutoff rank like January 2026’s 7,621 means slightly more students accessed Round 1 seats, indicating marginally lower competition at that tier.
Ques. Can I still get a seat if my rank is above the INI CET July 2026 Round 1 cutoff?
Ans. Yes. Based on previous July session trends, Round 2 and Round 3 UR cutoff ranks typically ease into the 7,700–8,900 range. Students with ranks just above the Round 1 limit should remain active in the counselling portal at aiimsexams.ac.in and lock their choices for subsequent rounds.
Ques. How is INI CET 2026 structured and how many marks does it carry?
Ans. INI CET carries 200 total marks across 200 questions in four sections of 50 questions each (45 minutes per section). Question formats include Extended Matching Questions, Assertion-Reason, and Clinical Scenarios. Each correct answer scores 1 mark; each wrong answer deducts ⅓ of a mark.
Ques. Where can I check the official INI CET July 2026 cutoff?
Ans. The official Round 1 cutoff list is published at aiimsexams.ac.in under the INI CET July 2026 admissions section. The site is updated for each round as counselling progresses, so check it directly for the latest cutoff figures.
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