Want Dermatology or Radiology in 2026? In 2025, top clinical branches like Dermatology and Radiology closed well inside the top 500–700 ranks at premier institutes.
The NEET PG 2026 exam is just around the corner. And at the back of your mind, the thought always remains. What rank would I get? What specialization will I be able to get into?
So, now along with the exam stress, you have the outcome stress. The one thing that can help with the stress of the exam is knowing the possible outcomes. And not just the marks that you calculate, but the rank and the specialisation available.
This blog will take you through the process of rank prediction and the specialisation it can get you.
Without further ado, let’s get into it in detail.
What is the NEET PG Exam?
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for medical post graduates is an assessment for MBBS graduates. This assessment decides if they are eligible to pursue further education in medicine. For medical graduates who want to pursue MD/MS and PGD in medicine, this is the main exam.
Admission to nearly 70,000 seats is contingent upon passing the NEET PG exam.
For the 2026 exam, the dates are yet to be decided by the NBE, the exam organizing body.
The tentative dates for the exam can be around the first or second week of August. So, you can download the admit card a few weeks before that.
Why “Rank vs Branch” Matters More Than Marks
Your rank determines:
- Which specialty can you realistically get
- Whether a top government institute is within reach
- How to prioritise your counselling choices
- How many backup options should you prepare in advance
Seat availability, speciality demand, and institute reputation all combine to create the closing ranks every year. Since 2025 saw moderate seat increases in several branches, the 2026 cutoffs will likely follow similar patterns with small variations.
NEET-PG Rank vs Branch
The branch prediction helps you in understanding the specialization field available to you as per your rank.
Let’s see the previous year’s marks for some of the specialization branches:
| Branch | General | OBC | SC | ST |
| Radiology | 545 | 535 | 500 | 443 |
| ENT | 440 | 430 | 370 | 280 |
| Surgery | 480 | 465 | 385 | 310 |
| OBGY | 500 | 475 | 405 | 305 |
| Dermatology | 550 | 515 | 450 | 395 |
| Medicine | 535 | 500 | 435 | 350 |
| Paediatrics | 510 | 485 | 405 | 360 |
| Pulmonary | 495 | 500 | 400 | 300 |
| Ophthalmology | 450 | 435 | 370 | 295 |
| Orthopaedics | 490 | 480 | 395 | 300 |
| Psychiatry | 460 | 460 | 365 | 280 |
| Anaesthesiology | 430 | 410 | 414 | 350 |
NEET PG Rank vs Branch 2026 - Predicted Ranges
These are approximate and help with planning goals, not exact cutoffs.
1. Clinical Branches (Highly Competitive)
| Branch (MD/MS) | Predicted Rank Range (Top Govt Institutes) | Predicted Rank Range (Good State Colleges) | Competition Level |
| Dermatology | 1 – 600 | 600 – 2,500 | Very High |
| Radiology | 1 – 700 | 800 – 3,000 | Very High |
| General Medicine | 20 – 3,000 | 3,000 – 8,000 | High |
| Paediatrics | 300 – 3,500 | 3,500 – 9,000 | High |
| General Surgery | 200 – 4,000 | 4,000 – 9,000 | High |
| Obstetrics and Gynaecology | 300 – 3,500 | 3,500 – 8,000 | High |
| Orthopaedics | 400 – 7,500 | 7,500 – 12,000 | High |
2. Moderately Competitive Clinical Branches
| Branch | Predicted Rank Range | Competition Level |
| Ophthalmology | 800 – 10,000 | Medium |
| ENT | 1,500 – 10,000 | Medium |
| Psychiatry | 2,000 – 12,000 | Medium |
| Anaesthesia | 1,000 – 15,000+ | Medium |
| Respiratory Medicine | 1,500 – 8,000 | Medium |
3. Para-Clinical Specialties - Low to Moderate Competition
| Branch | Predicted Rank Range | Competition Level |
| Pathology | 5,000 – 25,000 | Low |
| Microbiology | 7,000 – 35,000 | Low |
| Pharmacology | 7,000 – 35,000 | Low |
| Community Medicine | 10,000 – 50,000 | Low |
| Forensic Medicine | 15,000 – 50,000+ | Low |
What Branch Will You Get?
The branch of specialization you get greatly depends on your rank and the college.
In some colleges with a higher cut-off, you might be able to secure a seat in a branch that has less competition.
Your branch is predicted by:
- Your marks and NEET-PG rank
- The state of choice
- The college of choice
Branch Prediction: Is It Helpful?
Knowing the possible branches you might get puts you at a great advantage.
- You can be mentally prepared for your medical PG
- Learn beforehand about the applications and career opportunities in the field
- Understand more about the requirements for the field
- Know more about the alternative options available in terms of college
Expected Shifts for NEET PG 2026
| Factor | Expected Impact on 2026 |
| Seat additions | Slight lowering of closing ranks in mid-tier colleges |
| Rising demand for top clinical branches | Tight competition for Radiology, Dermatology, Medicine |
| Policy or counselling changes | Possible variation in seat allotment patterns |
| Difficulty of exam | Can shift ranks by a few hundred for competitive branches |
How to Use These Ranges for Your Planning
- Pick your dream realistic and have safety targets. For example, if your dream is to get into Dermatology at a top institute, aim for the top 300. At a stretch, you might get into Radiology in a top state college at top 700. The safe bet would get you into MD Anaesthesia or General Medicine in a good college.
- Check institute-wise past closing ranks. National averages are helpful but institute tables show the true picture. Use 2023–2025 historical data for trend smoothing.
- Factor quotas and categories. Reservation, state quota and NRI/management seats change the effective closing rank per candidate. Always compare the correct quota slice.
- Watch seat matrix announcements. If authorities approve more seats, that can lower closing ranks for some branches.
Ace NEET PG 2026 with Academically
NEET-PG 2025 is just around the corner. Make sure you have your essentials close and your zen energy closer.
You have got this. You have already once cleared the most challenging exam of the country, you can do it again. And we are here to help you with our NEET PG Preparation Course with AI-Based Test Series. Get expert guidance, peer support and much more.
Get an individual counselling session with our experts to know more about career opportunities after MBBS.
All the best for NEET PG 2026!