Examiner News Desk | Srinagar:
Jammu and Kashmir has once again demonstrated its academic potential in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2026, with two candidates securing places among India’s top 125 rank holders. The results, however, also underline the intense competition for medical education in the Union Territory, where more than 50,000 aspirants competed for approximately 1,675 MBBS seats across government medical colleges, including AIIMS Jammu.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) declared the NEET-UG 2026 results after one of the most turbulent examination cycles in the history of the country’s premier medical entrance examination. The original examination held on May 3 was cancelled following allegations of a paper leak, compelling over 22 lakh candidates nationwide to reappear for the examination on June 21.
The cancellation triggered weeks of uncertainty, legal proceedings and anxiety among students and parents before the declaration of the final results paved the way for the admission process.
J&K’s National Achievers
South Kashmir’s Hadiya Nissar from Bon-Dialgam village in Anantnag emerged as the Jammu and Kashmir topper by securing All India Rank (AIR) 99 with a 99.9931 percentile, while Zaidan Wani of Telwani village, Shangus, Anantnag secured AIR 124 with a 99.9917 percentile.
Both candidates were among the 138 students across India who scored 690 marks, placing them in the country’s highest-performing group.
Nationally, nearly 20 lakh candidates appeared in NEET-UG 2026, of whom 11.21 lakh qualified. Only 19 candidates scored above 700 marks, reflecting the exceptionally high level of competition.
Anantnag Emerges as J&K’s Best Performing District
Anantnag emerged as the standout district in the Union Territory, producing both the J&K topper and second topper. The district also had eight candidates among the top 20 rank holders in the J&K merit list, making it the best-performing district in the examination.
Among the notable achievers from Anantnag were:
- Hadiya Nissar – AIR 99, J&K Topper.
- Zaidan Wani – AIR 124, Second in J&K.
- Falak Asghar of Bon-Dialgam – 20th rank in J&K with 622 marks and an All India Rank below 5,000.
- Saira Javaid of Bon-Dialgam – scored 587 marks without joining any coaching institute.
The concentration of top performers from Anantnag further strengthens the district’s reputation as one of the leading educational hubs of Jammu and Kashmir.
Hadiya: “The Re-Test Became a Blessing”
Hadiya Nissar said she had initially scored 705 marks in the cancelled examination but accepted the re-test as a fresh opportunity.
“The cancellation broke my momentum and I was disheartened initially, but I revised from where I had left and continued preparing. Looking back, the re-test turned out to be a blessing in disguise,” she said.
A former student of Radiant Public School, Anantnag, and Government Higher Secondary School, she credited her parents, teachers, grandparents, siblings and coaching faculty for supporting her throughout the journey.
She advised future aspirants to focus on conceptual clarity and consistent practice rather than comparing themselves with others.
Zaidan Credits Consistency
For Zaidan Wani, medicine has always been a personal ambition.
“I never chose medicine because of societal pressure. It has always been my passion. This is how I want to serve society,” he said.
A student of St Peter’s School, Anantnag, and Government Higher Secondary School, Shangus, Zaidan said he usually studied three to four hours daily, extending to six hours during crucial periods.
He emphasised that self-study remained the most important aspect of preparation while coaching provided direction.
Stories of Determination
Falak Asghar, daughter of a daily-wage worker, credited her family’s sacrifices for her success after securing 622 marks.
Saira Javaid, meanwhile, relied entirely on self-study and online resources, proving that disciplined preparation can yield excellent results even without formal coaching.
Medical Education Expands, Competition Remains Fierce
Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a significant expansion in medical education over the past decade. The establishment of seven new Government Medical Colleges, along with AIIMS Jammu, has increased the number of MBBS seats in the Union Territory to around 1,675.
Despite this expansion, the demand continues to far exceed available seats. The number of NEET registrations from J&K has nearly doubled over recent years, crossing the 50,000 mark, making medical admissions among the most competitive in the country.
Admission to MBBS programmes will now depend on the J&K merit list, reservation category, counselling process, college preference and seat availability.
District-wise Performance Across Jammu & Kashmir
While Anantnag clearly dominated this year’s results with the highest concentration of top rankers, candidates from other districts also qualified in significant numbers, reflecting the growing educational aspirations across Jammu and Kashmir. Srinagar, Baramulla, Budgam, Pulwama, Kupwara, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Kulgam, Shopian, Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Udhampur, Reasi, Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban all recorded successful qualifiers who will now compete in the counselling process for admission to MBBS and other medical courses.
The detailed district-wise merit list released during counselling will determine the final distribution of seats across the Union Territory.
With counselling set to begin shortly, NEET-UG 2026 marks not the end but the beginning of another challenging phase for thousands of aspirants seeking admission to medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir. While the performances of Hadiya Nissar, Zaidan Wani and other high achievers have brought pride to the Union Territory, the results also highlight the continuing challenge of balancing growing aspirations with limited medical seats.
