The National Dental Commission (NDC) has issued a circular reminding all states and union territories that BDS admission requires a minimum of 50% marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology or Biotechnology taken together in the qualifying examination, in addition to a valid NEET-UG rank. The circular, dated September 10, 2026, was sent to the Directorate General of Health Services and to state medical counselling authorities as several states run their ongoing NEET-UG 2026 counselling rounds.
Key Highlights
- NDC circular F.No. NDC/BDS(Gen)Admission-2026/DEB-406, dated September 10, 2026, addressed to DGHS and state counselling authorities.
- Candidates need a minimum of 50% marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology taken together in the Class 12 qualifying exam for BDS admission.
- Candidates must also pass Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English individually.
- The rule applies in addition to appearing in the NEET-UG merit list; NEET rank alone does not make a candidate eligible.
- SC, ST, and OBC candidates need 40% marks in PCB together instead of 50%.
- Candidates with locomotor disability of the lower limbs need 45% marks in PCB together instead of 50%.
- The requirement is not new. It comes from the Revised BDS Course Regulations (5th Amendment), 2012, and the NDC has reissued it to prevent errors during ongoing seat allotment.
- The circular surfaced on Rajasthan’s NEET-UG counselling portal (ug.neetrajasthan.com) as the state processes Round 2 registration and allotment.
What the Circular Says
The NDC’s Under-Graduate and Post-Graduate Dental Education Board (UGPGDEB) wrote to the Assistant Director General (Medical Education) at DGHS and to directors of medical education and state counselling authorities across the country. The circular states that, apart from the NEET percentile, admission to BDS courses also requires candidates to secure at least 50% marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology taken together in the qualifying examination, as laid down in the Revised BDS Course Regulations (5th Amendment), 2012.
The circular reproduces the exact regulation: a candidate must pass Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English individually, and must obtain a minimum of 50% marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology taken together at the qualifying examination, and must also feature in the merit list of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for BDS admission.
Why the Reminder Now
The circular was issued as Rajasthan’s NEET-UG counselling authority ran Round 2 registration between September 6 and 8, choice filling until September 10, with the allotment result due on September 14 and reporting scheduled for September 15 to 18. Other states are at similar stages of their 2026 counselling calendars. The NDC circular says the reminder is meant “to avoid any possible lapses” during the BDS admission and seat allotment process, and it has asked counselling authorities to circulate the information to everyone involved in BDS allotment work.
Eligibility Criteria for BDS Admission
- General category: minimum 50% marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology taken together in the qualifying (Class 12) examination.
- SC, ST, and OBC candidates: minimum 40% marks in PCB taken together.
- Candidates with locomotor disability of the lower limbs: minimum 45% marks in PCB taken together.
- All candidates must additionally pass Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English individually in the qualifying examination.
- Candidates must be included in the NEET-UG merit list for BDS admission; a NEET score alone does not confirm eligibility if the PCB marks criterion is not met.
Official Links
- Circular: National Dental Commission notification, September 10, 2026
- Rajasthan NEET-UG counselling portal: ug.neetrajasthan.com
- National Dental Commission: ugpgdeb.ndc.gov.in
