1,144 NEET UG Candidates Opt For Marathi Medium

Maharashtra had the second-highest number of NEET UG applicants in 2026, with 2,22,849 candidates registering for the examination. Of these, 2,01,100 appeared for the exam, and 107,304 qualified.

According to the National Testing Agency's language-wise data, 1,144 candidates chose to take the examination in the Marathi medium. This number has been declining over the years, from 31,239 in 2019 to 1,144 in 2026.

The decline in Marathi medium candidates has been consistent, with 6,258 in 2020, 2,913 in 2021, 2,368 in 2022, 1,833 in 2023, and 1,759 in 2024. The number reached a low of 927 in 2025 before slightly increasing to 1,144 in 2026.

The National Testing Agency also released language-wise registration data for NEET UG 2026. The majority of candidates, 18,08,535, opted to write the exam in English, while 3,45,247 chose Hindi. Among regional languages, Gujarati had the most registrations, with 49,647 candidates, followed by Bengali, Tamil, and Telugu.

Marathi medium candidates accounted for around 0.5% of Maharashtra's total registrations and approximately 0.05% of the 22.79 lakh candidates registered nationwide. This decline in Marathi medium candidates may indicate a shift in preference towards other languages, particularly English.

The National Testing Agency's data provides insight into the language preferences of NEET UG candidates. The data shows that while English and Hindi remain the most popular choices, regional languages like Gujarati, Bengali, and Tamil also have a significant number of registrations.

The decline in Marathi medium candidates in Maharashtra may be a cause for concern, as it could indicate a lack of support or resources for students who prefer to take the exam in their native language. However, it is also possible that students are choosing to take the exam in other languages to improve their chances of admission to top colleges.

In any case, the data highlights the importance of providing support and resources for students who prefer to take the exam in their native language. This could include providing study materials and practice exams in Marathi, as well as offering language support services to help students prepare for the exam.

The National Testing Agency's efforts to provide language-wise data and support for regional languages are commendable. However, more needs to be done to address the decline in Marathi medium candidates and to provide support for students who prefer to take the exam in their native language.

Overall, the data released by the National Testing Agency provides valuable insights into the language preferences of NEET UG candidates. It highlights the importance of providing support and resources for students who prefer to take the exam in their native language and underscores the need for more efforts to be made to address the decline in Marathi medium candidates in Maharashtra.