The AIIMS New Delhi conducts the Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test (INI CET) for admission to MD, MS, MDS, DM (6 years) and MCh (6 years) courses at AIIMS, JIPMER Puducherry, PGIMER Chandigarh and NIMHANS Bengaluru. The exam for the January 2027 session is scheduled for 1 November 2026, and the result is expected around 7 November 2026.
When the INI CET result comes out, candidates see both a percentile and a rank. The percentile decides whether you qualify, while the rank decides which seat you may get in counselling. Since only around 1,400 seats are on offer across all INIs, even a high percentile may not be enough for a seat in your preferred branch.
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In this article, we explain the difference between INI CET rank and percentile, share rank vs percentile data from past sessions, and list the qualifying percentile for each category.
INI CET Rank vs Percentile: What Is the Difference?
| Point | INI CET Percentile | INI CET Rank |
|---|---|---|
| What it shows | The percentage of candidates who scored the same as or lower than you | Your position in the merit list |
| Format | Decimal (for example, 99.45) | Whole number (for example, 500) |
| Used for | Checking if you qualify | Seat allotment in counselling |
| Changes with | Overall score distribution | Small differences in marks |
How Is INI CET Percentile Calculated?
The percentile compares your score with all other candidates in the same session. In simple terms:
Percentile = (Number of candidates who scored equal to or less than you ÷ Total candidates) × 100
Example: If 40,000 candidates took the exam and you scored better than or equal to 39,600 of them, your percentile is (39,600 ÷ 40,000) × 100 = 99. This means only about 400 candidates scored more than you, so your rank would be around 400.
This is why a small change in percentile at the top end means a big change in rank. For example, 99.9 percentile and 99.5 percentile can be a few hundred ranks apart.
INI CET Rank vs Percentile: Past Session Data
The tables below show how percentile and rank lined up in recent sessions. Use them to estimate your rank in the upcoming result. Actual numbers will depend on the number of candidates and the difficulty of the paper.
July 2025 Session (MD/MS)
| Percentile | Rank |
|---|---|
| 100 – 99.99 | 1 – 10 |
| 99.989 – 99.947 | 11 – 50 |
| 99.944 – 99.785 | 51 – 200 |
| 99.785 – 99.455 | 201 – 500 |
| 99.455 – 98.904 | 501 – 1,000 |
| 98.904 – 97.776 | 1,001 – 2,000 |
| 97.776 – 95.582 | 2,001 – 4,000 |
| 95.582 – 92.208 | 4,001 – 7,000 |
| 92.208 – 88.873 | 7,001 – 10,000 |
| 88.873 – 83.283 | 10,001 – 15,000 |
| 83.283 – 72.332 | 15,001 – 25,000 |
| 72.332 – 61.036 | 25,001 – 35,000 |
| 61.036 – 53.109 | 35,001 – 42,000 |
January 2025 Session (MD/MS)
| Rank | Percentile |
|---|---|
| 1 | 100 |
| 2 – 10 | 99.998 – 99.986 |
| 11 – 51 | 99.982 – 99.912 |
| 53 – 100 | 99.912 – 99.837 |
| 101 – 250 | 99.825 – 99.575 |
| 251 – 500 | 99.575 – 99.128 |
| 501 – 1,000 | 99.128 – 98.300 |
| 1,001 – 2,500 | 98.300 – 95.683 |
| 2,500 – 6,000 | 95.683 – 89.679 |
| 6,001 – 12,000 | 89.679 – 79.299 |
| 12,001 – 20,000 | 79.299 – 65.350 |
| 20,001 – 31,669 | 65.350 – 45.002 |
Marks vs Rank: July 2026 Session (Out of 200)
| Marks | Approx. Rank |
|---|---|
| 150 | 3 |
| 135 | 300 |
| 129 | 800 |
| 126 – 122 | 1,200 – 1,843 |
| 121 – 117 | 1,947 – 3,027 |
| 115 – 113 | 3,611 – 4,300 |
| 110 – 107 | 5,300 – 6,800 |
| 97 – 94 | 12,000 – 15,000 |
| 92 – 90 | 16,000 – 18,000 |
| 85 – 76 | 22,000 – 32,000 |
Quick takeaway: In recent sessions, about 99.5 percentile has meant a rank near 500, about 99 percentile a rank near 1,000, and about 95–96 percentile a rank near 3,000–4,000.
INI CET Qualifying Percentile (January 2027 Session)
| Category | Qualifying Percentile |
|---|---|
| Unreserved / EWS / Sponsored / Deputed / Foreign National / OCI | 50th percentile |
| OBC / SC / ST / PwBD | 45th percentile |
| Bhutanese National (PGIMER Chandigarh only) | 40th percentile |
Qualifying only makes you eligible for counselling. It does not guarantee a seat. With limited seats, the rank needed for an actual admission is much higher than the qualifying level.
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What Rank Do You Need for a Seat?
INI CET offers a small number of seats, around 1,417 seats across all INIs in the July 2025 session. So the closing rank for admission is far lower than the total number of qualified candidates.
Last Admission Rank by Category (January 2026 Session)
| Category | Closing Rank |
|---|---|
| Unreserved (UR) | 7,621 |
| OBC | 11,318 |
| EWS | 17,596 |
| SC | 20,266 |
| ST | 27,569 |
These are the last ranks at which any seat was allotted. Popular branches such as Radiology, Dermatology, General Medicine and Paediatrics at AIIMS New Delhi usually close within the top few hundred ranks.
Rough Guide
| Percentile | Expected Rank | What It Usually Means |
|---|---|---|
| 99.9+ | Top 100 | Strong chance of top branches at AIIMS New Delhi, PGIMER and JIPMER |
| 99.5 – 99.9 | 100 – 500 | Good branches at top INIs |
| 98.5 – 99.5 | 500 – 1,500 | Clinical branches at many AIIMS |
| 95 – 98.5 | 1,500 – 4,500 | Pre/para-clinical and some clinical seats at newer AIIMS |
| 90 – 95 | 4,500 – 9,000 | Limited options, mainly for UR candidates near the closing rank |
| Below 90 | 9,000+ | Seats mainly through reserved categories, depending on cut-off |
This guide is based on past trends and is only indicative.
FAQs on INI CET Rank vs Percentile
What is the difference between INI CET rank and percentile? Percentile shows the share of candidates who scored the same as or lower than you, and decides qualification. Rank is your position in the merit list and decides seat allotment.
What rank can I expect at 99 percentile in INI CET? Based on recent sessions, 99 percentile has usually meant a rank of about 900 to 1,000.
What is the qualifying percentile for INI CET? 50th percentile for UR/EWS and 45th percentile for OBC, SC, ST and PwBD candidates.
Is qualifying INI CET enough to get a seat? No. Qualifying only makes you eligible for counselling. Seats are allotted by rank, and the number of seats is limited.
When is the INI CET January 2027 session exam? The exam is scheduled for 1 November 2026, with the result expected around 7 November 2026.
Why does rank change so much at high percentiles? Because many candidates score close to each other at the top. A difference of 0.1 percentile can mean a difference of a hundred or more ranks.
