NEET Exam 2026

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) or NEET UG is the primary entrance examination for students aspiring to pursue medical and dental courses in India. Below are the key highlights for NEET 2026:

• Conducting Body: National Testing Agency (NTA)
• Frequency: Once a year
• Exam Mode: Offline (Pen and Paper-based)
• Duration: 3 hours and 20 minutes
• Total Marks: 720
• Language Options: 13 languages including English, Hindi, and regional languages

While official dates will be announced by the NTA in late 2025, the tentative schedule for NEET 2026 is as follows:

• Release of Official Notification: February 2026
• Registration Process Starts: Second week of February 2026
• Last Date to Apply: March 2026
• Adit Card Release: April 2026
• NEET 2026 Exam Date: May 3, 2026 (Tentative - First Sunday of May)
• Declaration of Result: June 2026

NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) is a standardized entrance examination in India for students who wish to study undergraduate medical courses (MBBS) and dental courses (BDS) in government or private medical colleges and dental colleges in India. It is also mandatory for those seeking admission to AYUSH courses (BAMS, BUMS, BHMS) and Veterinary (BVSc & AH) courses.

The full form of NEET is the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test. It was introduced to replace several different medical entrance exams across the country, including AIPMT, to create a 'One Nation, One Entrance' system for medical admissions.

NEET has undergone significant changes since its inception. Originally introduced in 2013, it faced legal hurdles before becoming the mandatory single-window entrance exam for all medical seats in India. From 2020 onwards, even prestigious institutes like AIIMS and JIPMER started accepting NEET scores, abolishing their individual entrance exams to streamline the admission process.

To be eligible for NEET 2026, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Age: Must have completed 17 years at the time of admission or will complete that age on or before 31st December of the year of admission.
• Citizenship: Indian Nationals, NRIs, OCIs, PIOs, and Foreign Nationals are eligible.
• Educational Qualification: Candidates must have passed or be appearing in Class 12 (or equivalent) with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as core subjects.
• Minimum Marks: 50% for General, 40% for SC/ST/OBC, and 45% for PWD candidates in the qualifying exam (PCB group).

The application process for NEET 2026 is entirely online. The steps include:

1. Registration on the official NTA website (neet.nta.nic.in).
2. Filling out the application form with personal and academic details.
3. Uploading scanned documents (Passport size photo, signature, left-hand thumb impression, and Class 10 certificate).
4. Payment of the application fee via online modes (Net Banking/Credit Card/Debit Card/UPI).
5. Downloading the confirmation page for future reference.

The NEET UG exam comprises four main subjects, each divided into two sections (Section A and Section B):

• Physics: Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Optics, etc.
• Chemistry: Physical, Organic, and Inorganic Chemistry.
• Botany: Plant Physiology, Genetics, Ecology, etc.
• Zoology: Human Physiology, Reproduction, Evolution, etc.

The NEET 2026 syllabus is based on the NCERT curriculum for Classes 11 and 12. It covers fundamental concepts in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Students are advised to focus on the Rationalized NCERT textbooks as the primary source of preparation, while also keeping an eye on any specific updates provided by the NMC (National Medical Commission) regarding syllabus reductions or additions.

The exam pattern for NEET 2026 follows the standard format:

• Total Questions: 200 (Candidates must attempt 180).
• Structure: Each subject has Section A (35 mandatory questions) and Section B (15 questions, attempt any 10).
• Marking Scheme: +4 for every correct answer, -1 for every incorrect answer, 0 for unattempted questions.
• Total Marks: 720.

The admission process involves several stages: appearing for the NEET UG exam, qualifying by meeting the minimum percentile, participating in the Counselling Process (MCC or State-level), and finally reporting to the allotted college for document verification and fee payment.

All medical and dental colleges in India participate in NEET UG, including:

• All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) across India.
• Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER).
• Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune.
• Central Universities (BHU, AMU).
• All State Government and Private Medical/Dental Colleges.

The NTA will release the NEET 2026 results in the form of a scorecard. The result includes the candidate's total marks, subject-wise marks, All India Rank (AIR), and the qualifying percentile. Results are usually available on the official NTA website 4-5 weeks after the exam.

After the results are declared, the NTA prepares the merit list. Candidates must then register for the counselling process based on their rank. Students can apply for 15% All India Quota (AIQ) seats or 85% State Quota seats. It is crucial to keep all academic and category certificates ready for the verification process.

The counselling is divided into two main categories:

• MCC Counselling: Conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee for 15% All India Quota, Deemed Universities, Central Universities, and AIIMS/JIPMER seats.
• State Counselling: Conducted by respective state medical authorities for the 85% remaining seats in state-run colleges and all seats in private state colleges.

The cut-off for NEET 2026 will depend on factors like the difficulty level of the paper and the number of candidates. Generally, the qualifying criteria are:

• General/EWS: 50th Percentile
• OBC/SC/ST: 40th Percentile
• UR-PH: 45th Percentile

Note: Qualifying the cut-off only makes a candidate eligible for counselling; it does not guarantee a seat.

For any queries regarding NEET 2026, candidates can contact the NTA through the following channels:

• Official Website: neet.nta.nic.in
• Helpline Number: 011-69227700, 011-40759000
• Email: neet@nta.ac.in
• Address: NSIC-MDBP Building, First Floor, Okhla Industrial Estate, New Delhi-110020