Exam
NEET 2026: Dates, Registration, Syllabus, Exam Pattern, Question Papers, Prep Tips
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- Last updated 01/2026
NEET 2026 Exam Overview
NEET 2026: The National Testing Agency (NTA) will soon announce the exam date for NEET UG 2026. The NEET exam is likely to be held on May 3, 2026. The official exam date will be known after the release of the notification. The NEET 2026 notification will be released soon along with the information brochure at neet.nta.nic.in.
The NTA will soon invite the NEET UG 2026 registrations. Candidates looking forward to appearing for the exam need to register and fill the online application form. The NTA has already issued the NEET 2026 document advisory, asking candidates to get their documents updated before filling the NEET 2026 application form. The documents that need updation are the Aadhaar card, UDID card and category certificates.
The NEET syllabus 2026 has been finalised by the NMC. The NTA published the final syllabus of NEET exam on January 8, 2026. Candidates can download the NEET 2026 syllabus below.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET UG) 2026 |
| Conducting Authority | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Exam Purpose | Admission to UG Medical & Allied Courses |
| Courses Covered | MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, BVSc & AH |
| Exam Mode | Offline (Pen & Paper) |
| Frequency | Once a year |
| Total Questions | 180 MCQs |
| Maximum Marks | 720 |
| Subjects | Physics, Chemistry, Biology |
| Total MBBS Seats | 1,18,148 |
| Participating Colleges | 780 Medical Colleges |
| Expected Exam Date | First Sunday of May 2026 (Tentative) |
| Score Validity | One Academic Session |
What is NEET Exam?
The NEET is apre-medical entrance test for admission to undergraduate Medical, Allied and Healthcare courses such as MBBS, BDS, BSc and others. The exam is conducted once a year in offline or paper-pencil-based test (PBT) mode in 13 languages. As far as the NEET exam pattern is concerned, there are 200 questions from Physics, Chemistry and Biology, out of which 180 questions have to be attempted. The exam is three hours and 20 minutes or 200 minutes in duration.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) is the exam-conducting body of the NEET. The NTA conducts the NEET UG exam for admissions to over 66,000 MBBS and BDS seats. Over 20 lakh candidates appear for the NEET exam. MBBS is the most preferred medical course, followed by BDS and BSc Nursing.
The Union Ministry of Education is currently carrying out a detailed data analysis of changing the NEET UG exam mode to online. Moreover, the NTA itself is in the process of introducing a computer-based test in the coming years. The online exam may also be conducted in multiple days and slots. There are also reports that students will not be allowed to select the exam city in the application form and will be allotted based on the address mentioned in their Aadhaar Cards.
- With MBBS Seats only around 1.18 lakh, only 1 out of 5 candidates will secure an MBBS Seat.
- The Biology includes the highest contribution of 50% from the total marks, which makes it the most important for rank improvement.
- The NEET Exam Scores will be valid only for 1 academic year, unlike other national exams.
How is NEET 2026 Different from Other Entrance Exams?
The NEET Exam is not conducted for selection in college, but it is a national medical eligibility and ranking test to get admission in medical colleges of India.
It is regulated by UGC Admission Policies, ensuring uniform eligibility, centralised counselling, and evaluation of the merit list for medical admissions across India, regardless of the board, state, or institution.
NEET 2026 Important Dates
The NEET Exam Schedule is expected to be the same as the previous year, with events starting from January and will be held till June. By knowing the important dates of NEET, you can do proper preparation and revise accordingly.
NEET 2026 Exam Schedule
| Event | Expected Timeline | Key Insight |
|---|---|---|
| Notification Release | January 2026 | Confirms exam date, syllabus & rules |
| Application Start Date | 1st week of February 2026 | Early registration is advised to avoid errors |
| Last Date to Apply | March 2026 | No extensions are usually given |
| Application Correction Window | March 2026 | One-time opportunity to fix details |
| City Intimation Slip | April 2026 | Helps plan travel & logistics |
| Admit Card Release | April / Early May 2026 | Mandatory for exam entry |
| NEET 2026 Exam Date | First Sunday of May 2026 (May 3 – tentative) | Offline, pen-and-paper mode |
| Provisional Answer Key | May 2026 (last week) | Objection window opens |
| Result Declaration | June 2026 | Rank & qualifying status announced |
| Counselling Begins | June–July 2026 | AIQ and State counselling start |
NEET 2026 Registration
The NEET Registration will be conducted online, being a single-window process by NTA. You have to complete registration, form filling, document upload and fee payment in a proper timeline.
- The Online Registration should be done using a valid Email ID and Mobline number.
- By filling in the proper personal, academic and category details as per the official documents.
- You have to upload your scanned photograph, signature and category certificate in the proper format.
- Select your exam city as per your preference before the final submission.
NEET 2026 Registration Fees: Category-Wise Details
The NEET Registration Fees are expected to be the same as the previous year and will differ according to the category of the candidate. The NEET Fees should be paid online and will be non-refundable.
NEET 2026 Registration Fees (Expected)
| Category | Expected Application Fee |
|---|---|
| General | ₹1,700 |
| General-EWS | ₹1,600 |
| OBC-NCL | ₹1,600 |
| SC | ₹1,000 |
| ST | ₹1,000 |
| PwD | ₹1,000 |
| Candidates Outside India | ₹9,500 |
NEET Eligibility 2026
With the NEET Eligibility, you can know about the minimum academic, age and nationality requirements you should meet before appearing for the exam. These will be notified by the NTA, UGC and NMC Regulations.
NEET 2026 Eligibility Criteria
| Eligibility Parameter | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Minimum Age | 17 years as of 31 December 2026 |
| Upper Age Limit | No upper age limit (as per current rules) |
| Educational Qualification | Passed / Appearing in Class 12 or equivalent |
| Mandatory Subjects | Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology & English |
| Minimum Marks (General) | 50% aggregate in PCB |
| Minimum Marks (OBC/SC/ST) | 40% aggregate in PCB |
| Minimum Marks (PwD – General) | 45% aggregate in PCB |
| Nationality | Indian Nationals, NRIs, OCIs, PIOs & Foreign Nationals |
| Number of Attempts | No limit |
| Open School / Private Candidates | Allowed, subject to NTA guidelines |
| Biology as an Additional Subject | Allowed (as per recent clarifications) |
NEET Courses Offered 2026
The NEET is a national-level entrance exam conducted to gain admission into undergraduate medical and allied health science courses in India.
As per the NEET Scores, candidates can secure seats in medical, dental, Ayush and veterinary colleges under AIQ, State Quota and Private Institutes.
Courses Offered Through NEET (UG)
| Course | Full Form | Duration | Regulating Body | Career Orientation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MBBS | Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery | 5.5 Years (incl. internship) | NMC | Clinical Medicine & Surgery |
| BDS | Bachelor of Dental Surgery | 5 Years | DCI | Dental & Oral Healthcare |
| BAMS | Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery | 5.5 Years | NCISM | Ayurvedic Medical Practice |
| BHMS | Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine & Surgery | NCH | Homeopathic Healthcare | |
| BUMS | Bachelor of Unani Medicine & Surgery | NCISM | Unani Medical Practice | |
| BSMS | Bachelor of Siddha Medicine & Surgery | NCISM | Siddha System of Medicine | |
| BVSc & AH | Bachelor of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry | VCI | Veterinary & Animal Sciences | |
| B.Sc Nursing | Bachelor of Science in Nursing | 4 Years | INC | Clinical & Community Nursing |
NEET 2026 Section-Wise Exam Pattern
- With the 550 to 650 Score Range, by giving a single wrong answer, your rank can drop by 1,500 to 3,000.
- The Biology include 360 Marks, scoring 85 to 90% can place a candidate in the top 20 to 25% rank range.
- The Physics have contribution of more than 25% marks, which causes maximum rank separation among high scorers.
| Subject | Number of Questions | Marks per Question | Total Marks | Weightage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physics | 45 | +4 / –1 | 180 | 25% |
| Chemistry | 45 | +4 / –1 | 180 | 25% |
| Biology (Botany + Zoology) | 90 | +4 / –1 | 360 | 50% |
| Total | 180 | — | 720 | 100% |
NEET Preparation: 5 Month Strategy
As NEET 2026 is 5 Months away, you can follow proper time-management and subject weightage to perform well. As per the previous year’s strategy, by attempting more than 40% of your time to biology, attempting 35-45 mock tests and revising 3-4 times to show high final ranks.
NEET 2026: 5-Month Preparation Strategy
| Month | What to Focus On | What You Should Do |
|---|---|---|
| Month 1 | Syllabus Completion & Base Building |
|
| Month 2 | First Revision Cycle | Revise completed chapters, practice NEET PYQs (last 15–20 years), and improve accuracy through sectional tests. |
| Month 3 | Scoring Topic Strengthening | Focus on high-weight chapters like Human Physiology, Organic Chemistry, and Modern Physics. Start full-length mock tests weekly. |
| Month 4 | Performance Stabilisation |
|
| Month 5 | Final Revision & Exam Readiness | Only revise NCERT, formulas, and errors. Avoid new topics. Increase mock frequency and reduce negative marking. |
Which Books are important for NEET Preparation?
The NEET is a concept and application-based exam, in which most questions, especially from biology and chemistry, are directly and indirectly NCERT-Based.
Best Books for NEET 2026
| Subject | Book Name | Why This Book Is Important |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | NCERT Biology (Class 11 & 12) | Source of most direct and line-based questions |
| Trueman’s Biology | Strengthens concepts and diagrams | |
| Physics | NCERT Physics (Class 11 & 12) | Builds a theory base and formula clarity |
| Concepts of Physics – H.C. Verma | Improves conceptual understanding | |
| DC Pandey Series | NEET-level numericals and practice | |
| Chemistry | NCERT Chemistry (Class 11 & 12) | Mandatory for Organic & Inorganic questions |
| Physical Chemistry – O.P. Tandon | Numerical practice and theory depth | |
| Organic Chemistry – M.S. Chouhan | Reaction mechanism-based practice |
NEET Cutoff 2025
The NEET Cutoff is the minimum score which is required to qualify for counselling. This will not guarantee admission, as it varies every year due to the difficulty level, number of candidates and seat availability, which makes category-wise cutoff important for admission.
- The General category cutoff for MBBS Under AIQ starts with 580 to 600 marks, whereas top colleges close at 650+.
- The Paper difficulty has more impact on the cutoff than the total number of candidates.
- With the tougher physics exam, the cutoff will be lower by 10 to 20 marks.
- The State Quota cutoff is 20 to 40 marks less than the AIQ Cutoffs.
Expected NEET Cutoff (Category-Wise – Qualifying Cutoff)
| Category | Percentile Required | Expected Score Range |
|---|---|---|
| General / EWS | 50th Percentile | 160 – 165 |
| OBC | 40th Percentile | 125 – 130 |
| SC | 40th Percentile | 120 – 125 |
| ST | 40th Percentile | 110 – 115 |
| General-PwD | 45th Percentile | 145 – 150 |
| SC/ST/OBC-PwD | 40th Percentile | 120 – 125 |
What Happens After the NEET Result?
The NEET Result will determine the candidate’s AIR, Category rank and the qualifying status, which directly sets the eligibility for counselling.
The Admission is conducted by Central AIQ and state-level counselling, in which the rank, category, domicile and seat availability are determined by the allotment.
NEET Results & Counselling Process
| Stage | Conducting Authority | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
| NEET Result Declaration | NTA | Scorecard with marks, percentile, and AIR released |
| AIQ Counselling (15%) | MCC | MBBS/BDS seats in central, deemed, and AFMC colleges |
| State Quota Counselling (85%) | State Authorities | Government & private medical college seats |
| Choice Filling | MCC / State Counselling Bodies | Candidates lock preferred colleges & courses |
| Seat Allotment | Centralised System | Seats allotted based on rank, category & choices |
| Reporting & Admission | Respective Colleges | Document verification & fee payment |
FAQs for NEET 2026
Ques. Will the NEET cutoff decrease in 2026?
Ans. The NEET 2026 cutoff is expected to be similar to last year, with minor changes based on the difficulty of the exam, the number of test-takers, and the availability of seats.
For the general category, the cutoff range last year was 686 to 114 marks, whereas for OBC/SC/ST categories, it was 143 to 113 marks.
Ques. Will NEET be there in 2026?
Ans. Yes, NEET is conducted every year for admission to first-year MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other nursing courses. NTA will conduct NEET 2026 on 3 May 2026.
Ques. Is NEET 2026 easy?
Ans. The difficulty level of NEET 2026 is not known yet. However, based on expert opinions and the Ministry of Education press release, NEET 2026 is expected to be of an easy to moderate difficulty level.
Ques. What is the duration of the NEET exam 2026?
Ans. NTA reduced the duration of the NEET exam last year. In 2026, NTA is going to conduct NEET for a duration of 180 minutes, the same as that of NEET 2025.
Ques. What are the NEET marks for MBBS?
Ans. The NEET marks for admission in MBBS are the minimum marks that must be obtained by a candidate in the NEET UG exam to qualify for admission into an MBBS program in India.
The minimum marks differ every year depending on the difficulty level of the exam, available seats, and category.
Minimum NEET Marks Required for MBBS:
| Category | Expected NEET Score Range | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | 600 – 720 | Required for top government medical colleges |
| OBC/SC/ST | 480 – 600 | Depends on the state and college |
| Government College (Min.) | 590 – 620 | Depends on the state quota or the All India Quota |
| Private College | 250 – 450 | Varies significantly across institutions |
