NEET (UG)
How is NEET (UG) set and marked, who can sit it, and what score do you need for a medical seat?
NEET (UG) is the one entrance test for undergraduate medical courses in India: MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BUMS, BSMS and BHMS. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has run it since 2019. It is a single pen-and-paper exam of 180 questions in three hours, offered in 13 languages. Your All India Rank is used for MCC counselling (the 15% All India Quota, AIIMS, JIPMER and central institutions) and for state counselling, which each state runs under its own rules. Everything on this page comes from NTA's NEET (UG) 2026 Information Bulletin.
This page may be out of date. It was due for a re-check on 28 February 2027. Confirm every rule with the official source before acting on it.
The 2026 exam was held on 3 May 2026 and that cycle is over. On 2 October 2026 neet.nta.nic.in still listed the 2026 bulletin and no 2027 one. The rules above are from 2026 and may change for 2027.
Exam at a glance
- Conducted by
- National Testing Agency (NTA), since 2019[1]
- Mode
- Pen and paper, one day, one shift[1]
- Duration
- 3 hours (one extra hour for PwD/PwBD candidates with a physical limitation to write)[1]
- Questions
- 180, all compulsory, 720 marks[1]
- Minimum age
- 17 by 31 December of the exam year (for 2026: born on or before 31.12.2009). No upper age limit.[1]
- Languages
- 13: English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu[1]
- 2026 exam date
- 3 May 2026, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM IST[1]
How the 720 marks split by subject
Minimum percentile for a medical seat
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Physics | 45 | 180 |
| Chemistry | 45 | 180 |
| Biology (Botany and Zoology) | 90 | 360 |
| Total | 180 | 720 |
Every question is a multiple-choice question with four options and one correct or best answer. NMC sets the syllabus.[1]
| Response | Marks |
|---|---|
| Correct or most appropriate answer | +4 |
| Wrong answer | −1 |
| Unanswered | 0 |
| Question with more than one correct option | +4 to anyone who marked one of the correct options |
| Question dropped, wrong, or with no correct option | +4 to every candidate who sat the exam, attempted or not |
Source[1]
| Category | Minimum percentile |
|---|---|
| General, General-EWS | 50th |
| SC, ST, OBC | 40th |
| PwBD (General, General-EWS) | 45th |
| PwBD (SC, ST, OBC-NCL) | 40th |
The percentile is worked out from the highest marks in the All India common merit list. If too few candidates reach it, the Central Government can lower it for that year only, in consultation with the regulators.[1]
| Code | Who it covers |
|---|---|
| 01 | Appearing in Class 12 this year. You can sit NEET, but you are not eligible for admission unless you have passed by the first round of counselling. |
| 02 | Class 12 (or ISC) after 12 years of study with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology and English, practicals included |
| 03 | Intermediate or pre-degree exam in Science with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology and English |
| 04 | Pre-professional or pre-medical exam with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology and English |
| 05 | First year of a three-year degree with Physics, Chemistry and Biology/Biotechnology, after a qualifying exam with those subjects and English |
| 06 | B.Sc with at least two of Physics, Chemistry, Biology (Botany, Zoology)/Biotechnology, after a qualifying exam with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English |
| 07 | Any other exam equal in scope and standard to Intermediate Science with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology (with practicals) and English. Foreign and international boards fall here. |
Source[1]
| Category | Centre in India | Centre outside India |
|---|---|---|
| General | ₹1,700 | ₹9,500 |
| General-EWS, OBC-NCL | ₹1,600 | ₹9,500 |
| SC, ST, PwBD/PwD, third gender | ₹1,000 | ₹9,500 |
The 2026 fee, paid online only. Bank or gateway charges and GST are extra. NTA sets a new fee in each year's bulletin.[1]
You must turn 17 on or before 31 December of the year you sit the exam. For 2026 that meant a date of birth on or before 31 December 2009, the same for every category. Citing an NMC letter of 9 March 2022, the bulletin says there is no upper age limit.
Your Class 12 (or the equivalent in the code table) must include Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Biotechnology, and English, with practicals. Since an NMC public notice of 22 November 2023, you can also add these subjects after Class 12 from a recognised board and still sit NEET. You must show proof that you passed them.
Indian citizens and OCI cardholders who plan to study medicine or dentistry abroad also have to qualify in NEET (UG).[1]
You cannot change the medium after you submit the form, so choose it with care. English gives an English-only booklet, Hindi gives an English and Hindi booklet, and a regional language gives English plus that language. Centres outside India offer English only. Most regional languages are offered only at centres in the matching states; Urdu is offered at centres anywhere in India. Where the translation differs, the English version is final.
Your medium does not limit your seat options. A qualified candidate can take All India Quota and state seats whatever language they wrote the exam in.[1]
When two or more candidates have the same marks, NTA breaks the tie in this order: higher marks in Biology, then in Chemistry, then in Physics. Next comes the lower ratio of wrong to correct answers across the paper, then in Biology, Chemistry and Physics in turn. If all of that still ties, an independent expert committee guides a random draw.[1]
NTA declares the result and the All India Rank. It does not allot seats. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) of DGHS runs counselling for the 15% All India Quota and for AIIMS, JIPMER, central universities, ESIC colleges and deemed universities; you register on mcc.nic.in after the result. For AFMC, Pune, MCC only takes the registration and AFMC holds a second-stage screening of its own.
State quota seats and private college seats go through counselling run by each state or UT under its own notice and reservation rules. AACCC runs All India Quota counselling for BAMS, BUMS, BSMS and BHMS.
The score has other uses too: some B.Sc (Hons) Nursing admissions, the Military Nursing Service B.Sc Nursing shortlist, and the 15% VCI quota for BVSc & AH in veterinary colleges.[1]
BUMS (Unani) needs Urdu, Arabic or Persian as a Class 10 subject, or a pass in a Class 10 level Urdu test where one is held. BSMS (Siddha) needs Tamil in Class 10 or Class 12; otherwise you study Tamil during the first professional year.[1]
Tips and tricks
- Pick your medium carefully. It can't be changed after you submit the form, and most regional languages are offered only at centres in the matching states (Urdu at any centre in India).[1]
- Check the date of birth before you pay: you must turn 17 on or before 31 December of the exam year.[1]
- The exam is pen and paper in one three-hour shift, so practise full papers with a pen.[1]
- Register on mcc.nic.in after the result for All India Quota seats, and separately with your state for state quota seats. NTA doesn't allot seats.[1]
- Aiming for BUMS or BSMS? Check the language rule now: Urdu, Arabic or Persian in Class 10 for BUMS, Tamil for BSMS.[1]
Questions people ask
Is there an upper age limit for NEET (UG)?
No. The 2026 bulletin cites an NMC letter of 9 March 2022: there is no upper age limit. The only age rule is the minimum, 17 by 31 December of the exam year.[1]
Is NEET (UG) online or offline?
Offline. NEET (UG) 2026 was a pen-and-paper exam held on one day in one shift, as it was in 2025.[1]
How much does a wrong answer cost?
One mark. A correct answer earns four, a wrong one loses one, and a question you leave blank scores zero. With 180 questions the paper is out of 720.[1]
Can I write NEET in Hindi or my state's language?
Yes. There are 13 mediums. Hindi gives an English and Hindi booklet; a regional language gives English plus that language. Most regional languages are offered only at centres in the matching states, while Urdu is offered anywhere in India. You cannot change the medium after you submit the form.[1]
Can I sit NEET while my Class 12 result is awaited?
Yes, under qualifying code 01. You will not be admitted unless you have passed Class 12 with the required subjects by the first round of counselling.[1]
Does NTA allot medical seats?
No. NTA only declares the result and the All India Rank. MCC runs All India Quota and central counselling, and each state runs its own for state quota and private seats.[1]
Do I have to register separately for counselling after NEET?
Yes. NTA only declares the result and rank. You register with MCC on mcc.nic.in for the 15% All India Quota and the central institutes, and with your state's authority for state quota seats.[1]
Connected pages
- Related · ExamNEET-PG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, Postgraduate)NEET-PG from the NBEMS bulletin: MBBS and internship rules, 180 questions in five timed sections, +4/-1 marking, the 2026 cut-offs and how ties are broken.
- Part of pathway · PathwayAfter Class 12 Science (PCB)What Physics, Chemistry and Biology in Class 12 open up: MBBS, BDS and AYUSH via NEET (UG), nursing and veterinary seats that use NEET, and B.Sc via CUET (UG).
- Related · PathwayScience after Class 10Which Class 11 science subjects keep JEE Main and NEET (UG) open, from the official bulletins, plus the CBSE subject rules to check before you choose.
- Related · ExamCUET (UG)CUET (UG) subject list, the five-subject limit, 50 questions in 60 minutes, +5/−1 marking, who can sit it and how admission works, from NTA's 2026 bulletin.
- Related · DegreeB.Sc. (Nursing)B.Sc Nursing needs Class 12 with 45% in PCB (40% SC/ST/OBC), a pass in English and age 17 by 31 December. Check your marks and age here.
- Admits to · DegreeMBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery)MBBS needs NEET (UG), age 17 by 31 December and Class 12 with PCB and English. 4½ years of study, a 12-month internship, NMC's time limits.
- Related · DegreeB.Sc (Bachelor of Science)How long a B.Sc takes, the honours and research year, the CUET tests that get you in, and M.Sc at IITs through JAM. From UGC and NTA.
Official and partner links
- Official bodyNEET (UG) official website (NTA)
- CounsellingMedical Counselling Committee (MCC), DGHS15% All India Quota, AIIMS, JIPMER, central and deemed universities.
- CounsellingAACCC (AYUSH All India Quota counselling)BAMS, BUMS, BSMS and BHMS All India Quota seats.
Sources
- Information Bulletin for NEET (UG) 2026, National Testing Agency. Dates and fee at a glance (pp. 1-2); Chapter 4 (pattern, marking, mode, medium, pp. 21-23); Chapter 6 (age, qualifying codes, pp. 25-28); Chapter 7 (counselling, pp. 29-31); Chapter 8 (percentile and tie-break, pp. 39-40). Accessed 2 October 2026.
- NEET (UG) official website, National Testing Agency. Accessed 2 October 2026.
Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us through the corrections page. Updated 8 October 2026.