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NEET UG 2026: Exam Dates, Syllabus, Pattern, Cutoff, Answer Key & Result

Fact-checked & updated on Oct 9, 2026 by IndCareer Exam Team
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Important Dates

Official schedule & timeline

12 events
Release of NEET UG 2026 Information Bulletin Completed
February 08, 2026
Online Application Window Opening Completed
February 08, 2026
Last Date to Submit Online Application Form Completed
March 11, 2026
Application Correction & Rectification Window Completed
March 18 – 20, 2026
Allotment of Examination City Intimation Slip Completed
April 24, 2026
Release of NEET UG 2026 Admit Card Completed
May 01, 2026
NEET UG 2026 Examination Date Completed
May 03, 2026
Provisional Answer Key & OMR Challenge Window Completed
May 29 – 31, 2026
Announcement of NEET UG 2026 Results & AIR Rank Completed
June 04, 2026
MCC AIQ Online Counselling (Round 1 to Round 3) Completed
July – October 09, 2026
MCC Stray Vacancy Round Counselling Active
October 12 – 26, 2026
NEET UG 2027 Official Notification & Registration Upcoming
February 2027 (Expected)
Detailed Guide

About NEET UG 2026: Exam Dates, Syllabus, Pattern, Cutoff, Answer Key & Result

The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate), widely known as NEET UG, is India’s sole national-level medical entrance examination conducted annually by the National Testing Agency (NTA). As mandated under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, NEET UG is the single-window entrance exam for admission to undergraduate medical and dental programs across all medical institutions in India, including premier central institutes like AIIMS New Delhi, JIPMER Puducherry, and AFMC Pune.

NEET UG regulates admissions into MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery), BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery), BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery), BHMS (Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery), BUMS, BSMS, and select BSc Nursing courses. Administered in pen-and-paper (OMR offline) format across 13 Indian and regional languages, over 2.4 million candidates appear annually, competing for more than 100,000 MBBS and 27,000 BDS seats across government, private, and deemed medical colleges.

AspectDetails
Exam NameNational Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) — NEET UG 2026
Conducting BodyNational Testing Agency (NTA)
Regulatory BodyNational Medical Commission (NMC) & Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)
Programmes OfferedMBBS, BDS, BAMS, BHMS, BUMS, BSMS, BSc Nursing (select institutions)
Exam LevelNational Level (Pan-India and select International centres)
Official Examination Portalneet.nta.nic.in
Central Counselling Portalmcc.nic.in (Medical Counselling Committee)
Mode of ExaminationPen-and-Paper Test (Offline OMR Sheet based)
Medium / Languages13 Languages (English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu)
Exam Duration3 Hours (180 Minutes)
Total Questions180 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Total Maximum Marks720 Marks
Marking Scheme+4 for each correct answer; -1 for each incorrect answer; 0 for unattempted
NEET UG 2026 Key Examination Highlights

Eligibility Criteria for NEET UG 2026

To register and qualify for admissions through NEET UG, candidates must satisfy the eligibility guidelines laid down by the National Medical Commission (NMC):

  • Age Criterion: Candidates must have completed a minimum of 17 years of age at the time of admission or will complete that age on or before 31st December of the year of admission. There is no upper age limit for appearing in NEET UG.
  • Nationality & Citizenship: Indian Citizens, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), and Foreign Nationals are eligible for NEET UG subject to relevant regulations.
  • Qualifying Academic Examination: Candidates must have passed or be appearing in the Class 12 (10+2) or equivalent higher secondary examination with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as core subjects.
  • Minimum Aggregate Marks in 10+2:
    • General (UR) / EWS: Minimum aggregate of 50% marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology taken together.
    • OBC-NCL / SC / ST: Minimum aggregate of 40% marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology taken together.
    • PwBD (General/EWS): Minimum aggregate of 45% marks in qualifying subjects.
  • Number of Attempts: There is no cap on the number of attempts permitted for NEET UG.

Application Fee Structure

The registration fee payable during online application submission at neet.nta.nic.in is categorized as follows:

Candidate CategoryExamination Fee (India Centres)Examination Fee (Centres Outside India)
General (UR)₹ 1,700₹ 9,500
General-EWS / OBC-NCL₹ 1,600₹ 9,500
SC / ST / PwBD / Third Gender₹ 1,000₹ 9,500
NEET UG 2026 Application Fee Matrix

NEET UG 2026 Exam Pattern & Sectional Weightage

NEET UG is conducted in pen-and-paper mode where candidates shade answers on machine-gradable OMR sheets. The test consists of 180 objective multiple-choice questions across three disciplines:

SubjectNumber of QuestionsMarks Allocation
Physics45 MCQs180 Marks
Chemistry45 MCQs180 Marks
Biology (Botany + Zoology)90 MCQs (45 Botany + 45 Zoology)360 Marks
Total180 MCQs720 Marks
NEET UG 2026 Question Distribution

Marking Scheme Summary:

  • Correct Answer: +4 marks are awarded for choosing the correct option.
  • Incorrect Answer (Negative Marking): 1 mark (-1) is deducted for each incorrect response.
  • Unattempted Questions: 0 marks are awarded or deducted for unattempted or unanswered questions.
  • Multiple Options Marked: If more than one option is shaded on the OMR sheet, it is treated as an incorrect response and penalised with -1 mark.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to common queries regarding NEET UG

Q1Is the NEET UG syllabus strictly based on NCERT books?
Yes, the NEET UG syllabus prescribed by the NMC is predominantly based on Class 11 and Class 12 NCERT science textbooks. In Biology particularly, nearly 90-95% of questions directly correspond to NCERT lines and diagrams.
Q2Has any topic been reduced or deleted from the latest NEET UG syllabus?
Yes, the NMC updated and rationalized the NEET UG syllabus in alignment with the revised NCERT curriculum, eliminating obsolete chapters such as States of Matter, Solid State, Surface Chemistry, and Digestion and Absorption, while adding focus to practical-based experiments.
Q3How much weightage does Biology carry in NEET UG?
Biology carries 50% of the entire examination score—constituting 90 questions (45 Botany and 45 Zoology) worth 360 marks out of the total 720 marks.
Q4Are questions repeated in NEET UG from previous years?
While exact identical questions are rarely repeated word-for-word, underlying core concepts, chemical mechanisms, physics numerical derivations, and biological pathways repeat with very high frequency.
Q5How many years of NEET question papers should I solve?
Aspirants are strongly recommended to solve at least the last 10 to 15 years of NEET UG (and erstwhile AIPMT) question papers to achieve comprehensive question familiarity.
Q6Where can I find official NEET question paper booklets with answer keys?
Official question paper booklets with verified answer keys are published on the NTA website (neet.nta.nic.in) after the completion of the exam cycle and archived on educational portals like indcareer.com.
Q7Will NTA send the NEET UG admit card by post or courier?
No. Admit cards are issued strictly in electronic format online at neet.nta.nic.in. No physical admit card is dispatched by post.
Q8What should I do if there is a discrepancy in my NEET admit card details?
If there is any discrepancy in your name, photograph, or signature, immediately reach out to the NTA NEET helpdesk via email ([email protected]) or call the NTA helpline numbers before the exam date.
Q9Can I wear religious or customary dress to the NEET exam centre?
Yes. Candidates wearing customary or religious attire (such as burqa, hijab, or turban) must report to the examination centre at least one hour before the gate closure time for mandatory physical frisking.
Q10Is the answer key challenge fee refunded if my challenge is accepted?
No. As per NTA policy, the processing fee of ₹200 per question challenged is strictly non-refundable, regardless of whether the objection is accepted or rejected.
Q11Can I challenge the recorded responses on my OMR sheet?
Yes. If you find that an option bubbled on your OMR sheet was incorrectly captured by the optical scanner, you can raise an OMR grading challenge through the portal by paying ₹200 per response.
Q12What happens if a question has two correct options in NEET UG?
If two options are found to be correct by the expert panel, +4 marks are awarded to all candidates who chose either of the two correct options.
Q13How can I get my NEET scorecard if I lost my application number?
You can retrieve your application number on the neet.nta.nic.in portal by clicking on "Forgot Application Number" and providing your registered candidate name, mother’s name, father’s name, and date of birth.
Q14Is there any re-evaluation or re-checking of NEET UG answer sheets?
No. NTA rules strictly state that there is no provision for re-checking or re-evaluation of OMR sheets after the declaration of the result, as the machine-readable sheets are evaluated with specialized software.
Q15What is the role of MCC after NEET results are declared?
The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) conducts centralized online counselling for 15% All India Quota (AIQ) seats, 100% Deemed/Central Universities, AIIMS, JIPMER, and AFMC based on the NEET All India Ranks.
Q16What marks are required in NEET UG to get a government MBBS seat?
While the qualifying cutoff for General category is around 213 marks, securing an MBBS seat in a premier government medical college typically requires a score of 620 to 660+ marks (AIQ Rank under 15,000–20,000).
Q17Is clearing the NEET cutoff mandatory for MBBS admissions abroad?
Yes. As per the NMC regulations, qualifying in NEET UG (securing at or above the qualifying cutoff percentile) is mandatory for Indian students wishing to pursue MBBS or equivalent medical qualifications abroad.
Q18How does the state quota cutoff differ from the All India Quota cutoff?
The 15% All India Quota (AIQ) cutoff is generally higher as candidates from all states compete for seats nationwide. State quota (85%) cutoffs are specific to state domicile holders and tend to vary depending on the local medical seat availability.