NEET (UG)

Previously known as the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT), the National Eligibility criteria Entrance Test (Undergraduate) or NEET (UG) is an All-India Pre-Medical Entrance Exam for students wishing to enroll in undergraduate medical (MBBS), dental (BDS), and AYUSH (BAMS, BUMS, BHMS, etc.) programmes in government and private institutions in India as well as for those planning to pursue primary medical education abroad.

National Testing Agency (NTA) administers the test, and State Counseling Authorities and the Directorate General of Health Services under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare receive the results in order to assign seats.

The All India Pre Medical Test (AIPMT) and other pre-medical exams held by states and different medical institutes were superseded by NEET-UG. However, the exam was unable to be held in 2014 or 2015 as a result of lawsuits brought against it.

There is only one entrance exam, called NEET-UG, for more than 66,000 MBBS and BDS seats all over India. In terms of applicants registered, NEET UG is the exam with the most candidates.

For admission to medical colleges in India, including the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER), NEET-UG replaced the previous independent entrance tests when the NMC Act 2019 was passed in September 2019.

State-run entrance exams and entrance exams for famous medical schools like AIIMS, JIPMER, IMS-BHU, KMC Manipal & Mangalore, and CMC Vellore were held prior to the national implementation of NEET (UG).

First-Phase Test (2016)

The All India Pre Medical Test, or AIPMT, which took place on May 1, 2016, was regarded as the beginning of the NEET. Students who registered for Phase One were given the opportunity to participate in the NEET Phase 2 exam, which was held on July 24, 2016, but only if they agreed to forfeit their Phase 1 score. According to a Supreme Court order, the dates listed above are accurate.

Exam format and pattern

180 questions in all, 45 from each of the four subject areas of physics, chemistry, botany, and zoology. Each accurate response earns four points, while each erroneous response receives one point less. The test lasts 3 hours 20 minutes (200 mins). The exam carries 720 points (maximum marks). There was a sudden change in the question paper format in 2021. The exam had two sections—A and B—for each of the four subjects—Physics, Chemistry, Botany, and Zoology. Section B had 15 questions, out of which 10 were required to be answered, and Section A had 35 mandatory questions.

The NCERT-recommended basic concepts of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology are included in the NEET (UG) syllabus. These subjects are taught in classes 11 and 12.

Organising body

All India competitive exams are now administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA), which also began administering the NEET (UG) in 2019. Before the establishment of NTA, the Central Board of Secondary Education administered the NEET between 2013 and 2018.

Colleges

Colleges and universities would not be able to hold their own medical entrance exams; instead, they will admit students based on their All India Rank in the NEET exam, as per the Supreme Court’s instructions and the NMC Act 2019 for admission into medical and dentistry colleges (UG). NEET has replaced All India Pre Medical Test (AIPMT). Each candidate is given an All India Rank (AIR) following the results announcement, and a merit list is made public. For the 15 percent of state seats, central colleges, and deemed universities, the Medical Council of India administers counselling, which involves seat allocation based on merit and candidate preference. The medical boards of each state conduct counselling for the remaining 85% of state-funded seats and private universities. On the basis of the NEET-UG results, each state creates its own merit list. 66,000 seats in all are available through NEET, and they are distributed appropriately.

Colleges	No. of seats offered
All private colleges	25,840
All government colleges	27,590
NEET Counselling seats	3,521
NEET Bas seats	35,461