What is NEET Exam?
NEET, an acronym for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, stands as the principal gateway to undergraduate medical and paramedical programs across India. This rigorous examination is held annually, offering aspiring students the opportunity to compete for coveted spots in esteemed institutions. Participants tackle a comprehensive array of questions over a duration of three hours and 20 minutes, with the exam structured in an offline or paper-pencil-based format.
The NEET exam encompasses subjects vital to the medical field, namely Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, presenting contenders with 200 questions. Of these, candidates must address 180, showcasing their proficiency across these disciplines.
Administered by the esteemed National Testing Agency (NTA), NEET serves as the pivotal assessment for admission into a spectrum of programs, including MBBS, BDS, BSc Nursing, BAMS, and Veterinary courses, among others. Notably, the examination accommodates linguistic diversity, being conducted in 13 different languages to ensure accessibility for all.
The scale of participation in NEET is staggering, with over 20 lakh candidates vying for success each year. Among the myriad of courses available, MBBS emerges as the top choice for many aspirants, closely followed by BDS and BSc Nursing. Recent years have witnessed a significant surge in the number of NEET hopefuls, underscoring the exam's enduring popularity and importance within the medical education landscape.
NEET Exam 2024 Exam Dates
Dates Upcoming Exam Dates May '24 NEET 2024 Admit Card (TENTATIVE) 05 May '24 NEET 2024 Exam Jun '24 NEET 2024 Answer Key Release (TENTATIVE) 14 Jun '24 NEET 2024 Result
NEET UG 2024 Highlights
The salient characteristics and highlights of NEET UG 2024 are listed in the following table.
Particulars
Details
Exam Name
National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET)
Conducting Body
National Testing Agency (NTA)
Exam Level
Undergraduate (UG) Exam at National Level
Exam Frequency
Once a year
Exam Mode
Offline or Paper Pencil Based Test (PBT)
Courses Offered Through NEET UG
MBBS, BDS, BSc Nursing, BAMS, BVSC & AH
Exam Fees
INR 1,700 (General), 1,600 (OBC), 1,000 (Reserved Category) Candidates is 3 hours and 9,500 for Foreign Nationals.
Exam Duration and Timing
3 hours and 20 minutes
2 PM to 5.20 PM (IST)
Number of Subjects and Total Marks Physics (180 marks), Chemistry (180 marks), Biology (360 marks): Total Marks - 720 Marking Scheme
+4 for each correct answer
-1 for each incorrect answer
Number of Exam Cities
554 (India)
14 (Abroad)
NEET Exam 2024 Application Form Process
The NEET application process for 2024 saw its online release via the official NEET website by the National Testing Agency (NTA). This marked the second occasion for the online release, which occurred over a two-day period from April 9 to April 10, 2024. Aspiring candidates aiming to take the exam were required to complete the NEET 2024 registration process, filling out the application form online and submitting it along with the necessary application fee.
The application process involved several steps. Candidates had to visit the official NEET website to provide essential details and upload required documents such as photographs, signatures, and other necessary files. Upon completion of these steps, applicants proceeded to pay the application fee through various payment modes, including Credit/Debit Card, Net Banking, UPI, and Paytm.
Originally scheduled from February 9 to March 16, 2024, the NEET 2024 registration period was followed by a brief window for application corrections, open from March 18 to March 20, 2024.
NEET Exam 2024 Admit Card
The release of the NEET UG admit card is anticipated three to four days prior to the exam date, scheduled in the initial week of May 2024. This crucial document will be accessible online in PDF format. Only individuals who have completed the registration process will have the privilege to download it. Access to the admit card will require logging into the NEET website using the designated credentials - either the username and password or the date of birth.
Contained within the NEET 2024 admit card will be essential particulars including the candidate's name, photograph, signature, exam date and time, designated exam center with its address, along with comprehensive instructions and guidelines for the examination day. Additionally, candidates will be required to provide an undertaking along with their admit card.
Preceding the release of the NEET admit card 2024, the National Testing Agency (NTA) will issue an Advance Intimation to Exam City Slip. This document serves to inform candidates about the city wherein their respective exam centers will be located. It's crucial to understand that this slip is not the official admit card but aids candidates in planning their travel arrangements accordingly.
On the examination day, it is mandatory for candidates to carry the NEET admit card 2024 along with the signed undertaking, a passport-size photograph affixed on the card, and the signatures of parents. Additionally, an original and valid photo identity card issued by the Government of India must also be presented at the NEET test center. It's imperative not to sign the admit card until inside the exam hall and under the supervision of invigilators. Failure to produce the admit card or hall ticket will result in candidates being barred from taking the exam. In the event of any discrepancies in the information provided on the NEET 2024 admit card, candidates are advised to promptly contact the NTA for necessary rectifications.
NEET Exam Pattern 2024
The NEET examination format is defined as a paper-pencil-based test (PBT) or an offline assessment lasting three hours and 20 minutes. The exam encompasses 200 questions spanning Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, with an expectation for candidates to answer 180 of them. These questions will be presented in an objective format, providing multiple choice options for each. To indicate the correct response, examinees must shade the corresponding circle on the OMR sheet using a blue or black ballpoint pen.
In line with the NEET 2024 examination's pattern and structure, each subject will be subdivided into two sections: Section A and Section B. Section A comprises 35 questions, all of which must be attempted. Meanwhile, in Section B, candidates are required to answer 10 out of 15 questions. The final NEET paper layout will be officially disclosed by the National Testing Agency (NTA) concurrently with the release of the notification and information brochure. Considering potential alterations in the syllabus and eligibility criteria, adjustments to the NEET 2024 examination pattern are plausible.
How to Prepare for NEET Exam 2024?
Commencing NEET preparation well in advance is imperative, given the intense competition surrounding the examination. It's recommended that aspiring candidates allocate a minimum of one year to adequately prepare. Those gearing up for NEET 2024 should kickstart their journey by thoroughly acquainting themselves with the exam's structure and syllabus. Subsequently, they ought to curate a selection of top-notch reference materials tailored specifically for NEET 2024. To comprehensively cover the syllabus, reliance on NCERT books is paramount.
Crafting a meticulously structured timetable for NEET preparation is essential to ensure timely completion of the syllabus. Furthermore, engaging in the practice of tackling mock tests and sample papers holds significant weight. Given the uniform weightage assigned to all sections in the exam, candidates must distribute their focus evenly across all subjects to secure a well-rounded score. Regularly engaging with mock tests enables students to pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses, thereby allowing for strategic adjustments in their subject-wise preparation approach.
It's advisable for students to dedicate a minimum of two years to NEET preparation. Typically, individuals embark on this journey following the completion of their Class 10 Board exams. Given the similarity between the NEET syllabus and that of Class 11 and 12, concurrent preparation proves to be advantageous for candidates.
NEET Exam Centers 2024
In the upcoming NEET 2024 examination, the test centers are set to span across 554 cities within India and an additional 14 international cities. This year, there's been an expansion with 69 new cities included within India alone. Initially, the plan did not include international centers, but the National Testing Agency (NTA) later decided to include them, akin to the previous year. Candidates who have registered can opt for these international centers during the NEET 2024 application correction window, while new applicants can select them directly through the dropdown menu in the NEET form.
Simultaneously with the addition of new cities, NTA has also removed three locations—Malegaon in Maharashtra, Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh, and Rairangpur in Odisha—from the list of NEET exam centers, where they were available last year.
In the preceding year, NEET took place in 499 Indian cities and 14 foreign cities, totaling over 4,000 exam centers. It's anticipated that the count of NEET UG 2024 centers will surpass that of the previous year to accommodate the growing number of candidates across diverse geographical regions. NTA has released the NEET 2024 exam center list alongside the information brochure.
During the application process, applicants are given the opportunity to select two exam cities based on their preferences, and NTA will assign the NEET 2024 center accordingly. Before the release of the NEET 2024 admit card, which will specify the final allotted center, NTA will provide an advanced intimation through the exam city slip, mentioning the assigned NEET 2024 exam city. Once the center is allotted, candidates cannot request a change, though NTA endeavors to consider candidate preferences, the final decision rests with the exam conducting body and may be subject to change at its discretion.
NEET Exam Eligibility Criteria 2024
The eligibility criteria for NEET 2024 have undergone significant changes, particularly regarding subjects and schooling type. Previously, only candidates who studied Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and English as main or core subjects were eligible for the exam. However, the latest update now includes candidates who have studied Biology/Biotechnology as additional subjects alongside Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and English. This modification expands the pool of eligible candidates.
According to the official notice released by the National Medical Commission (NMC), the eligibility criteria for NEET 2024 state that candidates who have passed 10+2 or its equivalent with the subjects of Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English are eligible to appear for NEET-UG. This represents a departure from previous years' criteria, which limited eligibility to those who studied these subjects as main subjects.
Another significant change pertains to candidates from Open Schools or those who appeared as private candidates for their Class 12 exams. Previously, these candidates were not permitted to take the NEET exam. However, this restriction has been lifted for NEET 2024. The Supreme Court of India has intervened, ruling that students from open schools recognized by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and State Boards are now eligible to participate in NEET. This decision broadens access to the exam for a wider range of candidates.
Let's examine the NEET eligibility requirements for the year 2024.
Nationality For NEET Exam 2024:
Applicants must hold Indian citizenship. Moreover, individuals falling under categories like Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), as well as foreign nationals, are permitted to take the NEET exam if they aim to pursue MBBS or other medical courses offered by institutes in India.
Age Requirement For NEET Exam 2024:
Candidates should have reached the age of 17 by the time of admission, or will attain it on or before December 31, 2024, or by the last day of that year. This implies that the earliest date of birth for candidates would be December 31, 2007. Notably, there's no upper age limit for NEET.
Educational and Qualifying Marks Criteria For NEET Exam 2024:
As per the guidelines, candidates must have cleared their qualifying examination with individual passing grades in Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English. The aggregate score required for eligibility stands at 50% for General category candidates, 45% for General-PWD candidates, and 40% for Reserved category candidates.
NEET Exam Analysis (2023, 2022, 2021)
According to the analysis from last year's NEET examination, it was noted that the overall difficulty level of the test was quite challenging. Over the span of the past two to three years, NEET has consistently been labeled as having a moderate to tough difficulty level. In the NEET exam of 2023 specifically, it was observed that Botany and Chemistry posed more challenges compared to other subjects. Conversely, Physics and Biology sections were comparatively more manageable. Additionally, the majority of questions seemed to stem from Class 12 topics rather than Class 11.
Analyzing NEET exams from 2022 and 2021, it was consistently found that Physics emerged as the toughest subject, closely followed by Chemistry and Biology. Many students found the question paper to be lengthy, leading to difficulties in completing it within the allotted time. Furthermore, there was an increase in questions structured in match the column format, along with a rise in assertion and reasoning type questions.
NEET Exam 2024 Result
On June 14, 2024, the NEET result 2024 will be announced. The results of the NEET UG will be made available online as scorecards. Through internet login, candidates must get their scorecards in PDF format for NEET 2024. The NEET 2024 result will include the following details:
- Name of Candidate
- Subject-specific grades or rankings
- Subject-specific percentile
- Out of 720, the total score attained is the total percentile.
- India's entire rank (AIR)
NEET Exam 2024 Cutoff
NTA will make the NEET 2024 cutoff available along with the outcome. The lowest number of points or ratings that applicants must achieve to pass the exam and be able to take part in the counseling process is known as the NEET cutoff. The NEET 2024 cutoff scores will differ for every category of candidates. For reference, the NEET 2023 cutoff marks and percentiles for the previous year are shown in the following table.
Category NEET 2023 Cutoff Percentile NEET 2023 Cutoff Marks General/EWS 50 720-137 OBC, SC, ST 40 136-107 General/EWS/PH 45 136-121 OBC, SC, ST & PH 40 120-107
NEET Exam 2024 Counselling
NEET 2024 counselling is anticipated to kick off in the latter part of July 2024. Prospective candidates who meet the NEET 2024 cutoff criteria will be deemed eligible for participation in the counselling process. The NEET counselling will be bifurcated into two segments, catering to the 15 percent All India Quota (AIQ) seats and the remaining 85 percent State Quota (SQ) seats. Oversight of counselling for AIQ seats will rest with the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), while individual state counselling bodies, such as the Directorates of Medical Education, will oversee the process for SQ seats across different states.
The following are the many stages of NEET counseling:
- Enrollment
- Preference selection and confirmation
- Outcome of seat allocation
- Reporting to the institution
Courses Offered Through NEET UG
The entrance exam for several medical and paramedical programs is NEET UG:
- MBBS
- BDS
- Ayurvedic Medicine
- Homoeopathy Medicine
- Unani Medicine
- Siddha Medicine
- Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry
- BSc (Hons) Nursing
- Bachelor of Physiotherapy
- Bachelor of Occupational Therapy
- Bachelor of Audiology, Speech and Language Pathology
- Bachelor of Prosthetics and Orthotics.
NEET scores are accepted by 702 Medical, 323 Dental, 914 AYUSH, and 47 BVSc & AH institutes in India. This exam score is also accepted for admission by two JIPMER campuses and fifteen AIIMS campuses. Starting from 2021, admission into the BSc Nursing program is contingent upon NEET scores as well.
NEET Exam Participating Institutes
The following is a list of renowned Indian medical schools that accept NEET results:
- Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi
- AIIMS Delhi
- Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi
- Armed Forces Medical College, Pune
- Kasturba Medical College, Manipal
- Institute of Medical Sciences Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
- King George's Medical University, Lucknow
- Christian Medical College, Vellore
- Madras Medical College, Chennai
- University College of Medical Sciences, University of Delhi, Delhi
- Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi
FAQs Regarding NTA NEET UG 2024
Q. What does NEET stand for?
NEET stands for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test. It's a national-level entrance exam in India for admission to undergraduate medical (MBBS/BDS) and allied health science courses in both government and private medical colleges.
Q. Who is responsible for conducting the NEET exam?
The NEET exam is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) under the auspices of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
Q. What are the eligibility criteria for NEET 2024?
To be eligible for NEET 2024, candidates must have completed 17 years of age at the time of admission or will do so on or before 31st December of the admission year. They should have passed their 10+2 examination with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as core subjects.
Q. What is the examination format for NEET 2024?
NEET 2024 comprises one paper with 180 multiple-choice questions (MCQs). The questions are distributed equally among Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (Botany and Zoology). The exam duration is 3 hours.
Q. Is there negative marking in NEET?
Yes, NEET has negative marking. One mark is deducted for every incorrect answer, while no marks are deducted for unanswered questions.
Q. How can I apply for NEET 2024?
Candidates can apply for NEET 2024 through the official NTA NEET website. The application process usually commences several months before the exam date. Applicants need to fill out the online application form, upload required documents, and pay the application fee.
Q. What is the syllabus for NEET 2024?
The syllabus for NEET 2024 is based on the topics covered in the 10+2 curriculum of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (Botany and Zoology) as prescribed by various state boards and CBSE.
Q. Is there a dress code for the NEET exam?
Yes, NEET has a prescribed dress code. Candidates are advised to wear light-colored clothes with half sleeves and avoid clothes with large buttons, badges, or brooches. Shoes are not allowed; candidates should wear slippers or sandals with low heels.
Q. Can candidates from state boards other than CBSE appear for NEET?
Yes, candidates from any recognized state board are eligible to appear for NEET as long as they meet the eligibility criteria.
Q. What is the minimum percentile required to qualify NEET?
The minimum percentile required to qualify NEET varies each year and is determined based on factors like exam difficulty and the number of candidates appearing. Candidates should refer to the official notification for the specific percentile required for that year.