NEET 2026 Exam - Complete Guide
The NEET (UG) 2026 examination is a national-level entrance test for students aspiring to secure admission in undergraduate medical programs at government, private colleges, and international institutions. Conducted by NTA, it is one of the toughest entrance exams in India with approximately 15 lakh students attempting it every year.
Latest Updates for NEET 2026
Important Change: NTA has removed optional questions from NEET 2026 exam pattern. Candidates will now have to attempt all 180 questions within 3 hours, making it a streamlined examination.
NEET UG 2026 exam will be conducted on May 3, 2026 (1st Sunday of May month).
NEET 2026 registrations will start from first week of February 2026 till first week of March 2026.
NEET 2026 Highlights
Examination Name
National Eligibility cum Entrance Test
Conducting Body
National Testing Agency (NTA)
Official Website
nta.ac.in / neet.nta.nic.in
Exam Date
May 3, 2026 (1st Sunday of May)
Exam Mode
Pen and Paper (OMR-based)
Duration
3 Hours (02:00 PM - 05:00 PM IST)
Total Questions
180 Questions
Total Marks
720 Marks
Question Type
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
Languages
13 Languages (Hindi, English, and 11 regional languages)
Important Dates for NEET 2026
| Event | Date (Tentative) |
|---|---|
| Release of Official Notification | 1st Week of February 2026 |
| Start of Application Process | 1st Week of February 2026 |
| Last Date to Submit Application | 1st Week of March 2026 |
| Application Correction Window | 2nd Week of March 2026 |
| Admit Card Release | By 1st May 2026 (Tentative) |
| NEET Exam Date | May 3, 2026 |
| Provisional Answer Key | 1st Week of June 2026 |
| Final Answer Key | 3rd Week of June 2026 |
| Result Declaration | 3rd Week of June 2026 |
| Counselling Process Starts | July 2026 |
NEET 2026 Exam Pattern
Physics
45
Questions
180 Marks
Chemistry
45
Questions
180 Marks
Biology (Botany + Zoology)
90
Questions
360 Marks
Note: As per the official notification dated 25th January 2025, the exam pattern has reverted to the pre-COVID format. Candidates will now have to attempt 180 compulsory questions within 180 minutes (3 hours). This change eliminates the optional questions introduced in previous years.
NEET 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Age Limit
- •Minimum age: 17 years (as on or before 31st December 2026)
- •Maximum age: No upper age limit
- •Candidates born on or before 31.12.2008 can apply
Educational Qualification
- •Must have passed Class 12th or equivalent
- •Mandatory subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English
- •Minimum marks required:
- • - General/EWS: 50% aggregate in PCB
- • - SC/ST/OBC: 40% aggregate in PCB
- • - PwD: 40% aggregate in PCB
Nationality
- •Indian Nationals
- •Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)
- •Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)
- •Foreign Nationals
Courses Offered Through NEET 2026
Through NEET 2026, admissions will be granted to over 1,00,000 MBBS seats, 27,618 BDS seats, 52,720 AYUSH seats, 603 BVSc & AH seats, along with 1,899 AIIMS seats, and 249 JIPMER seats. These seats are distributed across a total of 612 medical colleges and 315 dental colleges.
NEET 2026 Registration Fee
| Category | Fee (in Rupees) |
|---|---|
| General | Rs 1,700 |
| General-EWS/OBC-NCL | Rs 1,600 |
| SC/ST/PwBD/Third Gender | Rs 1,000 |
| Abroad Candidates | Rs 9,500 |
*Processing charges & goods and Services Tax (GST) are to be paid by the candidate as applicable
NEET 2024 Cut-off Marks (Reference)
The cut-off is determined by several factors, including the difficulty level of the exam, the number of students, their performance, the number of seats available, and so on.
| Category | Qualifying Criteria (Percentile) | NEET Cut-Off 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| UR/EWS | 50 | 720-164 |
| OBC, SC, ST | 40 | 163-129 |
| UR/EWS & PH | 45 | 163-146 |
| OBC & PH | 40 | 145-129 |
| ST & PH | 40 | 141-129 |