The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) or NEET (UG), formerly the All-India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT), is an all-India pre-medical entrance test for students who wish to pursue undergraduate medical (MBBS), dental (BDS) and AYUSH (BAMS, BUMS, BHMS, etc.) courses in government and private institutions in India and, for those intending to pursue primary medical qualification abroad.
The exam is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), which provides the results to the Directorate General of Health Services under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and State Counselling Authorities for seat allocation.
NEET-UG replaced the All India Pre Medical Test (AIPMT) and many other pre-medical exams conducted by states and various medical colleges. However, due to lawsuits being filed against the exam, it could not be held in 2014 and 2015.
NEET-UG is a single entrance test for admissions to more than 66,000 MBBS and BDS seats across India.
After the enactment of NMC Act 2019 in September 2019, NEET-UG became the sole entrance test for admissions to medical colleges in India including the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER) which until then conducted separate exams.
Exam Pattern & Structure
There are a total of 180 questions asked in the exam, 45 questions each from Physics, Chemistry, Botany and Zoology. Each correct response fetches 4 marks and each incorrect response gets -1 negative marking. The exam duration is 3 hours (180 mins). The exam is of 720 marks (maximum marks). In 2021, there was an abrupt change in the pattern of the question paper. The paper consisted of two sections: A and B in all four subjects, i.e Physics, Chemistry, Botany and Zoology. Section A consisted of 35 compulsory questions and Section B consisted of 15 questions out of which 10 questions were supposed to be filled.
Syllabus
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) or NEET (UG), formerly the All-India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT), is an all-India pre-medical entrance test for students who wish to pursue undergraduate medical (MBBS), dental (BDS) and AYUSH (BAMS, BUMS, BHMS, etc.) courses in government and private institutions in India and also, for those intending to pursue primary medical qualification abroad.
Organizing Body
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has been made the nodal agency for conduct of all India competitive exams and conducts NEET (UG) from 2019. The Central Board of Secondary Education conducted NEET between 2013 and 2018 before the setting of NTA.