National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET)
राष्ट्रीय पात्रता सह प्रवेश परीक्षा
NEET is India's national-level entrance examination for admission to medical, dental, and nursing programs in recognized colleges across the country. Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), NEET sees over 18 lakh candidates competing annually for approximately 90,000 medical and dental seats.
Key facts
- Introduced in 2013 replacing multiple state and national medical exams
- Conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) since 2019
- Over 18 lakh candidates appear annually
- Approximately 90,000 medical, dental, and nursing seats available
- Mandatory gateway for medical education in India (except AIIMS and JIPMER until 2020)
Details
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is India's principal entrance examination for medical and dental education, introduced in 2013. Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) since 2019, NEET replaced multiple state-level and national medical entrance examinations, creating a unified system for medical admissions. The examination is conducted once annually and evaluates candidates' knowledge in Physics, Chemistry, Biology (Botany and Zoology), across 180 multiple-choice questions totaling 720 marks. NEET is the gateway to approximately 90,000 medical and dental seats across India in government and private medical colleges, private universities offering medical programs, and Central institutions. Over 18-20 lakh candidates appear for NEET annually, making it one of the world's largest medical entrance examinations. The selection rate is approximately 0.5%, with top-ranking candidates securing admission in prestigious institutes like AIIMS, JIPMER, and state medical colleges offering higher cutoff scores. NEET is also applicable for admission to nursing programs and other health science courses. The exam is conducted in 13 languages, providing accessibility to candidates across India.