National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (UG) 2026 — Complete Medical Entrance Guide

The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2026. This mega-examination is the sole, uniform entrance test for admission to undergraduate medical education in India. Connecting over 24 lakh aspirants yearly, qualifying NEET is mandatory for admission to all MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BUMS, and BHMS courses across government, private, and deemed Medical/Dental/AYUSH Colleges in India (including AIIMS and JIPMER).

Sarkari Result: NEET UG 2026 Latest Updates

Update Date: February 2026 The NTA has released the official information brochure for NEET UG 2026. The examination is locked in for May 3, 2026. Students must ensure their Aadhar and 10th marksheet names match exactly before registering to avoid form rejection.

1. Important Exam Dates 2026

The NTA released the official notification on February 8, 2026. Aspirants searching for the exact NEET UG 2026 exam date can check the official schedule below:

Admission Event	Important Date
Official Notification Release	February 08, 2026
Online Application Portal Opens	February 08, 2026
Last Date to Apply & Fee Payment	March 2026
Application Correction Window	Mid-March 2026
City Intimation Slip Release	3rd Week of April 2026
Admit Card Download Starts	4th Week of April 2026
NEET UG 2026 Exam Date	May 03, 2026 (Sunday)
Timing of Examination	02:00 PM to 05:20 PM (IST)

2. Examination Fee Details

The application fee is payable online securely via Credit Card, Debit Card, Net-Banking, or UPI. Ensure no double payments are made during server lags.

Candidate Category	Application Fee (In India)	Application Fee (Outside India)
General / NRI	₹1700/-	₹9500/-
General-EWS / OBC-NCL (Central List)	₹1600/-	₹9500/-
SC / ST / PwBD / Third Gender	₹1000/-	₹9500/-

Processing charges and Goods and Services Tax (GST) are to be paid by the candidate separately.

3. Comprehensive Eligibility Criteria

Age Limit

Candidates must complete 17 years of age on or before 31st December of the admission year (i.e., born on or before 31.12.2009 for the 2026 session). Current NMC regulations strictly dictate that there is no upper age limit for appearing in NEET UG.

Educational Qualification

• Candidates must pass their Class 12 (10+2) board exams with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as core subjects.
• Marks Criteria: General category candidates must score a minimum of 50% aggregate marks in PCB. OBC/SC/ST candidates required minimum is 40%, and PwBD is 45%.
• Students appearing for their Class 12 board exams in early 2026 are fully eligible to apply and take the exam provisionally.

4. NEET UG Exam Pattern

The offline Pen and Paper (OMR-based) test consists of four subjects. Each subject is divided into Section A (35 mandatory questions) and Section B (15 questions, out of which candidates only attempt 10).

Subject	Section	Number of Questions	Max Marks
Physics	Section A	35	140
	Section B	15 (Attempt 10)	40
Chemistry	Section A	35	140
	Section B	15 (Attempt 10)	40
Botany	Section A	35	140
	Section B	15 (Attempt 10)	40
Zoology	Section A	35	140
	Section B	15 (Attempt 10)	40
Total		Attempt 180 out of 200	720 Marks

Marking Scheme Highlights:

• Positive Marking: +4 marks awarded for each correct answer.
• Negative Marking: -1 mark deducted for each incorrect answer (including Section B questions if attempted wrong).
• Unanswered: 0 marks.

5. Medical Seat Categories via NEET

Qualifying NEET opens admission pipelines to several different seat quotas across India:

1. 15% All India Quota (AIQ) Seats: For Central Institutes (AIIMS, JIPMER, BHU, AMU), Deemed Universities, and 15% of seats in state government colleges. Handled by MCC (Medical Counselling Committee).
2. 85% State Quota Seats: For students possessing the domicile of that specific state. Handled by respective State DME (Directorate of Medical Education).
3. BDS/AYUSH Quota: Centralized counselling handled by AACCC.

6. How to Apply Online

Applying for NEET correctly is crucial to avoid document rejection:

1. Visit the official NTA NEET portal: neet.ntaonline.in.
2. Click on the "New Candidate Registration" link. Use a highly active email and phone number as all OTPs will go there.
3. Fill in the registration details to generate your Application Number and Password.
4. Upload the scanned documents strictly per guidelines:
   • Passport Photograph: Postcard size (4x6) with white background.
   • Signature: Running hand (not capitals).
   • Thumb Impressions: Left and right-hand fingers/thumb impressions on a white sheet.
5. Pay the required examination fee online.
6. Print the final Confirmation Page to carry to the exam hall and counseling.