What is the NEET UG exam? Is it compulsory to appear for it?

The NEET UG (National Eligibility Entrance Test - Undergraduate) is an entrance examination conducted in India for students seeking admission to undergraduate medical courses. It is administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA).

Key Features of the NEET UG Exam

Purpose:

It serves as the single entrance test for admission to MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery), BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery), and AYUSH courses (which include BAMS, BHMS, BUMS, etc.) in medical colleges across India, including both government and private institutions.

NEET is also required for admission to AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) and JIPMER (Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research), which previously had their own entrance exams.

Exam Structure:

Subjects: The exam consists of three main subjects: Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (Botany and Zoology).

Mode: The test is pen-and-paper based (offline).

Duration: It lasts for 3 hours and 20 minutes.

Question Format: It contains 180 multiple-choice questions (MCQs)—45 questions each from Physics and Chemistry, and 90 questions from Biology.

Scoring and Negative Marking:

Each correct answer earns 4 marks.

1 mark is deducted for every wrong answer due to the negative marking system.

Is NEET UG Compulsory?

Yes, NEET UG is compulsory if you want to pursue MBBS, BDS, or AYUSH courses in India or abroad. Here’s why:

For MBBS and BDS in India:

NEET is the only entrance exam that determines eligibility for admission to medical and dental colleges across India. All government and private medical colleges, as well as central universities like AIIMS and JIPMER, admit students based on their NEET scores.

In summary, if your goal is to pursue MBBS, BDS, or AYUSH courses, NEET UG is compulsory. It is the standard test to qualify for medical education in India.