NTA NEET 2025: Exam Dates, Syllabus, Pattern, Eligibility, Preparation Tips

NEET 2025 exam will be conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) tentatively in the first week of May 2025. NEET 2025 is the biggest entrance exam for undergraduate medical courses. Know the details of the exam in terms of important dates, pattern, syllabus, eligibility criteria, result, cutoff, etc. here on this page.

All About NEET 2025

NTA is expected to release the NEET 2025 exam date through a common exam calendar anytime soon, in December 2024. Last year, NTA announced the exam date of NEET along with other entrance exams such as CUET UG, JEE Main and UGC NET in September 2023. However, as of now, NTA has not made any announcement or given any indication of releasing the common exam calendar. While the NEET 2025 syllabus is expected to remain the same as last year, there may be changes in the NEET exam pattern 2025.

Although the NEET exam pattern has remained the same in the past few years, the NEET syllabus had undergone major changes last year. Hence, it is likely that there will not be any changes in the NEET 2025 structure or syllabus. Based on the NTA Special Committee chaired by former ISRO chief K. Radhakrishnan recommendation, the mode of the NEET 2025 exam is likely to change from offline to online, or from the traditional paper-pencil-based test (PBT) to Computer-based Test (CBT). However, no official confirmation has been given by NTA or the Ministry of Education yet. 

As less than six months are remaining for the NEET 2025 exam, considering that it will be held in the previous years' timeline, aspirants are getting anxious over the delay in the exam date announcement. 

Given the past year’s trends, the expected date for the NEET 2025 exam is Sunday, May 4, 2025, from 2 PM to 5.20 PM in over 570 cities across India and abroad. The NEET 2025 exam date will be announced anytime soon. Over 20 lakh candidates are expected to appear for the exam across India and abroad. 

Aspirants aiming to crack NEET 2025 should start their preparation right away, if not started already. Generally, students start their NEET preparation approximately two years in advance, i.e. from Class 11, or after the completion of Class 10 Board exams. The first step is to get accustomed to the NEET 2025 syllabus and exam pattern. Along with the preparation, students must be aware of the other details about the exam. For them, this article of Shiksha brings all about NEET 2025, in terms of important dates, eligibility criteria, application process, exam pattern, syllabus, books and preparation strategy, among others.

Speculations Regarding NEET 2025 Exam

As per media reports, a special committee has been formed for NEET 2025, which has given various recommendations for the betterment of the exam, to curb the malpractices in the exam, which were experienced last year. Some such recommendations are as follows:

• Conducting the exam in online mode – Given the massive malpractices and reports on paper leak and cheating, the committee has recommended conducting the exam in online, or computer-based test mode.
• Transport of question papers in digital mode – The NEET 2025 question papers or the OMR sheets are planned to be transported to the test centres in digital mode instead of physically transporting them. Last year, reportedly the transfer of NEET question papers through e-rickshaw was a major reason behind the paper leak. Hence, digital transportation of NEET question papers and answer keys will avoid such unwarranted incidents.
• Exam to be conducted twice a year – Similar to JEE Main exam, there are talks to conduct NEET exam twice a year. This will not only give another chance to NEET aspirants, but will also help the exam authorities to conduct the exam in a more systematic and fruitful manner.
• Limiting the number of attempts for the exam – While there is no limit to the number of attempts in NEET exam, this rule may be altered this year onwards. This would help aspirants focus and prepare better.

Given the massive controversy embroiled around NEET 2024, there are speculations regarding separate NEET exams for different states, similar to the pre-NEET era. Moreover, the Ministry of Education is also mulling the idea of making the exam two-tier, preliminary and final, to be conducted by two different bodies. While NTA may conduct the preliminary exam, other organisers such as the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) or Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) may be the conducting body for the final NEET exam, 

On the other hand, the state governments of West Bengal and Karnataka have passed resolutions against NEET being the sole medical entrance exam conducted for the entire country, and conducting their own state-level undergraduate medical entrance exams. However, this is still under the planning stage and a final decision is yet to be taken.  

Also Read: NEET UG 2025 Exam Reforms: Expert Committee Submits Report on Online Testing, Multi-Stage Exams, Security Enforcement

NEET 2025 Overview

The following table brings the NEET 2025 overview or the highlights of the exam.

NEET 2025 Exam Dates

NEET important dates or the complete schedule of NEET 2025 will be announced by NTA in due course of time. NTA is likely to announce the exam date first, followed by the application schedule. The following table brings the tentative schedule for NEET 2025.

NEET 2025 Exam Pattern

The NEET exam pattern states that it is a paper-pencil-based test (PBT) of 200 minutes or 3 hours and 20 minutes duration. There are a total of 200 objective-type multiple-choice questions (MCQs) from Physics, Chemistry and Biology. 

Each section is distributed in two sections, Section A and Section B, carrying 45 and 15 questions respectively. Within Section B, test takers have to attempt 10 questions out of 15. Each question carries four marks and there is a negative marking of one mark for each wrong answer. The following table brings the detailed structure of the exam.

It is expected that the NEET 2025 exam pattern will remain the same as last year. The structure of NEET has remained stable for the past two years.

NEET 2025 Syllabus

Last year, the NEET syllabus underwent major changes. Several topics from each of the three subjects were removed. On the other hand, a few topics were added to each of the subjects as well. Explaining the reason behind the change, NTA stated, “Due to the COVID-19 scenario, various School Boards deleted portions of each subject's syllabus. The deleted portion is still not being taken back by these Boards. The deletions were not uniform across various boards. Hence, a number of requests were received by the NTA for the revision of the syllabus.”

The subject-wise syllabus is given below.

The NEET syllabus 2025 will likely remain the same as last year. The updated NEET 2025 syllabus PDF by NTA will be available on the official website of the exam. In case the pattern remains the same, candidates can refer to the NEET syllabus PDF given below.

Download NTA syllabus for NEET 2024 PDF.

NEET 2025 Preparation

NEET 2025 preparation must be started by candidates at least two years in advance since the NEET syllabus involves chapters and topics of both Class 11 and Class 12. However, a student who has gained overall subject and conceptual knowledge of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, can start their full-fledged NEET preparation a year before the exam, which is right after starting their Class 12. Here we bring some tips to prepare for the NEET 2025 exam.

• Know the NEET exam pattern and structure thoroughly – The first and foremost method of NEET preparation is to be abreast with the exam pattern and structure. While the NEET exam pattern is given above, students are also advised to go through previous years’ NEET question papers to get a thorough idea of the exam structure.
• Be thorough with the NEET syllabus – It is expected that the NEET 2025 syllabus will be the same as last year. Hence, they must go through the syllabus of NEET and check and prepare for the additional areas which they have not studied in their Class 11 and Class 12.
• Analyse strengths and weaknesses – It is very important to assess one’s strengths and weaknesses to prepare properly. Based on the analysis, one should plan the preparation strategy to improve the weak areas and revise the strong areas to not lose guard on the same.
• Practice – Along with preparation, it is important to practice from various sources such as NEET mock tests (full-length and sectional), solving previous years’ NEET question papers, test series, etc.

NEET 2025 Books

Based on the expert and topper suggestions, the following books are suggested as the best study materials for NEET:

Best Books for NEET Physics

• NCERT Textbook for Class 11 Physics
• NCERT Textbook for Class 12 Physics
• Objective Physics by DC Pandey
• Fundamentals of Physics by Halliday, Resnick and Walker
• Concepts of Physics by H C Verma
• Fundamental Physics by Pradeep
• Problems in General Physics by IE Irodov

Best Books for NEET Chemistry

• NCERT Chemistry textbooks for Class 11
• NCERT Chemistry textbooks for Class 12
• Dinesh Chemistry Guide
• Organic Chemistry by Morrison and Boyd for Organic Chemistry
• Organic Chemistry Objective by Arihant
• Modern’s ABC of Chemistry for Class 11 and Class 12
• Physical Chemistry by OP Tandon
• Physical Chemistry by P Bahadur
• Concise Inorganic Chemistry by JD Lee
• Practice Books by VK Jaiswal (Inorganic), MS Chauhan (Organic) and N Awasthi (Physical)

Best Books for NEET Biology

• NCERT Biology Class 11 Textbook
• NCERT Biology Class 12 Textbook
• Trueman's Biology Vol 1 and 2
• Objective Biology by Dinesh
• Objective Biology by Ansari
• Pradeep Publication's Biology
• Biology by GR Bathla Publications
• SC Verma Biology

NEET 2025 Question Paper

The NEET question paper for 2025 will be in 13 languages. Candidates have to select their preferred NEET question paper language while filling up the application form and must ensure that they receive the question paper of the language opted for by them. Test-takers are allowed to carry the NEET question paper outside the exam centre after the exam.

There will be a total of four sets, each divided into six sub-sets. There will be a total of 200 questions in each paper, out of which candidates will have to attempt 180. While the questions in each NEET question paper are the same, the arrangement or the positioning of the subjects or questions will vary. NEET 2025 aspirants can check the previous years’ NEET question papers, answer keys and solutions below. Students planning to appear for the exam must solve previous years' NEET question papers to get accustomed with the question types and topics, and prepare accordingly.

Also Read: NEET 2024 Question Paper PDF Download with Solutions

NEET 2025 Eligibility Criteria

The NEET 2025 eligibility criteria are expected to remain the same as last year. The NEET eligibility criteria changed last year in terms of subjects studied in Class 11 and Class 12, and schooling. Take a look at the NEET eligibility criteria 2025 below.

• Candidates should have passed or scheduled to appear for the Class 12 Board exam or equivalent with Chemistry, Physics, Biology/Biotechnology and English subjects
• Candidates belonging to the General category should have secured a minimum of 50 per cent aggregate and reserved category candidates should secure 45 per cent (General-PWD) and 40 per cent (SC, ST, OBC, Reserved PWD)
• Candidates must have attained the age of 17 years at the time of admission or will attain the same by December 31, 2025. Accordingly, the minimum date of birth of candidates should be December 31, 2008. There is no upper age limit.
• Indian nationals/ Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) who wish to pursue MBBS/BDS from a foreign university also have to qualify for NEET 2025.

In terms of the changes introduced last year, candidates who have studied or are studying Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Biotechnology and English as additional subjects are also considered eligible to appear for the exam. Moreover, candidates who have completed their schooling from Open Schools will also be eligible.

There may be some changes in the NEET UG 2025 eligibility criteria as well in terms of age limit or number of attempts, as per the Special Committee recommendations. In a recent interview with Shiksha.com, Dr Manish Jangra, Chairman, the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has stated, "There should be some age limit in the NEET examination because if someone wants to appear in it; a maximum of six to eight years are enough for him to appear for it."

Also Read: NEET UG 2025 Should Have Age Restriction: FAIMA Chairman

NEET 2025 Application Process

The NEET 2025 application forms will be released online, on the official website of the exam. Applicants will have to fill and submit the NEET application form, including the payment of the application fee, in online mode.

The step-by-step NEET application form procedure is given below.

• Visit the official website of NEET 2025 – neet.ntaonline.in or exams.nta.ac.in/NEET (exact URL will be provided as and when the application form is released)
• Click on the NEET 2025 Registration tab under the Latest News section
• Read the instructions carefully and click on the agreement checkbox
• Enter the mandatory details such as personal and contact details, and generate a password
• Verify the details by entering the OTP received on your mobile number and email address
• The registration credentials such as application number and password will be sent to candidates through email
• Login with the NEET 2025 registration credentials to complete the application form
• Fill in the mandatory details in each section such as personal, educational, medium of question paper, exam city preference, documents upload (photograph, signature, finger and thumb impressions, category certificate, etc.) and other information
• Pay the application fee in online mode with Credit/Debit Card, Net Banking and UPI.

The NEET 2025 application fee is likely to remain the same as last year. The table below shows the expected category-wise application fee for NEET 2025.

NEET 2025 Admit Card

NEET admit card or hall ticket is the mandatory document to be carried to the exam centre. NTA will release the NEET 2025 admit card in online mode only for the registered candidates, tentatively in the first week of May 2025, a couple of days before the exam date. Test takers will have to download it by logging into the exam website and following the steps given below.

• Visit the NTA NEET 2025 website – neet.ntaonline.in or exams.nta.ac.in/NEET (actual URL will be provided as and when admit card is released)
• Click on the link indicating the NEET 2025 Admit Card download
• Enter the NTA NEET 2025 Application Number and Password or any other available login option
• Enter the Security Pin
• Download the NEET UG 2025 Admit Card
• Take multiple printouts

NEET 2025 Centres

The total number of NEET exam centres in 2025 is likely to be around 5,000, which will be located in over 570 cities across India and abroad. Over the last few years, the total number of exam cities has increased exponentially across India. However, the number of international exam cities has remained constant, which is 14. It is expected that the number of NEET 2025 exam cities will be higher than last year. Last year, the total number of exam centres was 4,750 and the number of NEET exam cities was 557 in India and 14 cities abroad. 

Candidates have to select two exam cities in the order of preference. NTA will allot the NEET 2025 exam centre based on candidates’ preferences and availability.

Last year, NTA announced that there will not be any international exam city for NEET. However, later it was announced that NEET would be conducted in 14 international cities, the same as the previous year.  

NEET 2025 Answer Key

The NEET 2025 provisional answer key will be released by NTA approximately a month after the conduct of the exam, i.e. fourth week of May 2025. Candidates will be given a window of four to five days to submit objections or challenges. The NTA expert panel will review the objections and deduce the final answer keys. The NEET 2025 result will be computed based on the NEET 2025 final answer keys.

After the conclusion of the exam, experts from top coaching institutes will release the NEET 2025 answer keys for each question paper set or code. These are unofficial NEET answer keys and should be used by candidates to calculate their estimated scores.

Also Read: NEET 2024 Answer Key for Q, R, S, T Codes

NEET 2025 Result

The NEET 2025 result will be declared by NTA tentatively in the second week of June 2025. NTA will release the NEET result 2025 in the form of a merit list and scorecard.  Candidates will have to download their scorecards in PDF format by logging in to the NTA NEET 2025 website. Along with the NEET result, NTA will also release the data and statistics of the exam in terms of total number of applicants, exam takers and qualifying candidates.

NEET 2025 Cutoff

The NEET 2025 cutoff will be released by NTA along with the result. Given the high number of test takers, it is expected that the NEET cutoff 2025 will be higher than last year. For reference, we bring last year’s NEET cutoff.

Also Read: 

• NEET Passing/Qualifying Marks: Know Minimum Marks to Qualify for Counselling
• NEET 2024 Expected Cutoff for MBBS and BDS

NEET 2025 Counselling

The NEET counselling or the admission process will begin approximately a month after the result. There will be two types of NEET 2025 counselling process, one for the 15 per cent All India Quota (AIQ) seats and another for the 85 per cent State Quota seats. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) conducts the admission or seat allotment process for the AIQ seats and the state counselling or medical councils conduct the NEET counselling for the State Quota seats.