NEET SS Exam Pattern 2024: Check Marking Scheme & Exam Duration, Total Marks

NEET SS is the single eligibility cum entrance examination for admission to Super Specialty Courses. Candidates who completed their post graduation (MD/MS) can apply for NEET SS entrance test. The exam is held once a year in computer-based mode. NEET SS is held for admission to following courses:

• All DM/MCh Courses in the country including all Private Medical Colleges/Institutions/Universities/Deemed Universities.

• All DM/MCh courses at Armed Forces Medical Services Institutions

• All DrNB Super-specialty Courses (except Direct 6 Years DrNB Courses

NEET SS stands for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Super Speciality Courses). The entrance exam is conducted for providing admission into DM/ MCh courses. National Board of Examinations (NBE) conduct the exam once a year in computer-based mode. Candidates who have already completed their PG course can apply for the exam. It is a qualifying-cum-ranking examination for admission to super speciality courses. According to the official information brochure, qualifying NEET-SS is mandatory for entry to DM/MCh/DrNB Courses under various Universities/ Institutions in the country.

According to the existing pattern, NEET SS will comprise one paper of 150 multiple-choice questions, from broad speciality and super speciality course. The question paper will be of 400 marks Total 150 Questions for 400 marks will be asked in the NEET SS question paper. Type of Questions: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs). Marking Scheme: Aspirants will get +4 marks on each correct response and -1 on each negative response. NBE will release the information brochure which will have detailed exam pattern for NEET SS exam.

The NEET SS exam is conducted for a window of two days, with two slots in each day. Hence, the total number of slots in which NEET SS exam is conducted is four. Each of the slots conduct different exam groups. The duration of the exam is 2.5 hours or 150 minutes. The table below brings the slot-wise timings of the NEET SS exam.

There are a total of 13 groups which are covered in the NEET SS exam. These groups are divided in the four slots conducted over two days.

NEET PG stands for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Post-Graduation while NEET SS is the abbreviation for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Super Speciality Courses. NEET PG is postgraduation level exam while NEET SS is conducted for super specialisation. Candidates get admission to MD/MS through NEET PG entrance test while NEET SS is held for admission for DM/MCh courses.  Basic eligibility for NEET PG is candidates should have equalified MBBS exam while for NEET S candidates should have PG level degree. 

 According to the latest exam pattern of NEET SS, there are 150 multiple-choice questions, from broad speciality and super speciality course. The question paper was of 400 marks.  The question paper will consist of questions from the General/Basic component of the primary feeder broad specialty subject and from all sub-specialty/systems/component of that primary feeder broad specialty subject. All the 150 questions would be from the Curriculum of the Post Graduate Exit level of the primary feeder broad specialty subject. Candidates will get two-and-a-half hours to attempt the questions. 

As per the exam pattern of NEET SS, there are 150 objective-type multiple-choice questions (MCQs) asked in the exam. There will not be any descriptive question in the NEET SS exam. Each question will carry four answer options, out of which one answer option will be correct. Candidates will have to select and submit the correct answer option. Submission of wrong answer option will lead to negative marking of one mark. Hence, test-takers must carefully assess all answer options or choices and select the correct answer option.  

The answers marked for review will also be considered as attempted and will be marked as per the marking scheme of NEET SS exam. Each correct answer will fetch four marks, whereas for each wrong answer, there is a negative marking of one mark. An answer will only be considered for marking when it is submitted. However, there is no marking scheme applied for unattempted questions.  

NEET SS exam is conducted in only one language, which is English. Candidates must prepare for the exam by referring to the best preparation books in English language for the subject and course groups selected. Taking regular NEET SS mock tests in English, or solving previous years' question papers will ensure good score in the NEET SS exam. 

The NEET SS 2024 exam dates have been announced by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) on September 13, 2024. The exam will be conducted on March 29 and March 30, 2025. Generally, NEET SS is conducted over a window of two days and two shifts. The NEET SS 2024 official notification will be released tentatively in the fourth week of December 2024, along with the application forms.  

The total duration of the NEET SS exam is 150 minutes or 2.5 hours. There is no sectional time limit. Hence, candidates have to manage the time accrodingly to attempt as many number of questions as possible within this duration. There are 150 questions in total. Hence, to attempt all the questions, test-takers will get one minute per question. Along with maintaining to speed to complete the NEET SS exam, candidates must also maintain accuracy to avoid losing marks since there is a negative marking scheme.