NEET stands for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test. It is a mandatory examination for medical aspirants who want to take admission in medical or dental courses across India. The NEET exam has replaced what was earlier called AIPMT. The NEET scores are accepted by most colleges in India for the intake of medical students. However, AIIMS and JIPMER do not fall in this category as these were established through separate acts of Parliament. Thus, these institutions do not fall within the purview of NEET. These institutions conduct their own tests for the admission process.
CBSE, who is the organizer board for the NEET examination has set the minimum eligibility criteria to sit in the exam. The minimum qualification for appearing in NEET-UG, 2018 for candidates of Foreign Nationals is the same as for Indians.
NEET Exam Eligibility Criteria
- 12 th with Physics, Chemistry and Biology from a regular board with 50 percent marks
- Age between 17-25
Download information bulletin of NEET-2018 Click Here
The students educated abroad seeking admission into medical colleges in India must have passed in the subjects of Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Bio-technology and English up to the 12th standard level with 50% marks and their equivalency determined as per regulations of the Medical Council of India and the concerned University.
How many times one can give NEET?
The maximum times a student can give the examination is now fixed to three. This amendment was approved and announced in 2017.
The age criteria for NEET
If talked about the age criteria for appearing in NEET-UG, 2018, a student must have completed the age of 17 years at the time of admission or will complete the age on or before 31st December of the year of his/her admission to the 1styear MBBS/BDS Course.
The upper age limit for NEET (UG) is 25 years as of the date of examination with a relaxation of 5 years for the candidates belonging to the SC/ST/OBC category and persons entitled for reservation under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
NEET Exam Pattern
The NEET exam comes in an objective format with 140 questions to be marked on a separate OMR sheet provided to the students. To qualify for the NEET exam, 50 percentile is required for the general category and 40 percent for the reserved ones.
Is NEET mandatory?
It is mandatory to clear NEET for every student who wishes to study medicine in abroad. If one does not clear the examination, one is not entitled to take admission in MBBS in India or MBBS in Abroad.
The students of the private board are not eligible to sit for the NEET examination as declared by the MCI. That is, if a student has done his/her 12th standard from a private or open school, he/she cannot sit for the NEET examination.
Are foreign nationals, Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) candidates eligible to apply for 15% of all India quota seats?
Yes, now all foreign nationals, Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) candidates are eligible to apply for 15% of all India quota seats. Earlier, 15% of all India quota seats were reserved for Indian nationals only
Languages in which NEET 2018 will be conducted?
In 2017, NEET was conducted in 8 languages which included English, Hindi, Bengali, Assamese, Gujarati, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Oriya, and Kannada. In 2018, as per a Supreme Court order, it is likely that Urdu would be included as a medium as well. Candidates, however, should note that the vernacular or regional language options are expected to be provided only to candidates appearing for the NEET examination from that state. For instance, the Marathi language option would be given only to candidates writing the NEET examination in the state of Maharashtra. English and Hindi medium, however, would be available to all the candidates across the country. The state-wise division of medium of instruction for NEET is provided below for reference.
Syllabus for NEET
The syllabus for NEET 2018 is the same as 2017.
Aadhaar Card mandatory to fill the NEET applications?
Aadhaar Card has been made mandatory to fill NEET applications except for candidates belonging to Jammu & Kashmir, Meghalaya, and Assam.
How can candidates outside India apply for NEET 2017 without Aadhaar Card?
Candidates outside India may apply through their passport numbers.
Updates for NEET 2018
In 2018, NEET is going to be held on 6th May 2018, Sunday by the CBSE. Students who have passed their 12th with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology are eligible to apply for the same. Students can download the forms from the official website of CBSE is www.cbseneet.nic.in.