Quick answer: To appear for NEET (UG), you must be at least 17 years old by 31 December of the exam year and have passed (or be appearing in) Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Biotechnology, and English. There is no upper age limit, and the current information bulletin sets no cap on the number of attempts. Indian nationals, NRIs, OCI cardholders, persons of Indian origin and foreign nationals can apply. NEET (UG) is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), and the rules can change each year, so read the current bulletin on neet.nta.nic.in before you apply.
What is NEET (UG)?
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), or NEET (UG), is the single entrance test for undergraduate medical education in India. Under Section 14 of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, it is used for admission to MBBS in all medical colleges, including AIIMS and JIPMER. It is also used for BDS and for the AYUSH degrees BAMS, BUMS, BSMS and BHMS. According to the NEET (UG) 2026 information bulletin, the results are also used for some B.Sc. Nursing admissions (including the Military Nursing Service) and for the Veterinary Council of India’s 15% quota in BVSc & AH courses.
This article was first written in 2017, when the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducted NEET. Since 2019, the exam has been conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), and many of the 2017 rules described in the original version have changed. Those changes are noted below.
NEET (UG) eligibility at a glance
| Criterion | Current rule (NEET UG 2026 bulletin) | What this article said in 2017 |
|---|---|---|
| Conducting body | National Testing Agency (NTA) | CBSE |
| Minimum age | 17 years by 31 December of the exam year (for 2026: born on or before 31 December 2009) | 17 years by 31 December of the admission year |
| Upper age limit | None | 25 years |
| Number of attempts | No limit stated | Maximum three |
| Aadhaar | One of several accepted IDs; recommended but not the only option | Mandatory |
| Languages | 13 | 10 |
Who can apply?
Indian nationals, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCI), persons of Indian origin and foreign nationals can appear for NEET (UG). Admission is then subject to the rules of the state governments, institutions and the Government of India. NRI and OCI candidates upload a certificate from the Indian diplomatic mission in their country of residence; foreign nationals upload proof of nationality, such as passport pages.
Indian citizens and OCI cardholders who want to study an undergraduate medical course abroad also need to qualify NEET (UG). Our guide on what to check before applying for MBBS abroad explains the other steps.
Age limit
- Minimum: you must have completed 17 years on or before 31 December of the year in which you appear for NEET (UG). For NEET (UG) 2026, that meant being born on or before 31 December 2009.
- Maximum: there is no upper age limit. The National Medical Commission (NMC) removed it in a letter dated 9 March 2022.
An earlier version of this article said the maximum age was 25 and that you could not apply after 26. That rule no longer applies.
Educational qualification
You must have passed Class 12 (or an equivalent examination) with Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Biotechnology, and English, including practical tests in the science subjects. Students appearing in Class 12 can take NEET, but they must pass the qualifying exam by the first round of counselling to be admitted.
Since a National Medical Commission decision of June 2023 (public notice of 22 November 2023), students who studied the required subjects as additional subjects after Class 12, from a recognised board, can also appear. Students from foreign or international boards must show that their qualifying exam is equivalent in scope and standard.
Class 12 marks: the original version of this article listed minimum Class 12 marks in Physics, Chemistry and Biology taken together: 50% for general candidates, 40% for SC, ST and OBC candidates, and 45% for general candidates with disabilities. The NEET (UG) 2026 bulletin’s qualifying-exam section lists the required subjects but does not state these percentages, so check the current bulletin and your counselling authority’s rules for any minimum marks.
Qualifying percentile for admission
To be eligible for admission to undergraduate medical courses, you must score at least:
- the 50th percentile in NEET (UG) if you are in the General or General-EWS category;
- the 40th percentile if you are SC, ST or OBC;
- the 45th percentile if you are a General or General-EWS candidate with a benchmark disability, and the 40th percentile for SC, ST and OBC candidates with a benchmark disability.
The central government can lower these cut-offs for a particular year if not enough candidates qualify.
Aadhaar and identity proof
The 2017 notice this article originally described asked for Aadhaar. Today, Indian candidates can give any one of these identity details: Aadhaar, Indian passport number, DigiLocker, PAN or another valid government photo ID. NRIs, OCI cardholders and foreign nationals use their passport number. NTA advises using your own Aadhaar to avoid uploading extra documents, and asks candidates to make sure the name, date of birth, photograph and address on their Aadhaar are correct and up to date. If something is wrong, fix it well before you apply; our guide on updating your address in Aadhaar explains the process.
Exam pattern and languages
- Mode: pen and paper, in a single shift.
- Questions: 180 compulsory multiple-choice questions: 45 in Physics, 45 in Chemistry and 90 in Biology (Botany and Zoology), in 180 minutes.
- Marks: 720 in total; +4 for a correct answer, −1 for a wrong one, 0 for an unanswered question.
- Languages (13): English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. If you choose a regional language, you get a bilingual paper with English.
The original article listed 10 languages; Malayalam, Punjabi and Urdu have been added since. For subject-wise preparation, see our list of important topics to focus on for NEET.
NEET (UG) 2026 in brief: the exam was first held on 3 May 2026. NTA cancelled that paper and held a re-examination on 21 June 2026 for the same registered candidates. Results were declared on 16 July 2026: close to 20 lakh candidates appeared and 11.21 lakh qualified, according to NTA’s press release.
Which seats are filled through NEET?
- 15% All India Quota (AIQ) seats in government colleges, plus seats in AIIMS, JIPMER, central universities (such as DU, BHU and AMU), ESIC colleges and deemed universities. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) of the Directorate General of Health Services runs this counselling on mcc.nic.in.
- State quota seats (the remaining 85% in state government colleges) and seats in private colleges, filled through counselling run by each state or union territory under its own eligibility and domicile rules.
- Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune: candidates register through MCC, which passes the data to AFMC for its own admission process.
The original version of this article said that for the state quota you must have studied Classes 10 and 12 in that state and hold its domicile. Many states do set such conditions, but the rules differ from state to state, so read your state counselling authority’s notice.
Some well-known medical colleges
The original article named these sought-after colleges, which admit students through NEET:
- Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College (GSMC) and KEM Hospital, Mumbai
- Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune
- King George’s Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow
- Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), New Delhi
- Grant Government Medical College, Mumbai
- Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC), New Delhi (for women)
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
The original also listed seat numbers for each college. Seat intakes change as colleges expand, so check the current seat matrix on the MCC website or the National Medical Commission’s college list instead.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an age limit for NEET?
There is a minimum age of 17 by 31 December of the exam year, but no upper age limit since the NMC removed it in March 2022.
How many times can I take NEET?
The NEET (UG) 2026 bulletin does not set any limit on attempts. The three-attempt cap described in the 2017 version of this article no longer appears in the rules.
Is Aadhaar compulsory for NEET?
No. Aadhaar is one of several accepted identity documents, along with a passport, DigiLocker, PAN or another government photo ID. NTA recommends Aadhaar because it avoids extra document uploads.
Can I apply for NEET while in Class 12?
Yes. You can appear while your Class 12 result is awaited, but you must pass the qualifying exam by the first round of counselling to be admitted.
Who conducts NEET (UG)?
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has conducted NEET (UG) since 2019. CBSE conducted it before that.
This guide was checked in October 2026 against NTA’s Information Bulletin for NEET (UG) 2026 and its press release on the 2026 results. Eligibility rules, dates and counselling rules change each year, so check the latest bulletin on neet.nta.nic.in and your counselling authority’s notices before you apply.
