All you Need to Know about NEET Eligibility
The criteria for NEET Eligibility highlighted by the National Testing Agency in the NEET information brochure, which is neet.nta.nic.in. Thus, the intending candidates toward medical admission will have to begin awareness of the NEET eligibility criteria to ensure that their qualifications match up with what is needed for success. It is very important that those students who want to take part in entrance tests to study at medical institutions should go over with meticulous care the eligibility criteria of NEET.
It is crucial to note that all conditions regarding the NEET eligibility criteria should be met, as candidates failing to do so will not be permitted to sit in the entrance test. The eligibility criteria include upper and lower age limits, the maximum number of attempts, other various important factors. Normally, it covers the required qualification, age limit, nationality, and more that one must have with respect to NEET Exam Eligibility. Candidates will be informed about any crucial information related to NEET eligibility criteria when available The applicant must go through the eligibility criterion required for a particular post; in case of failure to be in that eligibility criteria, they will be excluded from applying for NEET Exam.
NEET is organized for admission to different medical courses such as MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, BSc nursing, among many others. In this article, a candidate who aspires to become a medical student and is going to sit for the NEET must have all details about conditions of admission, qualifying criteria, age limit, etc.
Note: Prepare for Your Future in Medicine with the NEET Rank and College Predictor .
NEET Age Limit
The Candidate Intending to full fill the NEET Eligibility Criteria must satisfy age factors. Here, a minimum age is present, whereas there is no maximum NEET Age Limit assigned for the candidate aspirants now. Such required ages the candidate should know if he/she wants to appear in this test. A concise explanation of minimum requirements and NEET Exam Maximum Age Limit is given below for clear understanding of these basic eligibility criteria.
|
Requirement |
Description |
| Minimum NEET Age Requirement | A candidate should be 17 years of age at the time of admission to be eligible for NEET exam. |
| Maximum NEET Age Limit | There is no maximum age limit for NEET candidates. The previous upper age limit of 25 years (30 years for reserved categories) has been removed by the NMC. |
Category-wise NEET Age Limit
The NEET Age Limit is slightly different for different categories. The table below explain specifically the age limit for appearing in NEET, offering a clear breakdown for different categories.
|
Category |
Minimum Age |
Age Relaxation |
Maximum Age |
| NEET Age Limit for General | 17 years old by December 31st of admission year | N/A | No upper age limit |
| NEET Age Limit for OBC – NCL | 17 years old by December 31st of admission year | 5 years | No upper age limit |
| Reserved Categories (SC, ST, PwBD) | 17 years old by December 31st of admission year | 5 years | No upper age limit |
NEET Eligibility Criteria – Academic Qualification
- Candidates who have passed their 12th standard qualifying examination are the particular candidates that are considered eligible for admission to NEET .
- The candidates should pass Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English.
- While the exam in 12th grade is held as the basic and primary qualification requirement for the NEET, the qualifying scores that are required certainly depend upon the category of the candidate.
- The candidates who want to seek admission have to fill in all details of the online application form correctly along with the code of the NEET Qualifying Examination.
How Many Percentage Required for NEET ?
Minimum percentage of marks the candidates should obtain in their qualifying examination also comes under NEET Eligibility Criteria . Minimum required percentages for different categories like Unreserved, Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC) and candidates with disability have been depicted in the following table: These eligibility criteria of the NEET Exam ensure standardized assessment and maintain fairness in the admission of medical candidates coming from different backgrounds.
|
Category |
Minimum Required Percentage (%) |
Subjects |
| Unreserved |
50% |
Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology |
| SC/ST/OBC |
40% |
Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology |
| General-PH |
45% |
Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology |
| SC-PH/ST-PH/OBC-PH |
40% |
Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology |
NEET Exam Eligibility – Qualifying Examination Codes Explained
For those interested in applying for NEET , the selection of the appropriate qualifying examination code is crucial. The following table provides details about Codes 1 through 7.
|
NEET Qualifying Examination Code |
Description |
|
Code 01 |
Candidates awaiting Class 12 board results in should use this code. However, they must have already qualified their Class 12 exams before the admission stage to remain eligible. |
|
Code 02 |
Applicants who have passed the Indian School Certificate Examination (ISCE) or its equivalent after a period of 12 years of study, the last two years of which includes science subjects, should select this code. Also, applicants who passed Class 12 in 2021 or before and have not studied any course after that should choose this code. |
|
Code 03 |
This is the code that a student should choose who has passed/appeared in an Intermediate/Pre-degree Examination in Science from an Indian University/Board or equivalent recognized with main subjects including Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology and English along with Practical tests, on or before the due date. As a matter of fact, this is meant for Class 12 or equivalent passed from a state board. |
|
Code 04 |
This code is to be opted by aspirants who have appeared/appearing and passed one of the following qualifying examinations after Higher Secondary Examination or its equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English and practical tests: Pre-professional/Pre-medical Examination. |
|
Code 05 |
Candidate appearing in three years degree course with Physics, Chemistry and Biology/Biotechnology from a recognized University and have passed the first year including practical tests provided they have passed their 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology /Biotechnology and English as core subjects. |
|
Code 06 |
Candidates who have passed the B.Sc. examination from any recognized Indian University with at least two of the following subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Biology (Botany, Zoology), or Biotechnology, or anybody qualified in 10+2 along with English, Physics, Chemistry and Biology with this code. |
|
Code 07 |
This code should be opted by candidates whose qualifications are considered to be equivalent to the last two years of 10+2 study and comprise Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology, both theory and practicals, and are considered to be equivalent to the Intermediate Science Examination of an Indian University/Board or other foreign qualifications. |
It is imperative to select the correct code during the application process to ensure an accurate representation of the candidate’s qualifications.
NEET 2024 Eligibility Criteria: Attempts Allowed
Candidates do not have any restriction on the number of attempts for NEET, provided other eligibility criteria are met. The restrictions on the number of attempts for NEET were removed by amending the eligibility criteria of NEET 2024 once in 2018. Now, candidates have the freedom to take up the NEET exam with no specific limit on their attempt numbers.
NEET Eligibility Criteria for B.Sc Nursing Admission
Prospective candidates aiming for B.Sc nursing admissions through NEET scores should carefully examine the subsequent NTA NEET eligibility criteria :
Age Requirement: The age prerequisite remain consistent for B.Sc aspirants.
Minimum Qualification: Prospective candidate need to clear the qualifying exam in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and English separately.
- Aspirants should have secured at least 45 percent marks in the aggregate in the Class 12th qualification examination.
- For candidates belonging to reserved categories, the minimum required score to be determined as passed is 40% in each paper.
- Compulsory Subject: Students applying for NEET, have to necessarily study English as a compulsory subject at the class 12 level.
- Candidates who have done their class 12th qualification in the above subjects from a State Open School recognized by NIOS are also eligible to participate in the examination.
Reservation Allocation: Physically disabled (PwD) candidates will be entitled to a 3% reservation quota.
NEET Eligibility for 15% All India Quota (AIQ):
- 15% All India Quota Seats: Indian Nationals, NRIs, OCIs, PIOs, and Foreign Nationals.
- 15% All India Quota seats, seats in Deemed Universities, Central Universities, ESIC and AFMC are reserved for the
- successful candidates of NEET . This all India NEET counseling would be conducted by MCI.
- Candidates belonging to J&K are eligible for 15% All India Quota only if the Self Declaration form is submitted along with the NEET Application Form. The candidate will lose his/her eligibility to participate in the counseling process of their home state. The student can then appear for the Counselling conduct for Deemed Universities, ESIC, and AFMC as per NEET Eligibility.
NEET Eligibility for 85% State Quota:
- The 85% State Quota refers to the seats in the government colleges within their respective states/union territories. For this, Counselling would be provided through state authorities.
- Eligibility for the state quota seats will be based on the criteria given by respective states or Union Territories for admission to NEET , which shall include domicile and all other requirements.
- Admissions in private medical and dental institutes on the basis of NEET would be purely as per state/union territory policies.
NEET Eligibility Criteria: Applicability to NRI and Foreign Students
- The conducting body has extended eligibility to Indian Nationals, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCI), and Foreign Nationals under NEET-UG . In this post, students will get the details regarding the NEET eligibility criteria for NRI and Foreign Students.
- Candidates who have pursued school education from abroad and desire to seek admission to a medical course in India must obtain at least 50 percent marks in Chemistry, Physics, English, and Biology/Biotechnology in their Class XII standard examination as certified by the Associate Examination Body comprising practical examination in the aforesaid science subjects. Furthermore, their eligibility certificate is checked by the Association of Indian Universities in accordance with requirements and statutes of MCI and the respective university.
- However, students who have completed their high school under IB, GCSE, or the Advanced Placement curriculum are also deemed eligible for NEET.
- Indian nationals who have pursued and completed the IB curriculum in India are also taken into consideration of NEET Exam Eligibility.
- Foreign nationals who would like to seek admission into medical/dental institutions in India should conform to the rules in the stated governments, institutions, and Indian government where applicable. They are best advised to consult relevant state medical/dental institutions directly with regard to their eligibility status.
NEET Eligibility Criteria : 15% Allocation for NRI Quota
Apart from All India Quota, as well as State Quota, there exists an NRI Quota, which is 15% of the total seats available. This quota has been reserved by the MCI for those who, though of Indian origin, reside and pursue their studies from beyond the borders. The NRI Quota also covers PIO and OCI apart from Non-Resident Indians, subject to these fulfilling the eligibility of qualifying the NEET UG Exam for admissions into Indian medical colleges.
Qualification for NRI Quota in NEET
Applicant falling within the subsequent groups qualify for the NRI quota:
- PIOs, OCIs, and their children come under the category of NRIs.
- Students whose either of the parents is a State /Central Government employee posted in a foreign country are also treated as NRIs.
- Indian-origin students staying or studying abroad
- Children of Indian citizens who are doing study or employment abroad are treated as NRIs.
- Students who have been born abroad with Indian citizenship.
- All of the above-mentioned candidates are grouped under the category NRI.
NRI Quota Eligibility Requirements:
- The candidate must meet the above-mentioned criteria strictly to avail the NRI quota.
- The participant needs to have in his/her possession a valid passport.
- Seats under the NRI Quota are reserved for genuine NRIs only.
- Qualification of the NEET exam is necessary.
- Fresh applicants to be sponsored by an NRI must be related to the financial sponsor through consanguinity, namely, mother, sister, father, brother, maternal and paternal aunt and uncle.
Conclusion
These NEET eligibility criteria in spell out some basic guidelines that become the yardstick for aspiring medical candidates. Fulfilling the age limit, academic qualifications, and requirements in subjects are essential prerequisites. Besides, it prescribes the criteria of nationality, which allows Indian citizens, OCIs, NRIs, and foreign nationals to apply for the entrance. Clear guidelines are issued regarding subjects, minimum marks, and qualifying examinations. While these ensure representation and legitimacy of the selection procedure, candidates need to understand in detail the eligibility criteria to pursue their medical aspirations accordingly in NEET.
