NEET PG

Overview

NEET PG is a Computer-Based Test (CBT) conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) for admission to MD, MS, and PG Diploma programmes across India. The test comprises 200 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) of the Single Best Response type, spread across all subjects of the MBBS curriculum.

Marking Scheme

Question Distribution

Questions are drawn from all three phases of the MBBS programme — Pre-clinical, Para-clinical, and Clinical subjects. NBEMS does not publish a fixed subject-wise question breakup, but historically the clinical subjects (Medicine, Surgery, OBG, Paediatrics) carry the highest weightage, together accounting for approximately 40–50% of the paper.

Exam Day Rules

• Candidates must report to the exam centre at least 90 minutes before the scheduled start time.
• No physical question paper is provided; the test is entirely on-screen.
• Candidates may review and change answers within the allotted 210 minutes.
• On-screen timer is displayed throughout the examination.
• No breaks are permitted during the test session.
• Rough work can be done on the scrap paper provided at the centre; it must be returned after the exam.

Result & Scoring

NBEMS releases the NEET PG result as a percentile score along with the raw score out of 800. A minimum percentile cut-off (50th percentile for General, 40th for SC/ST/OBC, 45th for PwD in General) must be achieved to be considered eligible for counselling conducted by MCC (Medical Counselling Committee) and respective state authorities.

Pre-Clinical Subjects

• Anatomy: General anatomy, upper limb, lower limb, thorax, abdomen, pelvis, head & neck, neuroanatomy, embryology, histology
• Physiology: General physiology, nerve-muscle physiology, blood, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, renal physiology, gastrointestinal physiology, endocrinology, neurophysiology, reproductive physiology
• Biochemistry: Carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, protein and amino acid metabolism, nucleic acid and molecular biology, vitamins and minerals, enzymes, hormones, clinical biochemistry, genetic disorders

Para-Clinical Subjects

• Pathology: General pathology (cell injury, inflammation, healing), neoplasia, cardiovascular pathology, respiratory pathology, GI pathology, hepatobiliary pathology, renal pathology, haematology, neuropathology, systemic pathology
• Microbiology: General microbiology, bacteriology (gram-positive/negative organisms), virology, mycology, parasitology, immunology, hospital-acquired infections, sterilisation and disinfection
• Pharmacology: General pharmacology, ANS drugs, cardiovascular drugs, CNS drugs, autacoids, antimicrobials (antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, antiparasitic), chemotherapy, endocrine pharmacology, drug interactions and adverse effects
• Forensic Medicine & Toxicology: Medical jurisprudence, thanatology, wound identification, sexual offences, clinical forensic medicine, general toxicology, specific poisons (organophosphates, corrosives, heavy metals, narcotic substances)
• Community Medicine (PSM): Epidemiology, biostatistics, nutrition, environmental health, communicable disease control, national health programmes (TB, Leprosy, HIV, RNTCP, NHM), occupational health, health administration

Clinical Subjects

• General Medicine: Cardiology (IHD, heart failure, arrhythmias), respiratory diseases, nephrology, gastroenterology, neurology, endocrinology (diabetes, thyroid, adrenal), haematology, infectious diseases, rheumatology, clinical pharmacology
• General Surgery: Wound healing, fluid and electrolytes, shock, trauma, thyroid and parathyroid surgery, breast surgery, GI surgery, hepatobiliary surgery, hernias, urology, vascular surgery, surgical oncology
• Obstetrics & Gynaecology: Normal and abnormal labour, antepartum and postpartum haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, operative obstetrics, gynaecological infections, contraception, infertility, gynaecological oncology, menstrual disorders
• Paediatrics: Neonatology, growth and development, immunisation schedule, nutritional disorders, paediatric infections, congenital heart diseases, paediatric haematology and oncology, genetic syndromes
• Orthopaedics: Fractures (principles and specific), dislocations, bone tumours, infections of bone and joint, spine disorders, congenital and developmental disorders (DDH, club foot)
• Ophthalmology: Disorders of eyelids, conjunctiva, cornea, lens (cataract), glaucoma, uvea, retina, optic nerve, ocular emergencies, refractive errors, squint
• ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat): Chronic suppurative otitis media, deafness and audiometry, nasal polyps, sinusitis, epistaxis, laryngeal disorders, tracheostomy, head and neck tumours
• Dermatology & STI: Eczemas, psoriasis, fungal infections, bacterial and viral skin diseases, sexually transmitted infections (syphilis, gonorrhoea, HIV-related dermatoses), leprosy, drug reactions
• Psychiatry: Schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, personality disorders, organic brain syndromes, child psychiatry, psychopharmacology
• Anaesthesiology: Pre-anaesthetic assessment, general and regional anaesthesia, muscle relaxants, pain management, ICU basics, monitoring during anaesthesia
• Radiology: Chest X-ray interpretation, CT/MRI basics, contrast media, interventional radiology principles, radiation safety

Know the Syllabus and Exam Pattern

NEET PG tests 19 subjects from the MBBS curriculum across 200 MCQs (4 marks each, -1 for wrong answers), totalling 800 marks in 210 minutes. Download the NBE-released syllabus and map every topic before starting. High-weightage subjects include Medicine (Internal Medicine), Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Paediatrics, and Psychiatry.

Recommended Books by Subject

• Medicine: Harrison's Principles (reference) + Mudit Khanna's Medicine for PG
• Surgery: Bailey & Love (reference) + Pritesh Singh's Surgery
• Obs & Gynae: Dutta's Textbook of Obstetrics + Dutta's Gynecology
• Paediatrics: Ghai's Essential Pediatrics
• Pharmacology: KD Tripathi + Gobind Rai Garg's Review
• Pathology: Robbin's (reference) + Sparsh Gupta's Pathology
• Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry: Rohan Khandelwal series for revision
• PSM: Park's Textbook of Preventive & Social Medicine

Build a Realistic Study Schedule

With most candidates preparing while completing internship or housejobs, aim for 6–8 focused hours daily. Divide your day: 3 hours for a new subject, 2 hours for revision of a previous subject, and 1–2 hours for MCQ practice. Complete one full subject cycle within the first 4–5 months, then shift to rapid revision and subject-wise tests.

Mock Tests and Previous Year Papers

Solve at least 3,000–5,000 subject-wise MCQs before attempting full-length mocks. Use platforms like DAMS, PrepLadder, Marrow, or DBMCI for structured question banks. In the last 6–8 weeks, take 2 full-length timed mocks per week under exam conditions. Analyse each test to identify weak areas rather than just tracking scores.

Important High-Yield Topics

• Medicine: Rheumatology, Cardiology (especially ECG interpretation), Nephrology
• Surgery: Thyroid disorders, GI surgery, Orthopaedic trauma
• Obstetrics: Pre-eclampsia, Normal labour, Postpartum haemorrhage
• Pharmacology: Autonomic drugs, Antibiotics, Antiepileptics
• PSM: Epidemiology, National Health Programmes, Biostatistics

Revision Strategy

Make short notes or use pre-made revision booklets (Marrow/PrepLadder rapid revision). Revise each subject at least 3 times. During the last month, focus exclusively on revision and image-based questions, which have grown in frequency in recent NEET PG papers.

Exam-Day Tips

NEET PG is a computer-based test held at NBE-designated centres. Carry your admit card and a valid photo ID. Attempt all questions since the negative marking is only -1 against +4 — educated guessing on 3-option eliminations is generally advantageous. Manage time carefully: with 200 questions in 210 minutes, budget about 60 seconds per question and flag uncertain ones for review.

Post-result counselling for NEET PG is conducted by two authorities depending on the quota: MCC (Medical Counselling Committee) handles All India Quota (AIQ) seats (50% of government college MD/MS/Diploma seats) and all Central/Deemed University seats. State counselling authorities handle the remaining 50% state quota seats in government colleges and all private medical college seats within each state.

1. Result Declaration & Score Card Download: NBE publishes results and merit lists on natboard.edu.in. Download your NEET PG scorecard and rank card immediately — these are required for all counselling registrations.
2. MCC Round 1 Registration (AIQ & Central Universities): Register on mcc.nic.in within the notified window (typically 4–5 days). Pay the registration fee (₹1,000 for general; ₹500 for SC/ST/OBC/PwD) and the security deposit (₹10,000 for general; ₹5,000 for reserved categories, refundable if seat is not accepted).
3. Choice Filling & Locking: Browse available MD/MS/Diploma seats across government medical colleges, AIIMS, JIPMER, PGIMER, and central/deemed universities. Add and rank your preferred college-course combinations. Lock your choices before the deadline — unlocked choices are auto-locked at closing time.
4. Seat Allotment Round 1: MCC processes allotments based on NEET PG rank, category, and filled choices. Results are published on mcc.nic.in. Candidates can accept and freeze, accept and upgrade (to participate in Round 2 for a better option), or exit counselling.
5. Round 2 Allotment (Mop-Up Round): A second allotment round fills vacated and newly surrendered seats. Fresh registration is not required if you registered in Round 1. The stray vacancy round follows if seats remain unfilled after Round 2.
6. State Counselling (State Quota & Private Colleges): Simultaneously, register on your respective state counselling portal (e.g., DMER Maharashtra, KNRUHS Telangana, DME Tamil Nadu). Timelines vary by state but generally follow the MCC schedule. Private colleges may conduct an additional institutional-level counselling round.
7. Document Verification: At the allotted institution, submit originals and self-attested copies of: NEET PG admit card & scorecard, MBBS mark sheets (all years), internship completion certificate, category/PwD certificate (if applicable), state domicile certificate (for state quota), and ID proof.
8. Fee Payment & Reporting: Pay the semester/annual tuition fee at the allotted college within the stipulated date to confirm admission. Failure to report and pay by the deadline results in cancellation of the allotted seat.