NEET 2021: The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is the sole medical entrance exam in India for admissions to undergraduate medical courses like MBBS, BDS (Dental), and AYUSH (BAMS, BSMS, BUMS and BHMS). The exam is conducted once in a year for providing admissions to 80,055 MBBS seats, 26,949 BDS seats, 52,720 AYUSH seats, and 525 BVSc & AH seats.
NEET 2021 is scheduled to be conducted in the month of May, 2021, tentatively. The exam conducting authority, NTA (National Testing Agency) will release the official notification in the month of January, 2021, tentatively.
NTA manages the admissions to MBBS seats under All India Quota (15%) and State quota (85%). While the admission for the All India Quota seats is done through centralized counseling conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), the counseling for the 85% state quota seats will be conducted by designated state admission authorities. Check below to read the detailed information.
NEET 2021 Latest Updates
December 31, 2020
- NTA has written to the National Health Ministry asking whether NEET 2021 exams can be conducted twice online to reduce the pressure of exams on students.
December 27, 2020
- – Students and other stakeholders have requested for NEET 2021 to be held multiple times, but there has been no response from the Ministry of Education or NTA regarding the same.
- – NTA is currently consulting the National Medical Council regarding whether the NEET 2021 exam should be held offline or online considering the Covid-19 pandemic.
- – The NEET 2021 exam schedule is to be announced soon.
NEET 2021 Important Dates
Before starting preparation for NEET 2021, candidates should examine the schedule and plan their studies accordingly. These are the tentative dates for NEET 2021, which will be constantly updated according to the notification release. Check the following table for important dates:
| Event | Tentative Dates |
| Date of Notification Release | January 2021 |
| Application form release date | January 2021 |
| Last date to pay the application fee | January 2021 |
| NEET 2021 correction window | January 2021 |
| Release of NEET 2021 Admit Card | March 2021 |
| NEET 2021 exam date | May 2021 |
| Release of final official Answer Key | May 2021 |
| NEET 2021 result announcement | June 2021 |
| Start of counseling for seat allotment | June 2021 |
| Seat allotment process | June – August 2021 (Depending on the number of counseling rounds) |
Why Is NEET 2021 Exam Conducted?
While admissions for medical courses were done earlier through the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT), there was a requirement for an umbrella or single entrance exam for all medical aspirants in India. Accordingly, the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) was introduced as a collective premier exam for all medical institutions in India. After the enactment of the NMC Act 2019 in September 2019, All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER) conduct admissions solely through NEET scores.
NEET 2021 Seats
Currently, there are 542 medical colleges and 64 stand-alone PG Institutes that are recognized by the Medical Council of India (MCI). Collectively, they hold 80,055 seats for MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery), 26,949 seats for BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery), 52,720 seats for AYUSH courses such as BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery), BHMS (Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine & Surgery), BSMS (Bachelor of Siddha Medicine & Surgery), and BUMS (Bachelor of Unani Medicine & Surgery), and 525 seats for BVSc (Bachelor of Veterinary Science) and Animal Health. Candidates willing to get the full picture of medical seats in India should check out NEET 2021 Seat Allotment in detail.
NEET 2021: In How Many Languages Will NEET 2021 Be Conducted?
NEET 2021 will be conducted in 11 languages to provide an opportunity for students from different parts of India. These languages include English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi, Odia, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. Candidates will be able to opt for their language of choice while filling the application form for NEET 2021. NTA has issued instructions to provide both regional and English booklets to students who opt for a regional language. The availability of regional languages while giving the NEET exam will rely on exam centers. Let’s look at this table to understand which exam centers offer what medium of question paper:
| Medium of Question Paper | Examination Centres |
| English | All Exam Centres |
| Hindi | All Exam Centres |
| English and Urdu | All Exam Centres |
| English and Assamese | Exam Centres in Assam |
| English and Bengali | Exam Centres in West Bengal and Tripura |
| English and Gujarati | Exam Centres in Gujarat, Daman and Diu, Dadra, and Nagar Haveli |
| English and Kannada | Exam Centres in Karnataka |
| English and Marathi | Exam Centres in Maharashtra |
| English and Odia | Exam Centres in Odisha |
| English and Tamil | Exam Centres in Tamil Nadu |
| English and Telugu | Exam Centres in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana |
NEET 2021 Exam Highlights
Let’s look at some of the key details about the NEET exam:
| Full-Form | National Eligibility Entrance Test |
| Duration of Exam | 3 Hours (180 Minutes) |
| Mode of Exam | Online |
| Conducting Body | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Courses | MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BSMS, BUMS, BHMS |
| Frequency | Once every year |
NEET 2021 Exam Date
The official announcement regarding the exam schedule of NEET 2021 is expected to be announced soon. However, the exam is tentatively scheduled for May 2021. So far, NEET exams are conducted once every year. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic concerns, there might be a change. Until then, let’s look at the tentative schedule for the NEET 2021 exam:
| Event | Tentative Date |
| Release of Application Form | January 2021 |
| Last Date to Submit Application | Last Week of January 2021 |
| Last Date for Payment of Application Fee | Last Week of January 2021 |
| Correction Window: | February 2021 |
| Admit Card Availability | March 2021 |
| Exam Date | May 2021 |
| Release of Answer Key | Last Week of May 2021 |
| Announcement of NEET 2021 Result | First Week of June 2021 |
| NEET Seat Counselling | Second Week of June 2021 |
NEET 2021 Eligibility Criteria
Before applying to the NEET 2021 exam, it is important to check the eligibility criteria. It includes conditions related to age, nationality, and qualifying marks according to different categories. Check the following table for NEET 2021 Eligibility Criteria:
| Age | At least 17 years of age (As of 31st December, 2021). No upper age limit. |
| Education | Should have completed Class 12 (Science Stream) from a recognized institute |
| Number of Attempts | Candidates can take the exam as many times as required. |
| Qualifying Marks Required for Different Categories | General: 50% General PWD: 45% SC/ST/OBC/Reserved-PWD: 40% |
Note: The candidates applying from the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will not be eligible for the All India Quota seats of the examination which is up to 15%. The candidates in these UT’s are eligible to apply for the seats in the institutes like AFMC and ESIC along with the deemed universities.
NEET 2021 Application Process
The NEET 2021 Application Process is done only through the online method on the official website of NTA NEET – ntaneet.nic.in. The NEET Application will start from January 2021, for which an official announcement will be released soon. While the official announcement arrives, let’s look at the guidelines and step-by-step instructions for the NEET 2021 Application Process:
Guidelines Regarding NEET 2021 Application
- Candidates will only be allowed to fill the application form once, so it is advised to fill the form with accuracy.
- All the scanned documents and photos should be in JPG/JPEG format.
- There will be a correction window announced after the last date of application.
- During the correction window, you can upload proper documents in case incorrect documents are uploaded.
- There will be no hard copy/true copy of documents required during the application process.
Step-By-Step Application Process For NEET 2021
Step 1: Go to the official website for NTA NEET – ntaneet.nic.in, and click on the button titled “Fill Application Form”.
Step 2: Read the instructions carefully, click on the check box sign titled “I have read instructions in the information bulletin” and then click on “Proceed To Apply Online NEET 2021”
Step 3: On this screen, you will get a registration form requiring you to fill in details such as:
- Candidate Name
- Mother’s Name
- Father’s Name
- Category
- Date of Birth
- Nationality
- Mobile Number
- E-mail ID
- State of Eligibility
After filling in the details, review them for accuracy and click on “Preview and Next”
Step 4: On the preview screen, once again check every line of the information displayed and tick all the boxes below before clicking on “Next”.
Step 5: At this stage, you have to create a password, which you will use again during the admit card download and admission process, so create a strong password and write it down at a safe and secure place. You also need to answer a security question of your choice and write it down for future reference. You will receive an OTP on your mobile number, which you have to enter on this screen before pressing the “Submit” button.
Step 6: After doing so, you will receive a Provisional Application Number on the screen. Save this number along with your password for future reference.
NEET 2021 Documents Required For Application
During the application process, you will be required to upload scanned copies of various documents in the prescribed format and size. It is ideal to procure these documents and prepare scanned copies before starting the application process. Here are the documents required during the NEET 2021 Application Process:
| Document | Size Limit of JPG / JPEG File |
| Scanned Passport Size Photograph | Between 10 to 200 kb |
| Scanned Image of Candidate’s Signature | Between 4 to 30 kb |
| Scanned Image of Left Thumb Impression(If unavailable, then right hand can be used) | Between 10 to 50 kb |
| Scanned Copy of Class 10 Certificate | Between 100 to 300 kb |
| Scanned Postcard Size Photograph of Candidate | Between 50 to 300 kb |
Ideally, candidates should save these in a folder for future reference. Also, you should ensure that documents are visible and readable despite the low size, to ensure that the application is successfully completed within the application date.
NEET 2021 Application Form Correction
While it is ideal to fill the application form with accuracy, sometimes human error leads to mistakes. Fortunately, NTA allows application form correction through a correction window, during which candidates can update their form with correct information online.
The timing of the correction window will be declared soon by the NTA. candidates should note that the correction window will be usable for one attempt only, so it is ideal to complete it in one go. When the correction details are entered, candidates will get an OTP which has to be entered. By using the OTP, candidates can complete the correction process and save the required details.
NEET 2021 Application Fee
Application fee for NEET can be paid through online mode only. Candidates can use online payment modes such as debit card/credit card/net banking, PayTM, and UPI to complete the payment of fees. Any method of offline or cash payment is not accepted for NEET application, so candidates should be wary of any fraudulent individuals trying to do so. Also, the application fee for NEET is not refundable. Let’s look at the fee structure for NEET 2021:
| Category | Application Fees |
| General Category (Unreserved) | INR 1500 |
| General EWS, OBC (NCL) | INR 1400 |
| ST/ SC/ PWD/ Transgender | INR 800 |
The payment of the application is only done from the official website URL – ntaneet.nic.in. After you have completed the payment of fees, print the receipt and save it for future reference.
NEET 2021 Exam Pattern
The NEET 2021 exam consists of 3 key subjects – Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Among these, Biology is further classified into Zoology and Botany in terms of questions. Each subject is allotted 45 questions with 180 marks. Let’s look at this table containing the NEET 2021 exam pattern for further clarity:
| Subject | Number of Questions | Marks |
| Physics | 45 | 180 |
| Chemistry | 45 | 180 |
| Biology | Botany – 45 | 180 |
| Zoology – 45 | 180 | |
| Total | 180 | 720 |
NEET 2021 Syllabus
NEET 2021 Syllabus for Physics
PRACTICE PHYSICS CHAPTERS FOR NEET HERE
NEET 2021 Syllabus for Chemistry
PRACTICE CHEMISTRY CHAPTERS FOR NEET HERE
NEET 2021 Syllabus for Biology
NEET 2021 Question Papers
NEET Previous year question papers are tabulated below:
| NEET Previous Year Question Papers (All Languages) | Download Link |
| NEET Question Paper 2019 | Download Link |
| NEET Question Paper 2018 | Download Link |
| NEET Question Paper 2017 | Download Link |
| NEET Question Paper 2016 | Download Link |
NEET 2021 Books
Since the syllabus for the NEET exam is derived from Class 11 and 12, the recommended books are from the NCERT curriculum. Accordingly, for each subject, there is a list of recommended books for NEET that every student should cover during their preparation. Check the below table for the list of books:
| NEET Physics Books |
| NEET Chemistry Books |
| NEET Biology Books |
NEET 2021 Mock Tests
NEET is a very competitive exam that requires every student to prepare diligently for at least a year to score good marks. After students have completed the syllabus, it is ideal for students to familiarize themselves with the NEET exam pattern, style of questions, time required, and practice as much as possible. To do so, it is absolutely necessary to attempt as many NEET 2021 Mock Tests as possible.
Academic experts at Embibe have contributed to the creation of NEET Mock tests which students can take for free and ascertain their level of preparation for the exam. After students have completed the exam, they are provided with detailed analytics regarding the exam, which gives an idea of areas that need improvement. Accordingly, Students can solve NEET Practice Questions for specific topics and subjects on the exam and improve their level of knowledge for the exam. This AI-powered tool ensures that the entirety of the curriculum is covered.
NEET 2021 Admit Card
The Admit Card for NEET 2021 exam is declared shortly before the exam day. It contains crucial details such as exam center, roll number, the application number, exam timings, etc., and it is mandatory for candidates to carry the admit card to the exam. Here are some key details about the NEET 2021 Admit Card:
| NEET 2021 Admit Card Releasing Date | 15 days before the exam |
| Releasing Authority | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Download Link of NEET Admit Card | ntaneet.nic.in |
| Required Details for Downloading Admit Card | NEET Application Number and Date of birth |
| Details Mentioned on Admit Card | -Candidate’s Name -Father’s Name -Roll Number -Application Number -Date of Birth -Gender -Category -Exam Centre -Name -Address of Exam Centre -Exam Time -Photograph and Signature of Candidate -Candidate’s Parent Signature |
| Document to Carry at Test Centre | NEET Admit Card, Valid original photo ID (like Aadhar, Voter ID, Passport, PAN Card/ Driving License/ Ration Card/ School Identity Card) |
| NEET Helpline | Help Desk Number – 0120-6895200 Email ID – neet@nta.ac.in |
Check out our article on NEET Admit Card 2021 to know how you can download your admit card from the official website. Here is a sample NEET Admit Card for comparison:
KNOW HOW TO DOWNLOAD NEET 2020 ADMIT CARD
NEET 2021 Exam Day Guidelines
Aspirants preparing for the NEET exam should at least once refer to the exam day guidelines for the NEET 2021 exam before appearing for the exam in order to avoid any inconvenience or misconceptions. It is because if students fail to comply with the guidelines, they will not be allowed to appear for the exam. Let’s look at some of the important guidelines and instructions for NEET exam day:
NEET 2021 Dress Code
- Candidates appearing for the NEET 2021 exam should be dressed casually and should avoid wearing long clothing with long sleeves.
- Regarding footwear, candidates should preferably wear slippers/open-toed sandals over shoes or boots.
- In case of bad health or any other condition, candidates should stick to the dress code unless they have taken prior permission from the NTA regarding the same.
NEET 2021 List Of Items
Before appearing for the NEET 2021 exam, candidates should check the list of items not allowed at the exam centers. Even by mistake, candidates should not carry these items inside, otherwise, they will not be allowed to appear for the exam. Let’s look at the list of items not allowed at the NEET 2021 exam:
- Stationery items such as geometry/pencil box, calculator, pen drives, eraser, notepad, etc.
- Communication devices such as cell phones, Bluetooth devices, earphones, health/fitness band, etc.
- Wristwatch, wallet, handbag, belt, cap, ornaments or any additional adornments.
What items are allowed in the exam?
- Printout of NEET admit card
- A passport size photograph (as uploaded on NEET application form)
- A valid ID proof
- PwD certificate (if applicable)
NEET 2021 Result
The NEET 2021 exam result will be declared soon after the completion of the exam. The exam results will be available on the official website of NTA NEET – www.ntaneet.nic.in. While checking the NEET 2021 Result, candidates are advised to download and print a copy of the result for use in seat counseling and the admission process. The result will be applicable for all the medical institutions in India including AIIMS and JIPMER. The scorecard of every candidate will mention their All India Rank (AIR), Category Rank, and overall as well as subject-wise score.
NEET 2021 Cutoff
NTA releases the cutoff percentile along with the exam result at the official website of NTA NEET. The cutoff percentile varies for every category, and the percentile cutoffs are released for All India Quota (AIQ) as well as State Quota seats. NTA NEET Cutoff Marks for GEN, SC, ST, OBC, PwD will be released for the admission to 80055 MBBS, 525 BVSc & AH, 26949 BDS, and other AYUSH courses offered by government and private colleges of India.
This the Cutoff List for NEET 2020:
| Category | Cutoff percentile | 2020 Cutoff score |
| Others | 50th Percentile | 720 – 147 |
| OBC | 40th Percentile | 146 – 113 |
| SC | 40th Percentile | 146 – 113 |
| ST | 40th Percentile | 146 – 113 |
| UR & PH | 45th Percentile | 146 – 129 |
| OBC & PH | 40th Percentile | 128 – 113 |
| SC & PH | 40th Percentile | 128 – 113 |
| ST & PH | 40th Percentile | 128 – 113 |
The NEET cutoff takes into account factors such as:
- Number of candidates appeared in the NEET 2020
- The difficulty level of the exam
- Total seats available in the participating colleges
To look at expert analysis of NEET cutoff, year on year trends, category-wise cutoffs, category-wise qualifying percentile, and calculation method of NEET Percentile refer to our detailed article on NEET 2021 Cutoff.
NEET 2021 Exam Centres
Amid the prevalence of Covid-19, the exam centers for NEET 2020 were increased across the country. The exam was conducted across 3842 centers ensuring access across all major cities and states. While applying for the NEET exam, candidates were able to select 4 preferences for exam centers and were given guidelines for social distancing. For every candidate, their exam center is disclosed in their NEET Admit Card. While you can check the complete list of NEET 2021 Exam Centres separately, here is a brief excerpt:
| State | City | Code |
| ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS | PORT BLAIR | 1101 |
| ANDHRA PRADESH | GUNTUR KURNOOL NELLORE TIRUPATI VIJAYAWADA VISAKHAPATNAM | 1201 1202 1203 1204 1205 1206 |
| ARUNACHAL PRADESH | ITANAGAR/NAHARLAGUN | 1301 |
| ASSAM | DIBRUGARH GUWAHATI SILCHAR TEZPUR | 1401 1402 1403 1404 |
| BIHAR | GAYA PATNA | 1501 1502 |
NEET Toppers
NTA will release the list of toppers for 2021 along with the release of NEET 2021 results. For the year 2020, Shoyeb Aftab was the topper of the exam and had a perfect score of 100 for the first time in the history of the NEET examination. Let’s check out the list of toppers for the NEET 2020 exam:
| NEET Topper 2020 | Marks | Al India Rank |
| Shoyeb Aftab | 720 | 1 |
| Akanksha Singh | 720 | 2 |
| Tummala Snikitha | 715 | 3 |
| Vineet Sharma | 715 | 4 |
| Amrisha Khaitan | 715 | 5 |
| Guthi Chaitanya Sindhuq | 715 | 6 |
| Satwik Godara | 711 | 7 |
| Srijan R | 710 | 8 |
| Karthik Reddy | 710 | 9 |
| Matravadia Maanit | 710 | 10 |
NEET 2021 Answer Key
While coaching institutes release unofficial answer keys for the NEET exam immediately after its completion, NTA releases the official answer key approximately a month after the exam date.
Candidates can visit the official website of NTA to download the answer key and cross-check to guess their exam score. By using their application number and password, candidates can log in and download the NEET 2021 Answer Key. However, candidates can challenge the NEET Answer Key before its official release on the official website as well. Along with the process to challenge the answer key, you can also check links to unofficial answer keys by institutes, as well as other crucial details related to the NEET 2021 Answer Key on Embibe.
NEET 2021 Marks Vs Rank
After checking the answer key, candidates are willing to calculate their percentile based on the answers noted in the exam. In order to calculate your percentile score for NEET 2021, you can use the following formula:
NEET Percentile = Your NEET score * 100 / NEET score of the topper
Accordingly, if student A has scored 400 marks in the NEET exam, and the highest marks scored are 500, the percentile will be:
400 X 100/500 = 80 Percentile
NEET Marks v/s Rank Analysis
| NEET AIR | Marks Scored by Topper in NEET 2020 | Marks Scored by Topper in NEET 2019 | Marks Scored by Topper in NEET 2018 | Marks Scored by Topper in NEET 2017 |
| 1 | 720 | 701 | 691 | 697 |
| 2 | 720 | 700 | 690 | 695 |
| 3 | 715 | 700 | 690 | 695 |
| 4 | 715 | 696 | 686 | 692 |
| 5 | 715 | 695 | 686 | 691 |
| 6 | 715 | 695 | 685 | 691 |
| 7 | 711 | 695 | 685 | 691 |
| 8 | 710 | 695 | 680 | 690 |
| 9 | 710 | 695 | 680 | 690 |
| 10 | 710 | 691 | 680 | 686 |
NEET Previous Year Papers
To prime their knowledge ahead of the exams, candidates should take as many mock tests and attempt NEET Previous Year Papers as possible. By analyzing previous year papers and solutions, you can get a thorough understanding of the NEET exam pattern, the nature of questions, and the amount of preparation required to appear for the exam. At embibe, you go through all the previous year’s NEET exam papers and download solutions for the same.
KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT NEET COUNSELLING HERE
NEET 2021 Contact Information
In case of any issue regarding the application form or any other confusion, students can contact the official authorities:
NTA Help Desk:
Email ID: neetug-nta@nic.in
Mobile: 8076535482, 7703859909, 0120-6895200
Frequently Asked Questions About NEET 2021
The frequently asked questions regarding NEET 2020 are listed below:
Answer: Yes, it has been informed that the NEET 2021 exam will not be postponed, but the official dates are yet to be released.
Answer: It is not clear yet if NEET will be conducted twice despite a public appeal. An upcoming announcement by the NTA or the Minister of Education will confirm this matter.
Answer: While the limit earlier was 3 times, there is no restriction on the number of times you can appear for the NEET exam after 2020.
Answer: Yes, you should be at least 17 years of age to give the NEET exam. However, there is no upper limit of age.
Answer:
-General category – 1500 rupees
-OBC-NCL and General-EWS – 1400 rupees
-SC/ST/PWD/transgender – 800 rupees
Answer: You can only pay for NEET Application Fee through the Online method. You can use a Credit/Debit card, as well as UPI method for payment.
Answer: If you have lost your application number, you can retrieve it through the following steps:
1. Visit the official website – ntaneet.nic.in
2. Click on the “Forgot registration number” link under current events.
3. Login using your name, date of birth, security pin, and category.
4. Your new application number will be sent to the registered email address.
We hope you found all the information regarding NEET 2021 on this page to be helpful. If you have any queries, you can comment below and we will resolve them as soon as possible on a regular basis.
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