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Have you ever wondered about how many times one can take NEET UG exam? Any aspirant who aspire to become a medical professional like Doctor or Nurse often wonders about the NEET Number of Attempts. The parents who want to make their children medical professionals also often encounter the question about NEET attempt limit. In this article, we will try to answer the question about how many attempts for NEET UG 2025 are allowed category-wise.
NEET Number of Attempts
The NEET number of attempts means how many times a student can appear for the NEET UG exam. As per the latest NEET eligibility criteria, there is no cap on the NEET number of attempts. That is, a student can appear for the NEET UG exam as many times as they like. Then the answer arises, why there is confusion around the NEET number of attempts 2025?
The concerns around NEET number of attempts have arose after the NEET UG attempt limit went several changes in the past few years. Students and parents fear that in the wake of rising number of students and competition, the NTA can reintroduce the attempt limit along with the age limit.
NEET 2025 Number of Attempts
According to the NTA, there is no restriction on the amount of NEET attempts for 2025. This is in tune with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare letter confirming that there are no limits on the number of attempts as of December 2017 and the rule will remain in effect. The CBSE and now NTA has eliminated the rule of three attempts, it is no longer valid. At present, the unreserved category does not have any limit to appear for NEET.
How Many Attempt for NEET UG 2025
These question, “How Many Attempt for NEET UG” are frequently asked by students getting ready for the NEET exam, as they need to make sure they meet all the necessary criteria to qualify. Thus, it is crucial for students intending to take the NEET exam to have a clear understanding of the number of attempts allowed and the age limit set by the NTA. The answer to the question how many attempts for NEET is as many number of times as they want.
NEET Attempt Limit 2025 Category-wise
The NEET attempt limit 2025 has been removed for all students whether belonging to the scheduled cast (SC) or General category. Along with the attempt limit, the NTA also abolished the age limit after the Hon’ble Supreme Court decision.
The NEET 2025 attempt limit does not place any constraints on the number of attempts for candidates. This policy enables students to attempt the exam several times, giving them plenty of chances to enhance their scores and gain acceptance into medical programs. The NEET policy for 2025 sets a limit on the number of attempts to give all candidates ample opportunities to succeed.
NEET Number of Attempts for General Category
The number of attempts and upper age limit were strictly applied to the general category students earlier. Students from the General category were able to take the NEET examination only thrice up to the age of 25. But now, there are no such restrictions. The attempt limit has been completely revoked for aspirants of all categories, including the general category candidates. So, students from general category can take the NEET exam as many times as they like.
NEET Number of Attempts for OBC
As stated earlier, the attempt limit has been completely revoked. Students from all categories, including OBC candidates can appear for the NEET exam multiple times if they satisfy the remaining eligibility criteria. The NEET attempt limit has been completely revoked for all categories by the NMC (National Medical Council). As a result, the cap on the number of attempts will no longer apply for OBC candidates which was earlier capped at 5 times.
NEET Attempt Limit for SC/ST Candidates
SC/ST candidates have unlimited attempts for the NEET exam until 2025. This comprehensive strategy guarantees that SC/ST candidates have numerous chances to attain their target scores and get admitted to medical programs. The cap on NEET attempts for SC/ST category until 2025 helps ensure educational fairness. The attempt limit was never applicable for students from SC/ST categories. Even when the attempt limit was introduced, it was limited to UR and OBC categories.
NEET Number of Attempts after 12th
Students who have passed class 12 from the science stream with biology as a subject can appear for the NEET exam as many times as they like. Speaking about the upper age limit, the maximum age was previously 25 years (for unreserved category students). However, according to the most recent information, there is no longer an upper age limit and NEET attempts have been discontinued.
NEET Number of Attempts Over the Years
There have been many changes in recent years, particularly from the year 2017, on the attempt limit and upper age bar. The timeline of these changes is given below.
2017
With a statement stating that “the number of attempts which a candidate can avail at NEET-UG examination shall be limited to 3 (three) uniformly to all the candidates,” the CBSE introduced an upper age limitation and a maximum attempts limit in 2017. The three permitted attempts will also include any previous tries in AIPMT/NEET. Applicants for NEET (UG) 2017 who have already used up their allotted three attempts are not eligible to apply.
According to the CBSE, “the upper age limit for NEET-UG is 25 years as on the date of examination with relaxation of 5 years for the candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC category,” the upper age limit for unreserved candidates is 25 years, while the higher age limit for reserved candidates is 30 years. In the same year, the Supreme Court overturned this regulation. In 2018, the NEET age limit and attempts provision were reintroduced with a new twist.
2018
The announcement in the Indian Gazette on January 23, 2018, initially made public the MCI’s plan to reinstate an upper age limit for NEET. NEET applicants were outraged and there was a great deal of debate surrounding the implementation of these restrictions. A week after the NEET attempt restriction rule was introduced, MCI removed it. There is no longer a set amount of NEET attempts for candidates; instead, the upper age limit criterion was to be used to decide this. Nonetheless, medical students must be 17 years of age or older to appear on the NEET.
2019
Another big problem that surfaced in 2019 was the fact that students attending NIOS or open schools were not eligible for NEET UG. Although they were permitted to take the NTA NEET exam until 2017, the Medical Council of India (MCI) made the decision to prevent them from taking the NEET exam starting in 2018. Later, the provision was lifted, allowing open-school pupils to take the test. The question of biology as an extra subject was the focus of the other controversy. Ineligible students were those who had taken Biology as an elective in Classes 11 and 12. Additionally, this condition was removed, allowing these students to sit for the exam in 2019.
2022
The National Medical Commission said in an official announcement that the NEET UG upper age limit has been eliminated. The 4th NMC conference, which took place on October 21, 2021, decided on the NEET upper age restriction; the announcement was made on March 9, 2022.
How many Attempts for NEET in a Year
As the NEET exam is conducted only once in a year, students will be able to attempt this national exam only once in a year. Earlier there were suggestions to conduct the exam twice in line with the JEE Main exam. But currently, there is no such proposal put forward. So, students can attempt NEET only once a year. If the exam is conducted more than once in a year in the future, the attempt limit per year will be released by the exam conducting authority.
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