What is NEET Exam?- Check Importance and Validity

Have you ever tried to know that which undergraduate admission entrance exam in India receives the highest number of applications. When you will search your query on the internet, the name of the NEET exam will immediately pop up. What exactly is NEET exam? You must have heard about the NEET exam, although you are not from the science stream. Even this exam is gaining popularity overseas, particularly among the India origin aspirants. In this article we will know about What is NEET exam, its full form and other details.

What is NEET Exam?

NEET is a single-level national exam administered to medical aspirants, allowing them to seek admission to medical courses at various medical colleges throughout the country. From 2020 onwards, the exam will be the only medical entrance exam required for admission to AIIMS and JIPMER institutes, replacing the previous various entrance exams held at the state level. The Indian government introduced NEET as a proposal to replace several exams conducted under the One Nation One Examination policy. NEET exam is taken by more than 20 lakh students.

NEET Exam Validity

The NEET exam, officially NEET UG, stands for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduates. NEET is an offline test administered using pen and paper, and it is the only medical entrance exam at the undergraduate level that follows this approach. It is one of the most important exams in India, acting as a pathway for ambitious medical and dentistry students to get admission to top universities across the country. The NET (UG) exam is conducted only one time in a single in offline mode.

Check: NEET Previous Year Question Papers

History of NEET (UG) Exam

The NEET exam was supposed to begin in 2012 but was postponed for a year. On May 5, 2013, it was held for the first time, marking a watershed moment in medical education. Over ten lakh students applied for this breakthrough medical exam. However, on July 18, 2013, the Supreme Court canceled NEET, agreeing with 115 petitioners and ruling that the Medical Council of India (MCI) could not meddle in college admissions.

Many states, including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu, have challenged NEET, noting significant differences in the syllabus. As a result, in 2012, the Supreme Court deemed NEET unlawful. Nonetheless, it was restored on April 11, 2016, and has since become an integral part of Indian medical education. In 2020, other exams like AIIMS and JIPMER were also merged with the NEET exam, making it the sole exam for admission into medical courses at the undergraduate level.

Who Conducts NEET Exam

For the conduction of the national-level NEET exam, the National Testing Agency (NTA) was constituted. Apart from the NEET exam, the NTA also conducts several other entrance exams like JEE, CUET, etc. Every year, the NTA (National Testing Agency) conducts NEET under the supervision of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. NTA is only responsible for administering the exam and reporting the results to the DGHS.

Check: NEET (UG) 2024 Sample Paper with Solutions

Importance of NEET Exam

NEET is highly important for students from the medical stream. It is the only medical entrance exam at the undergraduate level, making it a must for students planning to pursue their career in the field of medicine and allied fields. The NEET exam is not only required for admission into Indian medical and dental colleges, but also in foreign colleges. That is, if a student want to pursue medicine outside India, he or she will have to pass the NEET exam first.

Students who take the NEET do so with the purpose of enrolling in medical courses at various medical institutions and institutes. Qualifying for NEET allows you to enroll in MBBS/BDS/AYUSH courses, as well as many other medical programs. In addition, because NEET is a fair and transparent exam, it provides a reasonable number of possibilities in other relevant fields. In addition, most private colleges consider students’ NEET scores for admission.

Courses Offered Through NEET Exam

Students can pursue ten different types of medical courses after clearing the NEET exam. The top choice courses among these are MBBS, BDS, and BSc Nursing. The name of the courses offered through the NEET exam along with their duration is tabulated below.

Also Check: Top Medical Colleges Through NEET (UG) Exam

NEET Exam Admission Scope

The NEET exam offers the a large number of medical seats for different courses. So, students are offered a wide scope of programs for admission. The number of seats available through NEET (UG) exam is given hereunder.

• The NEET exam determines eligibility for admission to over 1 lakh MBBS, 27,868 BDS, 52,720 AYUSH, 603 BVSc, and AH seats.
• Admission to 1,899 AIIMS and 249 JIPMER seats would be based on NEET scores.
• NEET 2024 would have 645 medical, 318 dental, 15 AIIMS, 2 JIPMER, 914 AYUSH, and 47 BVSc & AH institutes.
• Admission to international medical institutes: Candidates seeking a medical seat in a foreign medical institution must first qualify for the NEET exam.

Who is Eligible for NEET Exam

The NTA has laid out a detailed eligibility criteria in order to appear for the NEET exam. The same is given below.

• Nationality: Indian citizens, Overseas Citizens of India (OCI), and foreign nationals are eligible to appear in the NEET exam.
• Educational Qualification: Aspirants must have passed the 10+2 level examination with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology as mandatory subjects. Candidates studying in 12th class is also eligible to apply
• Minimum Marks: The NTA has minimum marks requirement for appearing for the NEET exam. It is 50% for the General category (45% for PH candidates from UR category), and 40% for all the other categories.
• Age: Candidates must be at least 17 years of age by December 31st of the year of appearing for the NEET exam. There is no upper age limit for the NEET UG exam.

Career Options After NEET Exam

After qualifying the NEET examination, students can choose from plenty of courses and make their career in several fields given below.

• Doctor (MBBS
• Dentist (BDS)
• Medicine Teaching
• Legal Medical Advisor
• Dietitian, etc.

What is NEET PG Exam

The National Eligibility and Entrance Test for Postgraduates (NEET PG) is a standardized examination held in India for admission to various postgraduate medical programs. It is the postgraduate version of the NEET UG exam. But unlike at the undergraduate level, institutes like AIIMS, JIPMER and PGIMS Chandigarh hold their separate entrance exam for admission into postgraduate medical courses.

NEET PG is a qualifying and ranking examination for admission to MD/MS/PG Diploma programs given by medical schools throughout the country. It replaced the former AIPGMEE (All India Post Graduate Medical Entrance Examination) and numerous state-level PG medical entrance exams, with the goal of streamlining the admissions process while ensuring fairness and openness.

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