Medical UG — NEET (UG)
Medical UG — student questions
Each answer is written from the official document and quotes the rule it rests on, with the page. Rules change every year, so every answer says which year it is based on.
Eligibility
- What is the minimum and maximum age to appear for NEET UG?You must complete 17 years of age on or before 31 December of the year in which you appear for NEET (UG). For NEET (UG) 2026, this meant being born on or before 31.12.2009. The 2026 bulletin says there is no upper age limit.Previous-year reference
- Which subjects are compulsory in 12th to be eligible for NEET?You need Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology and English in your qualifying examination. For the Class 12 route (qualifying code 02), the bulletin says the study must include practical tests in these subjects.Previous-year reference
- Can I appear for NEET if I took Biology as an additional subject in 12th?Yes. The NEET (UG) 2026 bulletin allows candidates who studied Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology and English even as additional subjects, including after passing Class 12, from a board recognised by the government. Your candidature is considered only if you give documentary proof that you passed the qualifying examination with these subjects.Previous-year reference
- Can I fill the NEET form if my 12th board exam result is not out yet?Yes. If your Class 12 result is awaited, you can apply and appear in NEET (UG) under qualifying code 01. But you will not be eligible for admission if you have not passed the qualifying examination at the time of the first round of counselling.Previous-year reference
- What is the NEET qualifying percentile and how is it different from the cutoff for getting a seat?The qualifying percentile is the minimum you need to be eligible for admission: the 50th percentile for General and General-EWS candidates and the 40th percentile for SC, ST and OBC candidates. For PwBD candidates it is the 45th percentile (General/EWS) or the 40th percentile (SC/ST/OBC-NCL). Qualifying only makes you eligible; getting a seat depends on your All India Rank (AIR) in the counselling merit list.Previous-year reference
- How is the tie broken in NEET UG when two students get the same marks?If two or more candidates get equal marks, the tie is broken first by higher marks in Biology (Botany and Zoology), then Chemistry, then Physics. If still tied, the candidate with a lower proportion of attempted incorrect answers to correct answers ranks higher, checked first across all subjects and then in Biology, Chemistry and Physics in turn. If the tie still remains, it is settled by a random process guided by an independent expert committee.Previous-year reference
- Where do I find the official NEET UG information bulletin and public notices?The official NEET (UG) website is https://neet.nta.nic.in/. The 2026 Information Bulletin could be downloaded from www.nta.ac.in and https://neet.nta.nic.in/, and NTA said all test-related information would be available on the NEET (UG) website only.Previous-year reference
Application form
- How do I fill the NEET UG application form step by step?The NEET (UG) form is filled online only, at https://neet.nta.nic.in/, in three steps: register and note your Application Number, complete the form and upload your images and documents, then pay the fee online. Your application is submitted only when the Confirmation Page is generated after successful payment.Previous-year reference
- When does the NEET UG correction window open and which details can I change in it?For NEET (UG) 2026, the correction window ran from 10 March 2026 to 12 March 2026, after online applications closed on 08 March 2026. The bulletin said corrections would be allowed in only certain fields, to be notified at a later stage; it does not list those fields itself.Previous-year reference
- What size and format should the photo, signature and thumb impression be for the NEET UG form?In the NEET (UG) 2026 form, the photograph had to be a JPG/JPEG file of 10 kb to 200 kb and the signature a JPG/JPEG file of 10 kb to 100 kb. The left and right hand fingers and thumb impressions had to be JPG/JPEG; one part of the bulletin gives 10 kb to 200 kb for this file and another gives 50 kb to 300 kb.Previous-year reference
- I selected the wrong category or wrong date of birth in my NEET form, what can I do now?Your only route is the correction window, if that field is open for correction. The NEET (UG) 2026 bulletin says details become final after fee payment and NTA will not consider any change except in permitted fields during the correction window. For category and PwBD status, NTA does not guarantee any change after you submit, and allows none after the NEET (UG) score is declared.Previous-year reference
- How do I choose my NEET exam city and can I change it later?In the form you choose three exam cities, in order of priority, from the list in the bulletin. Your choices are limited to the state of your permanent address or present address. The city choice cannot be changed later except when the window for correction in all fields opens, and NTA does not entertain requests to change the allotted centre.Previous-year reference
- Is Aadhaar compulsory for filling the NEET UG form?No. The NEET (UG) 2026 bulletin asks for any one ID. Indian nationals can use Aadhaar, an Indian passport number, DigiLocker, a PAN card number or any other valid government photo ID; NRIs, OCI cardholders and foreign nationals use their passport number. NTA does advise using your own Aadhaar, so that you don't have to submit extra documents.Previous-year reference
- What should I check on my NEET UG admit card before the exam day?Check that your particulars, photograph and signature on the Admit Card match your Confirmation Page, and note your centre, date and timing. If anything is wrong, contact the NTA Help Line between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM straight away. You will still take the exam with the Admit Card you downloaded, and NTA will correct its records later.Previous-year reference
- How does the NEET answer key challenge work and is the fee refunded if I am right?After the exam, NTA publishes a provisional answer key, and you can challenge it online by paying a non-refundable processing fee of ₹200 per answer challenged. A panel of subject experts checks each challenge; if one is found correct, the answer key is revised for all candidates and the result is based on the final key. The bulletin calls the fee non-refundable and does not mention any refund for a correct challenge.Previous-year reference
Category certificates
- Which OBC-NCL certificate format is accepted for NEET All India Quota counselling?For Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) counselling, you need an Other Backward Classes – Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL) certificate as per the Central List, issued by a competent authority. It must be in the standard format given in MCC's bulletin (Annexure 4), and your sub-caste must match the Central List of OBC.Previous-year reference
- Is my state OBC certificate valid for All India Quota MBBS seats?MCC's bulletin doesn't talk about "state" OBC certificates as such. For OBC reservation in All India Quota (AIQ) seats, it asks for an Other Backward Classes – Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL) certificate as per the Central List, issued by a competent authority in the standard format given in the bulletin, with a sub-caste that matches the Central List of OBC. So check that your caste is in the Central List and that your certificate is in this format.Previous-year reference
- How old can my OBC non-creamy layer certificate be for NEET counselling?MCC's UG 2026 bulletin does not set a maximum age or validity period for the OBC-NCL certificate. What its certificate format says is that your parents' annual income/status should be based on the financial year ending March 31, 2026.Previous-year reference
NRI and foreign nationals
- Who is counted as an NRI for NEET NRI quota MBBS admission?In MCC counselling, NRI quota seats are in Deemed Universities, where 15% of seats go to NRI candidates. MCC follows the Supreme Court's Anshul Tomar principles: you are eligible if your mother or father, or a first-degree relative such as your real brother or sister, is a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) ordinarily living abroad. A close blood relative who is an NRI living abroad and has actually looked after you as your guardian can also qualify you, with proof and an affidavit.Previous-year reference
- Which relatives can sponsor a student for an NRI quota MBBS seat?Under the rules MCC follows, your NRI mother, father, real brother or real sister can sponsor you. Beyond them, the sponsor must be a "nearest relation" by blood — a real uncle or aunt on your father's or mother's side, a grandparent on either side, or a first-degree paternal or maternal cousin — who is an NRI, ordinarily lives abroad and has looked after you as your guardian.Previous-year reference
- What documents are required for NRI quota MBBS admission in deemed universities through MCC?MCC's list depends on your NRI sub-category. Everyone needs a date of birth certificate, Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets and passing certificates, the NEET-UG score card issued by NTA and a valid passport. You then add documents for your sub-category: an NRI certificate and sponsor affidavit (NRI candidate/parent/sibling), the guardian's passport, NRI certificate, guardianship proof and affidavit (Indian converting to NRI), an OCI/PIO card (OCI candidates), or a visa/residence permit/work permit (foreign nationals).Previous-year reference
Reservation and PwBD
- How does reservation work in All India Quota MBBS seats?In MCC's 15% All India Quota (AIQ) seats, the Central Government's reservation policy applies: 15% for Scheduled Castes (SC), 7.5% for Scheduled Tribes (ST), 27% for Other Backward Classes – Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL) as per the Central OBC list, and 10% for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS). In addition, 5% of seats have horizontal reservation for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD).Previous-year reference
- Is caste reservation applicable in deemed university MBBS seats?No. MCC's bulletin says there is no reservation for OBC, SC, ST, PwD or EWS candidates in Deemed Universities. Some Deemed Universities may have seats reserved for Jain Minority or Muslim Minority candidates, and 15% of Deemed University seats are allocated to NRI candidates.Previous-year reference
Quotas
MCC counselling
- How does MCC NEET UG counselling work round by round?MCC holds four online rounds: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 and a Stray Vacancy Round. In each round you fill and lock choices, MCC allots seats, and you either join the seat (a "Freeze" candidate) or ask to be considered for a better seat in the next round (a "Float" candidate). Round 1 seats can be left without losing your security deposit; from Round 2 onwards, not joining an allotted seat means losing it.Previous-year reference
- How do I register for MCC NEET UG 2027 counselling?Based on the 2026 process, you register only online on the MCC website (www.mcc.nic.in), using the mobile number and email ID you gave NTA, because OTPs are sent only to those. Your NTA details are pre-filled and can't be changed. At registration you pay a non-refundable registration fee and a refundable security deposit, and you can submit the form only once.Previous-year reference
- How many colleges should I fill in MCC choice filling and in what order?MCC sets no limit — you can fill as many choices of colleges and courses (MBBS, BDS, B.Sc. Nursing) as you wish. The choices must be in your order of preference, with the one you want most first, because MCC allots seats on the basis of merit and your preferences.Previous-year reference
- What is choice locking in MCC and what happens if I forget to lock my choices?Choice locking finalises your list of choices. Saved choices can be changed until they are locked; once locked, they cannot be changed or unlocked, even by MCC. If you forget to lock, your submitted choices are locked automatically as per the schedule.Previous-year reference
- What does 'free exit' mean in MCC counselling and in which rounds is it allowed?Free exit means you can leave an allotted seat without losing your security deposit. In MCC UG counselling it applies only to seats allotted in Round 1. From Round 2 onwards, leaving or not joining an allotted seat is "exit with forfeiture" — you lose your security deposit.Previous-year reference
- Should I opt for upgradation after getting a seat in MCC round 1?The bulletin doesn't tell you whether to opt — it explains what each choice means. If you don't want upgradation (a "Freeze" candidate), you join your Round 1 seat by reporting physically. If you want upgradation (a "Float" candidate), you give your willingness online and don't report physically. If you are upgraded in Round 2, your Round 1 seat is released automatically; if you get no seat in Round 2, you keep your Round 1 seat.Previous-year reference
- What is the MCC stray vacancy round and who can take part in it?The Stray Vacancy Round is MCC's last round. It is held online for seats still vacant after Round 3, including Deemed University seats, and needs fresh registration and choice filling. You can't take part if you didn't register for it, if you have joined or hold any seat at that time, or if you were allotted a Round 3 seat by MCC and didn't report.Previous-year reference
- If I join an MCC seat in round 2, can I still take part in my state's counselling?MCC's rules don't stop you: its All India Quota (AIQ) flow chart for Rounds 1 and 2 shows candidates also taking part in state counselling. But if you get a state seat and want to join it, you must surrender (resign) your AIQ seat — and for a Round 2 seat this is "with forfeiture", meaning you lose your security deposit. Your state's own counselling rules also apply.Previous-year reference
- How much is the MCC security deposit and when is it refunded or forfeited?MCC's refundable security deposit is ₹2,00,000 for Deemed Universities. For 15% All India Quota, Central Universities, AFMC, ESI, AIIMS, JIPMER and B.Sc. Nursing it is ₹10,000 for Unreserved (UR)/EWS candidates and ₹5,000 for SC/ST/OBC/PwD candidates. It is refunded only after all rounds of counselling are over, to the same account you paid from. You lose it if you don't join a seat allotted in Round 2 or a later round, or if your admission is cancelled for any reason.Previous-year reference
Documents
- What documents do I need to carry for NEET UG 2027 counselling reporting?Based on MCC's 2026 bulletin, you bring the originals, with attested photocopies, of: the MCC allotment letter; NTA admit card; NTA result/rank letter; date of birth certificate (if your Class 10 certificate doesn't show it); Class 10 certificate; Class 10+2 certificate and mark sheet; eight (8) passport-size photographs, same as on your application form; and identity proof (Aadhaar, PAN, driving licence or passport). Add category or PwBD certificates if they apply to you.Previous-year reference
- Do I need original documents at reporting or are attested photocopies enough?You need the originals. MCC's bulletin says you must bring original documents along with attested photocopies when you join the allotted college, and candidates without original certificates will not be allowed to take admission. Photocopies alone are not enough.Previous-year reference
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