NEET as a Competitive Exam

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is a highly competitive entrance examination in India for aspiring medical and dental students. It is also one of the most important competitive exam in India. Its popularity among the students can be known by the fact that around 18 lakh students appeared for the NEET exam in 2022 as per an article by livemint. Out of these 18 lakh applicants, about 7 lakh students qualified the exam. The number is not even half of that of applicants. This shows that it is indeed very tough to qualify the exam.

NEET serves as a common entrance test for admission to undergraduate medical and dental programs in various government and private colleges across the country. There is also a NEET PG exam which helps a graduate medical practitioner to opt for a post-graduation course in a particular field. There are many students who wish to qualify NEET. So, it becomes very important for them to understand what NEET is. What is the syllabus of NEET? Who can appear for NEET? And most importantly, what colleges are offered after passing the NEET? These questions are important to know before filling the form for NEET. This article provides a detailed explanation of the NEET exam, including its structure and pattern, syllabus, eligibility criteria, and the colleges it offers access to.

Structure and Pattern of NEET Exam:

• NEET is conducted digitally by Computer Based Test (CBT) method once a year. It is conducted by NTA (National Testing Agency).
• The exam consists of a single paper in the form of multiple-choice questions (MCQs). 
• There are a total of 180 questions, with 45 questions each from Physics, Chemistry, Botany, and Zoology. That means 50% of the questions are from Biology and the rest 50% are equally from Physics and Chemistry.
• Each question carries four marks, and one mark is deducted for every incorrect answer (negative marking). The whole paper is of 720 total marks in total.
• The total duration of the exam is 3 hours (180 minutes).

Syllabus of NEET Exam:

• NEET syllabus is based on the NCERT curriculum for Classes 11 and 12 students of the science stream. It consists of questions from the subjects of Physics, Chemistry, Botany, and Zoology.
• The syllabus of Physics covers topics such as Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Electricity, Atomic Physics, Optics and other topics in the curriculum of class 11^th and 12^th.
• The syllabus for Chemistry consists of topics like Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Surface Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Biochemistry and others in the curriculum.
• The syllabus for Biology (Botany and Zoology) contains topics from the curriculum of classes 11 and 12. The topics include Cell Structure, Taxonomy of Organisms, Plant Physiology, Human Physiology, Biotechnology, Genetics, Environmental Biology etc.
• The syllabus is vast and requires a comprehensive understanding of the core concepts in these subjects.

Eligibility Criteria for NEET Exam:

• Nationality: Indian nationals, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), and foreign nationals are eligible to apply. In short anyone can apply for the NEET exam if he/she meets the other eligibility criterias.
• Age Limit: Candidates must be at least 17 years old as of December 31st of the admission year. There is no upper age limit. 
• Educational Qualification: Candidates must have passed 10+2 or equivalent examinations with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as core subjects. A student with Commerce and Humanities is not eligible to appear for the NEET exam.
• Minimum Marks: General category candidates must secure a minimum of 50% aggregate marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology. For reserved categories (SC/ST/OBC), the minimum aggregate marks required are 40%.
• Number of Attempts: There is no limit on the number of attempts for NEET. An applicant can appear for the NEET examination as many times as he/she wishes.

Colleges Offered through NEET:

• NEET scores are accepted by various government, private, and deemed universities/colleges across India. Once you qualify NEET, you can apply for any medical college that has government ownership.
• Also, the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER) have also joined the NEET framework. So, students can seek admission in these institutes through NEET too.
• Some of the top colleges and institutions accepting NEET scores include All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS), Maulana Azad Medical College, Christian Medical College (CMC), Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), King George’s Medical University, and many state medical colleges.

Conclusion:

The NEET exam is a crucial step for aspiring medical and dental students in India. It is the chief aim of the students who dream of finding a career in the medical field in India. With its well-defined structure, comprehensive syllabus, and strict eligibility criteria, NEET serves as a standardised evaluation platform for admission to undergraduate medical and dental programs. The rigorous competition and hard syllabus of the NEET exam makes sure that only good and deserving students are enrolled for this exam.

As the exam seeks to sort students for jobs in the medical field; it becomes necessary for the board to choose good students who can carry out this responsibility efficiently. NEET serves this very purpose of selecting the deserving candidates. Candidates need to prepare for the exam thoroughly. Understanding the exam pattern, focusing on the NCERT syllabus, and practising with sample papers and mock tests is helpful. By achieving a good NEET score, students can open doors to various prestigious medical and dental colleges like the AIIMS, JIPMER and IMS across the country, paving their way for a fulfilling career in the healthcare field.