NEET PG 2025: Everything You Need to Know
NEET PG 2025 Exam Overview
NEET PG 2025 refers to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Postgraduate admissions in the year 2025. It is a nationwide medical entrance exam conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) for admission to postgraduate medical courses (MD, MS, PG Diploma, DNB) in India. This exam is a single gateway for most MD/MS seats across medical colleges in India for the 2025–26 academic session, under the directives of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. Every year, thousands of MBBS graduates appear for NEET PG to compete for specialty training seats. The exam is computer-based and held in a single day across various centers. Notably, institutes like AIIMS, PGIMER, JIPMER, etc., conduct a separate entrance (INI-CET), but NEET PG 2025 remains the primary exam for the majority of postgraduate medical admissions in India. In summary, NEET PG 2025 is a crucial, highly competitive exam that MBBS doctors must clear to pursue specialist medical education.
NEET PG 2025 Exam Date and Schedule
The scheduling of NEET PG 2025 saw significant developments. Initially, as per the NBEMS Information Bulletin, the exam was scheduled for 15th June 2025. It was planned to be conducted in two shifts on that date. However, in a subsequent official notice, NBEMS rescheduled the exam to a later date. Citing the need to accommodate all candidates in one go and following court directives, NBEMS deferred the exam to 3rd August 2025. The exam was eventually held on 3rd August 2025 (Sunday) in a single morning shift (09:00 AM to 12:30 PM) across numerous centers in India. This postponement also allowed more MBBS interns to become eligible by the new date. Admit cards were released in the latter half of July 2025 (around two weeks before the exam date) through the NBEMS online portal. Candidates had to download their admit cards and were advised to carefully note the reporting time and venue. The exam day schedule was clearly defined: entry to centers began early morning, last entry was by 8:30 AM, and the computer-based test started at 9:00 AM, concluding at 12:30 PM. Thanks to the revised timeline, NBEMS also increased the number of exam cities and gave applicants a chance to re-select their test city in June 2025. In summary, the NEET PG 2025 exam took place on 3rd August 2025, slightly later than initially planned, with all candidates sitting in a single unified shift.
“NEET-PG 2025 will be conducted in Single Shift on 03.08.2025.”
NEET PG 2025 Important Dates:
| Event | Date/Period |
|---|---|
| Online Registration | 17 April 2025 – 7 May 2025 |
| Correction Window (edit application) | 9 May 2025 – 13 May 2025 |
| Final Edit (Images) | 24 May 2025 – 26 May 2025 |
| Re-opening of City Choice (postpone) | 13 June 2025 – 17 June 2025 |
| Admit Card Release | July 2025 (3rd week) |
| Exam Date | 3 August 2025 (09:00–12:30, single shift) |
| Result Declaration | 19 August 2025 |
| Scorecards Available | from 5 September 2025 |
| Counselling – Round 1 | October 2025 (start) |
NEET PG 2025 Registration Dates and Process
The application process for NEET PG 2025 was conducted online by NBEMS. Registration for NEET PG 2025 opened on 17th April 2025 and closed on 7th May 2025. During this window, aspiring candidates had to visit the official NBEMS website and fill out the NEET PG 2025 application form. The form required personal details, academic information (MBBS degree details), internship status, and other eligibility details. Applicants also had to upload scanned images of their photograph, signature, and relevant certificates as per the prescribed format. The examination fee was paid online – the fee amount was ₹3500 for General, OBC, and EWS categories, and ₹2500 for SC, ST, and PwD categories, as officially stipulated. No offline applications were allowed; the entire process was digital. NBEMS provided an edit window from 9th to 13th May 2025 for candidates to correct any errors in their forms (such as incorrect details or documents). Following that, a final selective edit window was given from 24th to 26th May 2025 specifically to rectify any deficiencies in uploaded images (like photograph, signature, thumb impression) if candidates were notified to do so. It was essential to complete the form correctly by the last date, as late or incomplete applications were not accepted. Once the application was submitted and the fee paid, candidates could download their application acknowledgment. In summary, the registration process spanned April–May 2025, and candidates had ample opportunity to apply and make corrections, ensuring their details were accurate for the exam.
“Online Submission of Application Form: 17th April 2025 to 7th May 2025.”
NBEMS NEET PG 2025 Eligibility Criteria
To appear for NEET PG 2025, candidates had to meet the eligibility criteria defined by NBEMS and the National Medical Commission (NMC). Firstly, educational qualification was mandatory: applicants must possess an MBBS degree or a Provisional MBBS Pass Certificate from an institute recognized as per NMC’s regulations. This essentially means the MBBS should be from a recognized medical college (as per the NMC Act, 2019 or previously MCI). Along with the degree, candidates needed to have either a permanent or provisional registration certificate from NMC (or erstwhile MCI) or a State Medical Council. This registration proves that the candidate is authorized to practice medicine (even provisionally).
Another critical criterion was the internship completion. All NEET PG 2025 aspirants were required to complete the compulsory one-year rotatory internship by a specified cut-off date. For NEET PG 2025, the official cut-off date for internship completion was 31st July 2025. Those who had already finished or were on track to finish their internship on or before 31/07/2025 were eligible to apply. Candidates finishing the internship after this date were not eligible for the exam. This condition was set to ensure that by the time of admission, all candidates have the necessary practical training. Additionally, there is no upper age limit for NEET PG; both young graduates and those who completed MBBS earlier can apply, provided other criteria are met.
For foreign medical graduates (FMGs) who obtained their primary medical qualification abroad, it was mandatory to have qualified the FMGE (Foreign Medical Graduate Examination) screening test and obtained the necessary registration to be eligible for NEET PG. Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) were also allowed to appear – following a Supreme Court decision, OCI candidates were treated on par with Indian citizens for NEET PG 2025 eligibility and admissions. It’s important to note that some institutes and states may have additional requirements (such as bond release or NOC if already pursuing a PG course elsewhere), but NBEMS’s criteria primarily revolve around the MBBS degree, registration, and internship timeline. In summary, candidates must hold an MBBS degree (recognized by NMC), be registered with NMC/SMC, and complete their internship by 31st July 2025 to sit for NEET PG 2025.
“Candidates must have completed one year of internship on or before 31st July 2025.”
NEET PG 2025 Exam Pattern and Syllabus
The NEET PG 2025 examination was conducted as a Computer Based Test (CBT) with a well-defined structure. The exam consisted of 200 multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Each question had four options, out of which the candidate had to select the single correct or best answer. All questions were in English language only (as English is the medium of instruction for medical education in India). The total time allotted for the exam was 3 hours 30 minutes (210 minutes), which had to be managed carefully by the candidates.
The marking scheme was as follows: for every correct response, the candidate earned +4 marks, while for every incorrect response, -1 mark was deducted (which is a 25% negative marking per wrong answer). Questions left unattempted did not affect the score (0 marks for unattempted). This scheme means the maximum achievable score was 800 marks (if all 200 are correct). Given the negative marking, test-takers needed to be strategic in guessing, as random guessing could reduce their score.
Notably, NEET PG 2025 introduced a structured section-wise timing format. The question paper was divided into five sections (Groups A, B, C, D, E), each containing 40 questions. Importantly, each section had a fixed time limit of 42 minutes. Candidates had to answer the questions in one section within its 42-minute window before moving on to the next section. Once the time was over for a section, they could not go back to that section’s questions or change answers from it. The next section would begin automatically after the previous section’s time elapsed. This segmented approach was aimed at distributing questions across all subjects and ensuring a balanced coverage. It required candidates to maintain steady pace in each part of the paper, as they couldn’t save time from one section and use it in another.
The syllabus of NEET PG 2025 comprised all subjects taught during the MBBS course, as per the Graduate Medical Education Regulations of NMC. In essence, it covered the entire spectrum of Pre-Clinical subjects (like Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry), Para-Clinical subjects (Pathology, Pharmacology, Microbiology, Forensic Medicine, Community Medicine), and Clinical subjects (Medicine and allied specialties, Surgery and its allied, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, etc.). There were roughly 19 major subject areas covered. Each of the five sections in the exam included a mix of questions from various subjects, ensuring that no single section was overly specialized in one discipline. This means aspirants had to be well-prepared in all areas of the MBBS curriculum. The difficulty level of questions was generally aligned with the knowledge expected of an MBBS graduate. The exam tested both factual knowledge and conceptual understanding, as well as the ability to apply clinical reasoning. Overall, the pattern of NEET PG 2025 demanded a comprehensive preparation, time management due to section-wise limits, and careful answering due to negative marking. NBEMS also provided a practice demo test ahead of the exam so that candidates could familiarize themselves with the computer-based format and the navigation of sectioned questions.
NEET PG 2025 Result Declaration
After the examination on 3rd August, candidates eagerly awaited the results. NBEMS declared the NEET PG 2025 result on 19th August 2025. The results were announced within a few weeks of the exam, reflecting the answers and performance of candidates in the form of scores and ranks. The official result was published on the NBEMS website. Candidates could check their individual results by downloading the scorecard once it was released. Initially, NBEMS released a public notice with the key outcome – the announcement of the result and the merit list for the All India 50% quota seats. Following that, individual scorecards were made available for download from 5th September 2025 onwards on the NBEMS portal (for candidates eligible for 50% All India Quota counselling). Each scorecard contained the candidate’s NEET PG 2025 Rank, total score out of 800, and the qualifying status.
Crucially, along with the result, NBEMS also specified the qualifying cut-off scores corresponding to the percentile criteria. By regulation, to qualify NEET PG, a candidate must score at least the 50th percentile (for General category). For NEET PG 2025, the 50th percentile cut-off for General (Unreserved) and EWS category corresponded to a score of 276 out of 800. For candidates from the SC, ST, and OBC categories, the qualifying percentile is 40th percentile; this translated to a cut-off score of 235 out of 800 for NEET PG 2025. Additionally, the 45th percentile (which applies to General-PwD category) had a cut-off of 255 out of 800. These cut-off scores were officially published and indicated the minimum marks required to be eligible for participating in the counselling process. It’s worth noting that meeting the cut-off means a candidate is qualified, but admission depends on rank and seat availability.
NBEMS prepared an All India Rank (AIR) list for all candidates and also an All India 50% Quota merit list (for those eligible for central counselling). For state quota seats (the remaining 50%), the individual states would use NEET PG scores to prepare their own merit lists considering their reservation policies and other criteria. NBEMS clearly stated that being on the rank list is purely provisional and subject to verification of credentials like internship completion and registration at the time of counselling. In summary, the NEET PG 2025 results were out by 19th August 2025, with a score of 276 (50th percentile) being the general category cut-off for qualification. Candidates were advised to download their scorecards and proceed with the next steps of counselling if qualified.
“NEET-PG 2025 was conducted on 3rd August, 2025 and the result was declared by NBEMS on 19th August, 2025.”
NEET PG 2025 Counselling Process
With the results declared and qualified candidates identified, the focus shifted to the counselling process for allotment of postgraduate seats. The counselling for NEET PG 2025 was conducted at two levels: All India Counselling and State-level Counselling. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) under the MoHFW, Government of India, is responsible for the all-India level counselling. This includes the 50% All India Quota (AIQ) seats from government medical colleges of each state, plus 100% seats of Central Universities, deemed universities, AIIMS (if they were included, although AIIMS uses INI-CET for MD/MS), AFMS institutes, and other seats contributed to the all-India pool. The remaining 50% state quota seats (in state govt colleges) and seats in private colleges are filled by respective state counselling authorities of each state, following their own reservation rules and roster.
For NEET PG 2025, the MCC counselling timeline commenced a bit later than previous years due to the delayed exam and result. The All India Round-1 counselling registration started in October 2025. In fact, the counselling schedule was officially released by MCC towards the end of October 2025. Candidates who qualified NEET PG had to register on the MCC website (mcc.nic.in) for the AIQ counselling by filling an online form and paying a counselling fee and security deposit. The Round 1 registration and choice filling took place in late October and early November 2025. MCC provided an online portal for candidates to submit their preferences of colleges and courses in the order of priority. After choice submission, MCC declared the seat allotment results for Round 1 based on NEET PG merit (rank) and choices, following the reservation policies (27% OBC, 10% EWS, 15% SC, 7.5% ST, etc. in AIQ as applicable). Candidates allotted a seat in Round 1 had to report to the allotted college for document verification and admission formalities within the given timeframe or opt for upgradation in Round 2.
The counselling process consisted of multiple rounds: typically Round 1, Round 2, a Mop-Up Round, and a Stray Vacancy round (for any vacant seats remaining, especially in deemed universities). MCC conducted the first two rounds for AIQ (and Central/Deemed universities), and then a mop-up for leftover seats. State authorities ran their parallel counselling rounds for state quota seats roughly in the same period, after the AIQ rounds or sometimes concurrently, but ensuring there’s no overlap of seat allotment. All qualified candidates had to also follow the specific instructions of the state counselling if they were aiming for state quota or private college seats in their state.
Important to note, only candidates who scored equal to or above the NEET PG 2025 cut-off (as mentioned earlier) were eligible to participate in counselling. If the number of qualified candidates was found to be insufficient for filling seats, sometimes the qualifying percentile is lowered (as happened in some previous years), but any such decision would be notified by authorities separately.
In NEET PG 2025’s case, initially the standard cut-offs applied. Candidates needed to meet the minimum percentile to be part of the counselling process. The counselling itself was an online process for choice filling, but the admission was confirmed only after physical verification of documents at the allotted institute. Documents like MBBS degree, mark sheets, internship completion certificate, medical registration, identity proof, and reservation certificates (if applicable) were verified. The MCC’s official website provided all information including the counselling schedule, instructions, FAQs, and the information bulletin for counselling. Candidates were advised to follow the official schedule strictly, as missing a deadline could mean losing the seat or chance in that round. By early 2026, the counselling process would conclude with students getting their allotted seats and the academic session for postgraduates commencing.
“NEET-PG 2025 candidates with total score at or above the cut-off are eligible to participate in the counseling for All India 50% quota seats, to be conducted by MCC of DGHS (MoHFW, Govt of India).”
How to Prepare for NEET PG 2025
Preparing for NEET PG 2025 required a systematic and thorough approach due to the vast syllabus and competitive nature of the exam. Aspirants typically begin their preparation many months in advance, revising all the subjects taught in MBBS. Since the official syllabus spans the entire MBBS curriculum, it’s important to cover all subjects – from first-year basics like Anatomy and Biochemistry to final-year clinical subjects like Medicine, Surgery, and Obstetrics & Gynecology. A common strategy is to focus on the high-yield topics in each subject: for instance, in Pathology (important disease mechanisms), Pharmacology (drugs of choice, mechanisms, side effects), Medicine (common conditions, diagnostics), etc. Students should refer to standard textbooks for conceptual clarity and use review books or notes for revision of key facts. Practicing MCQs is an integral part of preparation – it helps in recalling information and applying concepts to clinical scenarios, which NEET PG often tests.
Time management and question-solving strategy are crucial, especially given the section-wise timing pattern in NEET PG 2025. Candidates should practice completing 40 questions within ~40 minutes to simulate the section constraint. Taking mock tests regularly is highly recommended. Mock exams not only test one’s knowledge but also help build the stamina and speed required for the 3.5-hour exam. Analyzing each mock test to identify weak areas is equally important so that one can improve on those topics before the actual exam. It’s beneficial to solve previous years’ NEET PG papers or recalled questions to get an idea of the exam trend and difficulty level.
Given the presence of negative marking, aspirants must also strategize on intelligent guessing. Blind guessing can hurt the score, so it’s often suggested to attempt only when reasonably confident or able to eliminate some options. However, since leaving too many questions unattempted can also lower the score ceiling, one must strike a balance.
Candidates should also take care of their well-being during preparation. A healthy study routine with breaks, adequate sleep, and some physical activity can keep one refreshed and focused. Closer to the exam, revising important notes, high-yield charts, and summaries is very useful. Many top performers emphasize the last few weeks for intensive revision rather than learning new topics.
Importantly, NBEMS made a demo test available online for NEET PG. Every candidate should use this official demo test to become comfortable with the computer-based test interface, navigation between questions, and the section timing mechanism. Being familiar with the exam software beforehand can prevent technical anxiety on the actual exam day. Lastly, staying updated with any official notifications (such as changes in schedule or guidelines) by regularly checking the NBEMS website is advisable. With disciplined study, thorough revision, and sufficient practice, aspirants can approach NEET PG 2025 confidently. Remember that a calm and focused mind on exam day is as important as months of preparation.
“A demo test shall be available for the benefit of candidates to familiarise themselves with the computer-based test format on the NBEMS website.”
References (Official Sources):
- NBEMS – NEET-PG 2025 Information Bulletin (National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences, 2025). Official detailed brochure outlining exam schedule, eligibility, scheme, and guidelines for NEET PG 2025.
- NBEMS – Public Notice (Dated 11 June 2025) – “Tentative list of Exam cities and procedure to select the Exam city of NEET-PG 2025”. Announces the revised exam date (03.08.2025) and single shift plan, with instructions for re-selecting exam city.
- NBEMS – Result Notice (Dated 27 August 2025) – “Result of NEET-PG 2025 for All India 50% Quota Seats”. Declares the conduct of exam on 3 Aug 2025, result on 19 Aug 2025, and details about merit list and cut-off scores for various categories.
- Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) – NEET PG 2025 Counselling Information (Government of India). Official counselling schedule and instructions released by MCC for 50% AIQ postgraduate medical seats, 2025 session.