What is INI-CET?
INI-CET (Institute of National Importance - Combined Entrance Test) is the common entrance examination for admission to PG medical courses (MD, MS, DM, MCh, MDS) at the Institutes of National Importance:
- AIIMS — All India Institute of Medical Sciences (Delhi, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Patna, Raipur, Rishikesh, Mangalagiri, Nagpur, Bathinda, Bibinagar, Kalyani, Gorakhpur, Guwahati, Raebareli, Deoghar, Rajkot, Bilaspur)
- PGIMER — Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh
- JIPMER — Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, Puducherry
- NIMHANS — National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore
- SCTIMST — Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum
INI-CET Exam Pattern
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Total MCQs | 200 |
| Time | 180 minutes (3 hours) |
| Marks per question | 1 mark |
| Negative marking | -1/3 per wrong answer |
| Total marks | 200 |
| Frequency | Twice a year (January & July sessions) |
INI-CET Eligibility
- MBBS / BDS / equivalent from an NMC / DCI-recognised institution
- 12-month compulsory rotating internship completed by the cutoff date
- Provisional or permanent NMC / State Medical Council registration
- Indian citizenship (OCI eligibility varies by institute)
INI-CET Syllabus
The syllabus mirrors the MBBS curriculum prescribed by NMC. Subject-wise distribution:
- Pre-clinical (Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry) — ~15%
- Para-clinical (Pathology, Microbiology, Pharmacology, Forensic, PSM) — ~25%
- Clinical Medicine & Allied — ~25%
- Clinical Surgery & Allied — ~20%
- OBG & Paediatrics — ~15%
Image-based questions
INI-CET papers feature a significant proportion of image-based questions (radiology, histopathology, dermatology, instruments, clinical photographs). Allocate at least 30-45 minutes daily to image-based practice for the last 8 weeks before the exam.
Best books for INI-CET
- Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine
- Robbins Pathology + Robbins Review Questions
- Bailey & Love + Manipal Manual of Surgery
- Solve last 10 years of AIIMS, PGI, JIPMER papers — these are the most relevant patterns
- Review of AIIMS / PGI / JIPMER (Arora)
4-month INI-CET study plan
Month 1: Subject-wise foundation
- Read Medicine (Harrison) — 1 chapter/day
- Solve 60 PYQs/day from the chapter
Month 2: Surgery + OBG + Paediatrics
- Bailey + Manipal + Dutta + Ghai
- Solve 80 PYQs/day
Month 3: PSM + Para-clinical + Mocks
- Read Park PSM cover-to-cover
- Take one full mock every Sunday
- 30 minutes of image-based MCQs daily
Month 4: Revision + Intensive mocks
- Two full mocks per week
- 100 random PYQs per day
- Revise high-yield notes
Why CrackCMS for INI-CET?
- 12,000+ INI-CET MCQs spanning AIIMS, PGIMER, JIPMER, NIMHANS
- AI tutor that explains with mnemonics and clinical pearls
- Image-based MCQ drill with dedicated filter
- Mock tests with the exact AIIMS CBT interface
Frequently asked questions
What is INI-CET?
INI-CET is the common entrance test for PG medical courses at AIIMS, PGIMER Chandigarh, JIPMER Puducherry, NIMHANS Bangalore, and SCTIMST Trivandrum. Conducted twice a year by AIIMS.
How many questions in INI-CET?
200 MCQs in 180 minutes. 1 mark per question, -1/3 negative marking. Total: 200 marks.
Is INI-CET harder than NEET PG?
INI-CET questions are more conceptual and image-heavy. Cutoffs are typically higher relative to the candidate pool. Most aspirants attempt both exams.
Ready to start practising?
CrackCMS combines AI tutoring with 1,920+ PYQs and a full mock-test simulator.