What is NEET PG?
NEET PG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - Postgraduate) is the single-window entrance examination for admission to MD, MS, and PG Diploma courses across India. Conducted by the National Board of Examinations (NBE), NEET PG replaced the multiple state-level and institute-level PG entrance exams in 2017.
Why NEET PG matters
- Single entrance for ~60,000 MD/MS/PG Diploma seats across India
- Required for central institutions (AIIMS, PGIMER, JIPMER, NIMHANS, SCTIMST) — note: these institutes also accept INI-CET
- Determines eligibility for state quota seats and private medical college seats
- Mandatory for foreign medical graduates (after FMGE)
NEET PG Exam Pattern 2026
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) at designated centres |
| Total MCQs | 200 |
| Time | 210 minutes (3.5 hours) |
| Marks per question | 4 marks |
| Negative marking | -1 per wrong answer |
| Total marks | 800 |
| Image-based MCQs | ~20-30 per paper (varies yearly) |
NEET PG Eligibility 2026
Educational qualification
- MBBS degree from an NMC-recognised medical college
- Provisional MBBS pass certificate acceptable at application stage
- 12-month compulsory rotating internship completed or completing by the NBE cutoff date
Registration
- Provisional or permanent registration certificate from NMC / State Medical Council
Nationality
- Indian citizen
- Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)
- Foreign nationals (separate quota, subject to MCI/NMC rules)
Age limit
- No upper age limit (per Supreme Court 2023 ruling)
- Must meet internship completion date
NEET PG Syllabus — Subject-wise Weightage
The NEET PG syllabus is derived from the MBBS curriculum as prescribed by the NMC. The 200 MCQs are distributed across:
| Section | Subjects | Approx. weightage |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-clinical | Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry | ~15% |
| Para-clinical | Pathology, Microbiology, Pharmacology, Forensic Medicine, PSM | ~30% |
| Clinical — Medicine & Allied | General Medicine, Psychiatry, Dermatology, TB & Chest | ~25% |
| Clinical — Surgery & Allied | General Surgery, Orthopaedics, Anaesthesia, Radio, Ophthalmology, ENT | ~20% |
| OBG & Paediatrics | Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Paediatrics | ~10% |
High-yield topics by subject
- Anatomy: Neuroanatomy, embryology, histology
- Physiology: Endocrine, CVS, Renal
- Biochemistry: Enzymes, metabolism, genetics
- Pathology: Neoplasia, inflammation, haematology
- Pharmacology: Autonomic, CNS, antimicrobials
- Medicine: Cardiology, endocrinology, neurology
- Surgery: GI surgery, trauma, oncology
- OBG: High-risk pregnancy, gynae oncology
- Paediatrics: Neonatology, immunisation
Best Books for NEET PG
- Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine — Medicine gold standard
- Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease — Pathology standard
- Bailey & Love + Manipal Manual of Surgery — Surgery combo
- KD Tripathi Pharmacology — concise Indian-context pharmacology
- Dutta OBG + Shaw Gynaecology — OBG combo
- OP Ghai + IAP Pediatrics — Pediatrics combo
- Review of AIIMS/NEET PG (Arora) — single-volume MCQ book
- Mudit Khanna MCQ book — clinical MCQs
NEET PG Cutoff 2026 (expected)
| Category | Qualifying percentile | Expected score (out of 800) |
|---|---|---|
| General / EWS | 50th percentile | 275-300 |
| General-PwD | 45th percentile | 250-275 |
| OBC / SC / ST | 40th percentile | 230-260 |
For top clinical branches: MD Medicine / Radio / Paediatrics require 600-700+ in recent years. Cutoffs change with the difficulty of the paper and the candidate pool.
6-month NEET PG study plan
Months 1-2: Pre & Para-clinical foundation
- Subject-wise reading: Robbins Pathology, KD Tripathi Pharmacology, Park PSM
- Solve 80 PYQs/day from the topic you read
- Maintain a notebook of high-yield facts
Months 3-4: Clinical subjects
- Harrison Medicine — 1 chapter/day + 60 PYQs from that chapter
- Surgery: Bailey & Love + Manipal Manual
- OBG + Paediatrics: Dutta + Ghai
- Take one full mock every Sunday
Months 5-6: Revision + Mocks
- Two full mocks per week
- Daily 100 random PYQs
- Image-based MCQ drill (30 min/day)
- Revise high-yield notes from previous 5 months
Image-based questions on NEET PG
Since 2019, NBE has included 20-30 image-based MCQs covering radiology, histopathology slides, dermatology images, clinical photographs, and instruments. Allocate dedicated daily practice — at least 30 minutes — to image-based questions. CrackCMS has a dedicated image-based filter in the question bank for this purpose.
NEET PG vs INI-CET — Which is harder?
INI-CET (for AIIMS, PGIMER, JIPMER, NIMHANS, SCTIMST) is considered more conceptual and image-heavy, with a faster pace (200 questions in 180 minutes vs 210 for NEET PG). NEET PG has a slightly higher negative marking penalty (-1 vs -1/3). Most toppers attempt both.
Why CrackCMS for NEET PG?
- 18,000+ NEET PG MCQs across all 19 subjects
- AI tutor trained on Harrison, Robbins, Bailey, Ghai, Park, Dutta
- All-India rank prediction after every mock test
- Spaced-repetition flashcards adapted to your weak areas
- Image-based MCQ drill with 1,000+ curated images
Frequently asked questions
What is NEET PG?
NEET PG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - Postgraduate) is the single-window entrance exam for MD/MS/PG Diploma courses in India, conducted by the National Board of Examinations (NBE).
How many questions are in NEET PG 2026?
NEET PG has 200 MCQs covering pre-clinical, para-clinical, and clinical subjects. Total marks: 800. Time: 210 minutes. Negative marking: -1 per wrong answer.
What is the NEET PG cutoff for MD/MS?
NEET PG cutoff varies by specialty and category. Top clinical branches (MD Medicine, MD Paediatrics, MD Radio) typically require 600-700+ out of 800. Cutoffs are published by MCC after each counselling round.
Can I prepare for NEET PG in 6 months?
Yes — a disciplined 6-month plan with 6-8 hours/day of study, weekly mocks, and AI-tutor-supported revision is sufficient for most candidates to clear NEET PG cutoff.
Does NEET PG have image-based questions?
Yes — since 2019, NEET PG includes image-based questions in radiology, histopathology, dermatology, and clinical photographs. Allocate at least 30 minutes daily to image-based practice.
Ready to start practising?
CrackCMS combines AI tutoring with 1,920+ PYQs and a full mock-test simulator.