NEET UG eligibility and age limit

NEET UG is the entrance test for MBBS, BDS and other undergraduate medical courses. The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts it, and its information bulletin for the year is the only final word on who is eligible. This page is a plain-language summary of recent bulletins, not a replacement for the current one.

Age

• Minimum age is 17 years on or before 31 December of the year of admission.
• Recent bulletins have not set an upper age limit. Check the current bulletin, because this has been decided by courts and regulators before and can change.

Education

• Class 12 (or an equivalent examination) passed, or appearing, with Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Biotechnology, and English.
• Minimum marks in Physics, Chemistry and Biology together in the qualifying examination are set by the medical regulator and differ by category (General, reserved categories, and candidates with benchmark disabilities). The bulletin lists the exact percentages.
• Candidates who are appearing in Class 12 must pass it before admission. Admission is not final without it.

Nationality and attempts

• Indian nationals, NRIs, OCIs, PIOs and foreign nationals can apply, with different seat rules for each group.
• Recent bulletins have not limited the number of attempts. Seat rules in counselling are separate from the right to appear.

Eligibility to appear is not eligibility for a seat

Appearing in the test and getting a seat are two different checks. State quota seats can need a domicile or residence proof, and some institutions have their own conditions. Read the counselling guide before you fill any choices.

Next steps

• See how the paper is built: NEET UG exam pattern.
• Check the form and fee steps: NEET application form and fee.
• Track dates: NEET UG exam date.

Source: recent NTA NEET UG information bulletins (neet.nta.nic.in). Not yet checked line by line against the current year's bulletin. If you find a difference, tell us.