How to Minimize Negative Markings in the NEET 2025? - Check Here

How to Minimize Negative Markings in the NEET 2025? - Check Here

Irshad AnwarUpdated on 21 Nov 2025, 11:42 AM IST

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is one of India’s most competitive exams and plays a major role in securing admission to top medical colleges. With lakhs of aspirants appearing every year, every mark becomes important, especially because negative marking can greatly affect the final score. Since NEET awards +4 marks for every correct answer and deducts 1 mark for every wrong attempt, even a small mistake can make a big difference. This makes it important for students to understand how to avoid unnecessary mistakes and protect their overall score.

This Story also Contains

  1. NEET 2026 Negative Marking Overview
  2. How to Calculate Negative Marking in NEET 2026?
  3. Reasons for Negative Marking in the NEET Exam?
  4. How to Minimise Negative Markings in the NEET 2026 Exam?
  5. Common Mistakes to Avoid in the NEET 2026 Exam
How to Minimize Negative Markings in the NEET 2025? - Check Here
How to Minimize Negative Markings in the NEET 2026?

If a NEET 2026 aspirant attempts a mock test and ends up marking a wrong answer instead of securing +4, they actually lose a total of 5 marks. Just a few such mistakes can lower the final score and reduce the chances of achieving a good All India Rank. Negative marking also affects confidence and impacts college allotment during counselling sessions. To perform well in the NEET exam, students must learn strategies that help reduce negative marking and improve accuracy.

NEET 2026 Negative Marking Overview

Below is the overview of the NEET 2026 negative marking:

Subject

Total Question

Total Marks

Marks for Correct Answer

Marks for Incorrect Answer

Marks for Unanswered Questions

Physics

45

180

+4

-1

0

Chemistry

45

180

+4

-1

0

Biology

90

360

+4

-1

0

How to Calculate Negative Marking in NEET 2026?

It is important for all the aspirants to understand how negative marking is done in NEET 2026. There are 180 mandatory questions in the exam with a maximum of 720 marks. Learning how the answers are marked can help analyse the performance better and prevent unnecessary loss of marks.

To find out the total negative marks, count the number of questions answered incorrectly. Then, use the formula given below to approximate your final NEET score:

NEET Total Score = (Number of Correct Answers × 4) – (Number of Incorrect Answers × 1)

This means you gain +4 marks for each correct answer and lose 1 mark for every wrong answer. Skipped questions carry no marks - positive or negative.

Reasons for Negative Marking in the NEET Exam?

Negative marks can reduce your chances of entering a good medical college. Knowing the pattern of the exam and applying proper strategies can prevent you from losing marks.

Guesswork/Random guessing

  • Some aspirants randomly mark answers, hoping for luck. Probability says that guessing won’t help in the long run - they’ll end up losing marks.

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OMR Filling Mistake

  • Some aspirants fill in the wrong option in the OMR sheet, but this mistake is fixable. They mess up the question sequence, and all the hard work goes to waste.

  • While filling out the OMR, align the question number properly, place a finger on the number, double-check, and then carefully fill in the bubble.

NEET 2026 Free Mock Test with Solutions
Download the NEET 2026 Free Mock Test PDF with detailed solutions. Practice real exam-style questions, analyze your performance, and enhance your preparation.
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Not reading the question properly.

  • This is very common, especially with statement-based, assertion-reason, and twisted NCERT line questions.

  • While reading questions, underline keywords like “not,” “correct,” “incorrect,” etc. Underline key terms while attempting the paper. This helps avoid misinterpretation and prevents silly mistakes.

Assertion-Reason Confusion

  • Aspirants often get confused between “A is the correct explanation of R” and “A is not the correct explanation of R.”

  • The more they practice, the better their approach becomes.

Not reading all the options.

  • Commonly, aspirants just see option A, think it's right, and mark it without checking options B, C, and D. This is a major mistake.

  • Use the option elimination method. Eliminate wrong options first, then choose the best one. This way, their answer are more accurate.

Not analysing the mock test.

  • If aspirants don't analyse their mock tests properly, they're likely to repeat the same mistakes. So the rule is they should not attempt the next mock test until they've fully analysed the previous one.

  • Analyse and revise weak topics, then go for the next mock. That’s the only way to improve.

How to Minimise Negative Markings in the NEET 2026 Exam?

The negative marking can be improved by post-test analysis practice. After every mock test:

1. Be Familiar with the Exam Pattern

Being aware of the NEET Exam pattern allows you to use your time more effectively and prevent errors.

2. Be Precise

Answer only those questions where you are sure. Don't guess, as guessing will cost you negative marks. Stick to attempting the questions you know.

3. Practice Mock Tests

NEET Mock tests help you in:

  • Identifying your weak areas.

  • Using your time more effectively.

  • Feel more confident.

4. Smart Strategy

While taking the exam:

  • Do easy questions first.

  • Skip tough questions and return to them later.

  • Make an effort to rule out incorrect options to guess correctly.

5. Do Not Overthink

  • Do not waste time on easy questions.

  • Have faith in your practice and answer confidently.

6. Build Concepts

  • Be confident with the concepts of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.

  • This will prevent errors due to misunderstandings.

7. Time Management

Good time management allows you not to rush and thus avoid mistakes:

  • Give time to each subject.

  • Spend the last 10 minutes checking your answers.

NEET Syllabus: Subjects & Chapters
Select your preferred subject to view the chapters

Common Mistakes to Avoid in the NEET 2026 Exam

  1. Guessing Without Thinking: Don't guess at random.

  2. Not Practising Mock Tests: There are more mistakes without practice.

  3. Poor Time Management: Hurrying results in incorrect answers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How to avoid negative marking in NEET?
A:

Avoid negative marking in NEET by attempting only well-prepared questions, skipping doubtful ones, and using smart guessing with elimination.

Q: How to calculate negative marking in NEET?
A:

In NEET, each correct answer gives +4 marks, while every wrong answer deducts -1 mark, which is how negative marking is calculated.

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Questions related to NEET

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to NEET ?

First, understand the NEET syllabus clearly for Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Focus only on the NCERT syllabus, as most NEET questions are directly or indirectly based on NCERT, especially in Biology and Chemistry. Avoid unnecessary reference books at this stage.

Divide your 4 months into phases. In the first 2 months, focus on completing the entire syllabus. Study Biology daily, as it carries the highest weightage. Read NCERT Biology line by line, make short notes, and revise regularly. For Chemistry, give priority to NCERT for Inorganic and Organic Chemistry. Practice basic numericals and reactions consistently. In Physics, focus on understanding concepts and practicing standard questions rather than memorizing formulas.

In the third month, start intensive revision along with topic-wise and full-length mock tests. Analyze each test carefully to identify weak areas and work on them. Improve time management and accuracy during this phase.

In the last month, focus mainly on revision and mock tests. Revise NCERT multiple times, especially Biology diagrams, tables, and examples. Avoid learning new topics at the last moment. Maintain a proper sleep schedule and take short breaks to avoid burnout.

Stay consistent, avoid distractions, and believe in your preparation. Even a few focused hours daily with proper planning can make a big difference. All the best!

Scoring 600+ marks in NEET within 4 months is definitely challenging, especially if you are starting almost from scratch, but it is not impossible. It largely depends on your discipline, daily study hours, clarity of basics, and how smartly you plan your preparation.

First, you need to be very realistic and focused. In 4 months, your main goal should be to strengthen NCERT-based concepts rather than trying to study everything in extreme detail. NEET questions are largely NCERT-oriented, especially in Biology and Chemistry. If you can master NCERT thoroughly, your chances improve significantly.

Biology should be your top priority because it carries the maximum weightage and is comparatively scoring. Read NCERT line by line for both Class 11 and 12. Revise multiple times and practice MCQs daily. Even if Physics feels tough initially, focus on high-weightage and formula-based chapters like Modern Physics, Current Electricity, Semiconductors, Ray Optics, and Laws of Motion. Chemistry can be divided smartly: give more time to Organic and Inorganic NCERT, and practice numericals regularly for Physical Chemistry.

You should ideally study 10–12 focused hours daily with a fixed timetable. Daily revision and weekly full-length mock tests are extremely important. Initially, your mock scores may be low, but what matters is consistent improvement and learning from mistakes. Analyze each test carefully to understand weak areas.

Since you are already enrolled in another college, time management becomes even more important. Try to minimize distractions and use early mornings or late evenings effectively. Avoid too many reference books; stick to NCERT and one reliable question bank.

That said, aiming for 600+ in 4 months is ambitious and depends on your learning speed and consistency. Even if you fall slightly short, a strong score improvement can still open opportunities in government or private colleges depending on category and cutoff trends.

Stay disciplined, trust the process, and do not compare your journey with others. Many students have made significant jumps in short durations with focused effort. All the best.

Hello,

Here are the important naming reactions for the NEET preparation.

Naming Reaction for NEET Preparation

Hope it helps your preparation. Good luck.


Hello

If you are asking about Motilal Nehru Medical College (MLN Medical College), Prayagraj, then admission is strictly through the NEET exam. For MBBS in this medical college, students usually need a high NEET rank because the cutoff is quite competitive.

In recent years, the closing ranks have often been within the top 20,000–30,000. This means you need a strong score to secure a seat. The exact marks may change every year depending on difficulty and competition.

You can get more information by visiting Careers360.com.

Hi

If you are a class 12th (Arts Stream) student, then you are not directly eligible for the NEET exam because you must belong to the Medical Science stream and have main subjects like Physics, Chemistry and Biology. This exam contains questions from these three subjects. But you can fulfil your dream to become a doctor by completing these subjects in class 12th from an open school like NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling), and then you will be eligible for the NEET exam. You need to score 50% marks in Physics, Chemistry and Biology. This step is the correct way for you.

Thank you.