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The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is one of the most competitive medical entrance tests in India. Among the three subjects, Biology holds 50% of the total weightage. The NTA asks the majority of its questions from the NCERT, but not all of them. Therefore, students must review the differences between the NCERT and NEET syllabus to prepare effectively for the biology section. This article provides a detailed breakdown of NEET 2026 topics that do not match the NCERT syllabus. Students will also find the chapter-wise weightage and some important preparation tips to improve their preparation.
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As not much time is left for the NEET exam, knowing what to study and what to avoid becomes more important for aspirants. A clear analysis of the NCERT vs NEET syllabus for classes 11 and 12 highlights the topics which require additional reference beyond the NCERT. By following these updates and variations, students can plan their routine more efficiently. This article will guide them through the difference between the NCERT and NEET 2026 syllabus and make preparation more focused.
The biology section in the NEET 2026 exam contributes to 50% of the overall weightage. So, being aware of the NEET biology chapter-wise weightage becomes important to score well.
Given below is a table that includes all the chapters along with the number of questions asked in the past NEET 5 years. Some of the chapters are removed by the NTA, and these updates are regularly reflected in the difference between NCERT and NEET syllabi.
Chapters | Total Questions (2021–2025) |
|---|---|
15 | |
16 | |
30 | |
15 | |
8 | |
22 | |
22 | |
15 | |
15 | |
22 | |
12 | |
14 | |
20 | |
21 | |
26 | |
40 | |
19 | |
Transport in Plants | 5 |
12 | |
7 | |
Strategies for Enhancement in Food Production | 5 |
10 | |
6 | |
25 | |
10 | |
Digestion and Absorption | 7 |
13 | |
9 | |
6 | |
8 | |
13 | |
Reproduction in Organisms | 0 |
5 | |
9 | |
Mineral Nutrition | 2 |
5 | |
5 |
Understanding the syllabus is an important step in preparing effectively for the NEET 2026. The NCERT textbooks provide the basic concepts, but the NTA asks some additional and application-based questions. A table is provided below, which shows the NCERT vs NEET syllabus comparison. Regular practice of NEET Biology mock tests further improves students’ speed and boosts confidence.
| Concepts | NCERT | NEET |
|---|---|---|
Steps of Taxonomy | ✅ | ❌ |
Types of Life Cycles of the Plant Kingdom | ✅ | ❌ |
Characteristics and Classification of Angiosperms | ✅ | ❌ |
Epithelial tissue | ❌ | ✅ |
Semi-Technical Description of a Typical Flowering Plant | ✅ | ❌ |
Solanaceae Family | ✅ | ❌ |
Cartilage: Structure, Function and its Types | ❌ | ✅ |
Structure of Bone Tissue | ❌ | ✅ |
Anatomy of a Long Bone | ❌ | ✅ |
Types of Bones | ❌ | ✅ |
Fluid Connective Tissues | ❌ | ✅ |
Plasma in Blood | ❌ | ✅ |
Erythrocytes | ❌ | ✅ |
Leukocytes | ❌ | ✅ |
Types of Leukocytes | ❌ | ✅ |
Platelets In Blood | ❌ | ✅ |
Nervous Tissue | ❌ | ✅ |
Lenticels | ❌ | ✅ |
Metabolites and their types | ✅ | ❌ |
History and Discovery of Photosynthesis | ✅ | ❌ |
Micturition | ✅ | ❌ |
Refractory Periods | ✅ | ❌ |
MHC and Antigen Presenting Cells | ✅ | ❌ |
Animal Husbandry | ✅ | ❌ |
Inbreeding | ✅ | ❌ |
Difference between Out-breeding: Out-crossing and Cross-breeding | ✅ | ❌ |
Artificial Insemination & MOET | ✅ | ❌ |
Apiculture and Fisciculture | ✅ | ❌ |
Plant Breeding - Definition | ✅ | ❌ |
High-Yielding Varieties (HYVs) | ✅ | ❌ |
Plant Breeding for Disease Resistance: Conventional Breeding | ✅ | ❌ |
Plant Breeding for Disease Resistance: Mutation Breeding | ✅ | ❌ |
Plant Breeding for Disease and Pest Resistance | ✅ | ❌ |
Biofortification | ✅ | ❌ |
Single Cell Protein | ✅ | ❌ |
Tissue Culture & Somatic Hybridization | ✅ | ❌ |
Flavr Savr Tomatoes | ✅ | ❌ |
Golden Rice | ✅ | ❌ |
Molecular Farming | ✅ | ❌ |
Transgenic Microorganisms | ✅ | ❌ |
Major Abiotic Factors | ✅ | ❌ |
Responses To Abiotic Factors | ✅ | ❌ |
Adaptations | ✅ | ❌ |
Life History Variations | ✅ | ❌ |
Competitive Exclusion Principle | ✅ | ❌ |
Ecosystem Services | ✅ | ❌ |
Difference Between Alpha, Beta & Gamma Diversity | ✅ | ❌ |
The Earth Summit | ✅ | ❌ |
Understanding the NCERT vs NEET syllabus differences allows aspirants to prepare a proper NEET 2026 study plan.
They can identify those topics from the NEET biology syllabus which are frequently asked by the NTA but are not included in the NCERT.
Knowing the NCERT vs NEET syllabus comparison helps students avoid wasting time on the low-priority topics.
The difference between the NCERT and NEET syllabus provides clarity on which chapters need additional references beyond the NCERT books for NEET.
Candidates can aim for the scoring chapters first and practise 100 most important NEET biology questions to score 330+ marks in NEET exam using the NCERT vs NEET Syllabus differences.
Students can begin their NEET preparation by learning exactly what to study and what not to study. Given below are some tips that aspirants can follow to make the most use of the NCERT vs NEET syllabus for classes 11 and 12. Following the right NEET preparation tips, along with weightage, improves accuracy and confidence. A clear NCERT vs NEET syllabus comparison saves a lot of time and boosts overall performance.
Start the preparation by learning the NCERT vs NEET syllabus for classes 11 and 12 and the NEET chapter-wise weightage.
Make separate notes for the extra topics which are asked in the NEET 2026 using the NEET biology question paper.
Students can use the difference between the NCERT and NEET syllabus to create a checklist, which makes their preparation effective and efficient.
The NTA asks many questions about the important NEET biology diagrams, making it important for students to revise diagrams.
Candidates preparing for NEET at home use the NCERT vs NEET syllabus comparison to complete high-weightage chapters without coaching.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
NEET Biology is mostly based on the NCERT textbooks, mainly for the theory and the diagrams, but not 100%. Some questions in the NEET exam are asked beyond the NCERT by the NTA. Students will have to practice extra questions to build conceptual understanding and application-based skills.
The difference between NEET and NCERT syllabus mainly occurs in the additional topics, deeper application-based questions. Some advanced topics are included in NEET but are not fully explained in the NCERT textbooks. Going through the comparison helps aspirants identify such topics and prepare effectively.
Yes, it is possible to score 360 in Biology by studying the NCERT textbooks thoroughly. These books include all the theory, real-life examples, and well-labelled diagrams. Aspirants should focus on the biology chapter-wise weightage and practice NEET previous year question papers to score well in the exam.
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
Here are good career options for PCB students in India (excluding NEET/MBBS) that have high demand, jobs available, and long-term stability :
1. Biotechnology
Study: B.Sc/ B.Tech/ M.Sc in Biotechnology.
Jobs: Research, labs, pharma, agriculture biotech.
Why: Growing field with many industries.
2. Pharmacy
Study: B.Pharm, M.Pharm.
Jobs: Pharmacist,
HELLO,
Yes , the NEST exam is generally considered tougher than NEET as it requires more focus towards conceptual understanding and thinking , while NEET generally tests NCERT based knowledge where as in NEST it requires you to have deeper clarity in Physics , Chemistry , Biology and Mathematics.
NEET
Hello,
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission to medical and dental colleges in India. Biology is the most important section in NEET as it carries 360 marks, which is half of the total score, with 45 questions each from
HELLO,
Below i am attaching the link through which you can easily access the previous three year question paper of NEET with solutions PDF
Here is the link :- https://medicine.careers360.com/download/sample-papers/neet-previous-year-question-papers-solutions-pdf
Hope this will help you!
Hi there,
Apart from NEET and CUET you can explore the following career paths to
Students pursuing the PCB (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) stream can explore a wide range of options apart from CUET and NEET. Their choices are not just limited to medicine and can expand to include numerous areas
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