NEET Attempt Limit 2026: NTA Rules on Attempts, Age & Eligibility

NEET Attempt Limit 2026: NTA Rules on Attempts, Age & Eligibility

Deep PathakUpdated on 26 Dec 2025, 10:49 AM IST

The NEET attempt limit 2026 is the maximum allowed attempts a candidate can have to appear in the NEET UG exam. Currently there is no NEET attempt limit and any candidate who fulfils the eligibility criteria set by the NTA can give as many attempts as he/she wants. However, for NEET 2026, candidates have only one attempt as the exam will be conducted only one time in 2026. Earlier in 2017, when CBSE was conducting the exam, the attempt limit for NEET was three. However, later on this NEET attempts limit was removed by MCI (Now NMC).

This Story also Contains

  1. NEET Attempt Limit 2026: Overview
  2. NEET 2026 Attempt Limit
  3. NEET Exam Attempt Limit: History
  4. NEET Attempt Age Limit: Complete Guide
  5. NEET Attempt Limit for Droppers
  6. NEET Eligibility Criteria 2026
NEET Attempt Limit 2026: NTA Rules on Attempts, Age & Eligibility
NEET Attempt Limit 2026

NEET 2026 will be conducted by NTA for admission to MBBS, BDS, and AYUSH courses in government and private colleges of India. As it is the single largest entrance for undergraduate admission, knowing the NEET 2026 attempt limit is crucial for students. Aspirants often search for queries like “How many attempts for NEET”, should know that currently there is no attempt limit for NEET. Read the complete article to know comprehensive details about the NEET attempt limit 2026.

NEET Attempt Limit 2026: Overview

Particular

Details

Exam name

NEET UG 2026

Conducting body

NTA

Mode of exam

Offline

Attempts limit

No limit

Age limit

  • Minimum age - 17 years on December 31, 2026

  • Maximum age - No limit

NEET 2026 Attempt Limit

For 2026, there is only one attempt limit for candidates, since the NEET UG exam is conducted once a year. However, candidates fulfilling the NEET eligibility criteria can appear as many times as they want for the exam. The complete details regarding the attempt limit will be provided in the information bulletin of NEET 2026.

NEET Exam Attempt Limit: History

The history of NEET attempts started from 2017 when CBSE was the conducting body of NEET UG. In 2017, CBSE introduced the NEET attempt age limit. As per this, from 2017 onwards, the attempt limit for NEET UG was fixed to “Three”. Alongside this attempt limit, the CBSE also introduced the upper age limit in NEET, and fixed it to a maximum of 25 years.

1763632543548

Official Link of This PIB Copy

However this restriction on the age and attempt limit for NEET was criticised citing this will limit the number of doctors in the country. Later in 2017, the attempt limit from NEET was removed and candidates were allowed to appear for the exam as many times as they wanted.

NEET Attempt Age Limit: Complete Guide

Many aspirants often get confused with the age and attempt limit for NEET. Both the attempt limit and age limit are different. Below is a comparison of NEET attempt limit and age limit.

NEET Attempt vs Age Limit

Parameter

Status (2026)

Details

Attempt limit

No limit

Unlimited attempts allowed

Upper age limit

No limit

Removed by NMC

Lower age limit

17 years

By Dec 31, 2026

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

NEET Attempt Limit for Droppers

There is no attempt limit in NEET for droppers. As long as a dropper student meets the eligibility criteria set by the NTA, he/she is eligible for the NEET exam. Till 2017, there were some restrictions on NEET attempts for dropper students, which later on were removed.

NEET Eligibility Criteria 2026

To be eligible for NEET 2026, candidates must fulfil these eligibility criteria -

  • Candidates must have passed or be appearing in Class 12 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as core subjects from a recognised board.

  • Aspirants should have scored the minimum marks required in PCB: 50% for General (UR), 40% for OBC/SC/ST, and 45% for PwBD (General) candidates.

  • The candidate must be 17 years old on or before December 31, 2026.

  • The candidate must be an Indian citizen, NRIs, OCIs, PIOs, and foreign nationals.

JSS University Mysore 2025

NAAC A+ Accredited| Ranked #24 in University Category by NIRF | Applications open for multiple UG & PG Programs

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How many NEET attempts are allowed?
A:

Candidates can attempt the NEET exam as many times as they want. There is no restriction in the NEET attempts limit.

Q: How many NEET attempts are there in a year?
A:

Since NEET is conducted only one time a year, there is only one attempt available in a year.

Q: How many drops are allowed in NEET?
A:

There is no limit on the number of “Drops” allowed in the NEET UG exam. Candidates can take a “Drop” as many times as they want.

Q: Can a candidate attempt NEET 4th time?
A:

Yes a candidate can attempt NEET 4th time. However, the candidate must fulfil the NEET UG eligibility criteria set by the NTA.

Q: When was the NEET attempt limit removed?
A:

The NEET attempt limit was removed in 2017 by the Medical Council of India, MCI (Now NMC).

Q: NEET attempt limit for OBC?
A:

There is no attempt limit for OBC candidates in NEET. They can appear any number of times if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Q: NEET attempt limit for General category?
A:

There is no attempt limit in NEET for General category candidates. They can attempt NEET as many times as they want.

Articles
|
Upcoming Medicine Exams
Ongoing Dates
Odisha BSc Nursing Counselling Date

1 Dec'25 - 31 Dec'25 (Online)

Ongoing Dates
Haryana BSc Nursing Counselling Date

29 Dec'25 - 31 Dec'25 (Online)

Upcoming Dates
UPSSSC ANM Exam Date

11 Jan'26 - 11 Jan'26 (Offline)

Certifications By Top Providers
Biomolecules Structure Function in Health and Disease
Via All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi
Industrial Biotechnology
Via Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
Certificate Course in Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Methodology
Via Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal
Nutrition in the Health Sector
Via The University of Adelaide, Adelaide
Certificate in Naturopathy and Yogic Science
Via Institute of Paramedical Science and Management, Delhi
Yoga Practices 1
Via Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana, Bangalore
Coursera
 355 courses
Futurelearn
 310 courses
Edx
 233 courses
Udemy
 191 courses
Explore Top Universities Across Globe

Questions related to NEET

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to NEET ?

Hello,

Yes, if you cleared NEET and your 12th with PCB and English, especially with an MPHW vocational background, and completed a necessary bridge course, you meet the core educational criteria, making you eligible for MBBS counselling (MCC/State Quota).

I hope it will clear your query!!

Yes, MCC can reduce the NEET PG cutoff if many seats remain vacant during counselling. The decision depends on seat availability in each round. Cutoff reduction does not happen every year. Candidates should keep checking the official MCC website for updates.

Hi dear candidate,

The NEET exam 2026 syllabus can be downloaded in PDF format in Hindi language from our official website with the link attached below.

Link: NEET Syllabus 2026 (Out now) in Hindi Careers360

Important topics:-

Physics: Optics, electrostatics, modern physics

Chemistry: Hydrocarbons, chemical bonding, aldehydes

Biology: Reproduction, biotechnology,

Hello there

Having proper knowledge about the syllabus is the first step towards preparing of any examination. It gives you detailed information about all the topics to cover.

Here is the link attached from the official website of Careers360 which will provide you with the NEET exam syllabus in Hindi.

Hello there,

Solving previous year question papers is one of the best methods of preparation. It gives you a proper idea about the exam pattern and important topics to cover.

Here is the link attached from the official website of Careers360 which will provide you with the NEET exam previous