NEET Difficulty Level 2026 - Expected Paper Level, Previous Year Exam Level

NEET difficulty level 2026

The NEET difficulty level 2026 can vary based on the set of questions prepared by the examiners and it also depends on individual perspectives and preparation levels. The exact difficulty level of NEET 2026 will be updated here after the conclusion the exam. Meanwhile, candidates can check the previous year's NEET difficulty level.

Previous year NEET difficulty level - Subject-wise

Candidates can check NEET UG previous year's difficulty level below.

NEET 2025 exam analysis by leading institutes

The NEET-UG 2025 exam was harder than in past years. Students and experts said that the Physics questions were really challenging. The Chemistry test was also long, and it had questions with multiple correct answers, which confused many students. The Botany and Zoology sections were lengthy too, making it take longer to finish the exam. Since the test followed the pre-COVID format and was tough, it seems like getting a high score will be harder for students than in previous years.

NEET 2024 exam analysis

Physics was the toughest, while Zoology was the easiest. The numerical questions in Physics were quite lengthy. NEET 2024 was expected to be more competitive due to the record-high registrations this year. This year over 24 lakh students have registered for NEET 2024, making it the highest ever registrations. Also, there has not been any significant increase in the seats available, resulting towards the rise of difficulty in NEET 2024.

NEET 2024 Physics analysis by Aakash

Difficulty Level – Difficult and lengthy

• 70-75% of questions were numerical, the rest were theory-based.

• A few questions were time-consuming due to long mathematical calculations.

• The multi-statement-based questions were tricky and time-consuming.

• Questions from the Wheatstone Bridge were a little bit difficult.

• One question was out of the syllabus.

NEET UG 2024 Chemistry paper analysis

Difficulty Level – Easy to moderate

• Most questions were NCERT-based.

• 11 questions were numerical.

• 14 questions were from Organic Chemistry, 18 from Inorganic, and the same number of questions were from Physical Chemistry.

• Both sections - A and B had almost an equal share of questions from Organic, Inorganic and Physical Chemistry.

NEET Botany 2024 paper analysis

Difficulty level – Easy to moderate

• All questions were from the NCERT textbooks

• Only 2 were not from NCERT.

• Equal questions were from the Class 11 and 12 syllabi.

• Majority questions were fact-based

• Few questions were concept-based

• Match-the-column-type questions dominated the Botany section.

• Most questions were from genetics.

NEET UG 2024 Zoology analysis

Difficulty Level – Moderate but lengthy

• The syllabus of Class 12 dominated the paper.

• 5 questions each were from Human Reproduction, Human Health and Disease, and Biotechnology.

• 17 questions were of match-the-column type.

• 8 questions were statement-based and 5 two-statement-based questions.

• 2 questions were from assertion-reason category

NEET difficulty level 2023

NEET 2023 Paper level and analysis by Aakash Institute

• Difficulty level – Easy to Moderate

• Majority of questions were numerical with 78% which is more in comparison to previous years' NEET-UG 2022 exam

• One question is incorrect as the four options are worded incorrectly.

• The Physics section was based on the NCERT syllabus.

• Comparatively tricky questions are found in Section B.

• Two questions in section A are based on statement-based questions.

• The difficulty level of Physics was same as that of NEET-UG 2022 exam but slightly longer due to more numerical problems.

NEET 2023 Chemistry analysis by Aakash

• Difficulty Level – Moderate with a few difficult questions.

• Questions are based on the NCERT statements, facts and graphs.

• Statements are taken from NCERT with several modifications.

• Assertion-Reason-type questions are introduced in both sections A and B. Such questions demand deep clarity of concepts to answer correctly.

• The question paper is dominated by theory-based questions having only 6 numerical.

• The Chemistry section is slightly longer due to questions based on conceptual understanding.

• Completely based on the NCERT syllabus with no questions beyond the NCERT syllabus.

• The questions are equally distributed among Inorganic, Organic and Physical Chemistry.

• 3-4 questions are of higher order thinking skills.

• In comparison to NEET-UG 2022, this year there are more Assertion-Reason type questions and relatively few Matrix-match questions.

NEET 2023 Botany analysis by Aakash

• Difficulty level – Moderate to Difficult

• Most of the questions are lengthy and time-consuming.

• The majority of the questions are asked from the NCERT textbooks with a few options beyond the NCERT syllabus

• Some questions are straightforward from the lines of NCERT textbooks.

• A few questions are difficult and seem tricky.

• There is no controversial question.

• Statement-based and Assertion-Reason type questions dominate the paper.

• The majority of questions are factual with a few concept-based questions

• In comparison to NEET-UG 2022, there are no incorrect questions this time.

NEET 2023 Zoology analysis by Aakash

• Difficulty Level – Easy to moderate

• Lengthy and time-consuming due to numerous Match the Column type questions along with Statement-based questions

• Certain questions appear to be easy at first glance but they are twisted and require precision and focus on the keywords.

• The Zoology section is based on the NCERT syllabus and requires an understanding of the meaning between the lines

• From the Class 11th syllabus, questions from the chapters clubbed in Unit – Human Physiology strongly dominate the paper. While from the Class 12th syllabus, numerous questions are asked from the Units - BioTechnology and Reproduction.

• The Zoology section is highly NCERT-centric

NEET difficulty level 2022

Mansi described the exam as moderately difficult. The NEET paper went well for her. Across all sections, the difficulty level was the same. This year's exam was a bit more challenging than last year's papers. It was her first time attempting it. She wasn't happy with the extra 20 minutes added to the NEET exam this year. It worked against her expectations.

NEET 2022 paper level - Physics analysis

Difficulty level – Easy to Moderate

• Numerical dominated the paper with 60% which is mildly less as compared to the previous 2021 Exam.

• One Question in Physics based on the photoelectric effect had controversial language wherein stopping potential values were interchanged.

• Comparatively Tricky questions were asked in chapter Oscillations.

• The physics portion was completely based on NCERT and no questions beyond NCERT were present.

• Comparatively tricky questions were found in Section B.

• Two questions were based on the Matrix-Match Type pattern, one in Section A and one in Section B, demanding more time to solve the question.

• The paper was not lengthy, like last year, and should be easily completed on time.

NEET UG 2022 Chemistry paper analysis

Difficulty Level - Easy to Moderate

• Most questions are based on NCERT statements, facts, and tables.

• Statements are directly copied from NCERT without any changes.

• Assertion Reason type of questions introduced in section A. Such questions demand deep clarity of concepts to answer correctly.

• The question paper is dominated by theory-based questions having only 11 numerical.

• One question is having a typo error leading to no match for the correct answer.

NEET 2022 paper Level - Botany analysis

Difficulty level - Moderate to difficult

• A few questions are difficult and seem tricky

• Questions are from NCERT textbooks only

• Some questions are straightforward from the lines of NCERT textbooks.

• Majority of questions are factual with a few concept-based questions.

• 2 questions are incorrect belonging to Living World and Anatomy of flowering plants

• The paper was quite lengthy as many questions are long statements making it time-consuming

NEET UG 2022 Difficulty Level - Zoology analysis

Difficulty Level – Moderate

• The Zoology Paper was lengthy

• Certain questions appear to be easy at first glance but they are twisted and require precision and focus on the keywords.

• A surprising factor is a few questions from Biomolecules and Biotechnology and its Applications which are beyond NCERT

• Most of the Questions are from NCERT Textbooks.

• Chapters from Biotechnology have dominated strongly with 8 questions based on it.

• Paper is highly NCERT-centric yet two to three questions appear to be interlinked and require a deep understanding of concepts

NEET 2021 question paper difficulty level

Candidates who appeared for the NEET 2021 exam shared the difficulty level and analysis, which can be checked below.

• Shivam who attempted for the first time in NEET 2021 said that the exam was moderate. The paper was given half an hour after the NEET exam started. Biology is the easiest section, while Physics is the toughest one.

• Navdeep Chaudhary shared that the NEET question paper was easy but the exam started 30 minutes later than the scheduled time. The exam centre provided the NEET OMR sheet at 2:30 PM. NEET Biology was based on NCERT, while Physics was a bit tough and Chemistry was moderate. Questions were asked about Electrostatics, Modern Physics, and Heat.

• Mohammad Parvez said that the NEET exam was normal. This was his trial attempt and will again take the exam next year. Physics was hard while Chemistry was moderate and Biology was the easiest one.

Candidates can check the subject-wise difficulty level of NEET 2021 below.

NEET 2021 difficulty level for Physics

The Physics section of the NEET exam was considered the most difficult section. 45 questions carrying 180 marks were asked in the NEET Physics section. Questions asked in Physics were lengthy and involved tricky calculations. Director of Aakash Educational Services, Aakash Chaudhary on NEET Physics difficulty level said “On an average, 85% of the questions asked in NEET UG exam were easy or average difficulty level. “

NEET Physics difficulty level last year by Aakash Institute

NEET Chemistry difficulty level 2021

The difficulty level of NEET Chemistry was moderate. Questions in the NEET Chemistry section were considered as highest scoring. Like Physics, the Chemistry section also included 45 questions for 180 marks in the NEET 2021 question paper. A good number of questions in the Chemistry section of the NEET exam were based on NCERTs.

NEET Chemistry difficulty level last year by Aakash Institute

NEET difficulty level 2021 for Biology

The overall difficulty level of NEET Biology was easy to moderate and questions were scored. The Biology section of the NEET UG exam involved questions in the form of tables and matches the following. The number of questions asked from Botany and Zoology were approximately equal in the NEET Biology section.

NEET Biology difficulty level last year by Aakash Institute

NEET 2020 Difficulty level

For the year 2020, the NEET UG exam was postponed thrice. The overall difficulty level of the NEET UG exam was moderate. The NEET Physics section last year was the most difficult of the three and NEET Biology was the easiest. The difficulty level of the NEET Chemistry section was easy to moderate last year. Questions were easy to attempt and based on NCERTs.

Difficulty level of NEET 2020

Difficulty level of NEET 2019

In 2019, NEET Physics was the most difficult section followed by Chemistry and Biology. As per NEET difficulty level analysis by Shailendra Maheshwari from Career Point, "Physics questions were equally divided in Class 11 and 12. Mechanics and Modern Physics covered 50% of the section.” As per NEET exam analysis, the “NEET 2019 Chemistry section was dominated by Physical Chemistry,” said Maheshwari.

NEET 2019 difficulty level

Difficulty level of NEET 2018

The NEET Physics section with 45 questions was the toughest section of the exam. Questions asked in the Physics section involved tricky calculations. In the Chemistry section of the NEET question paper formula-based numericals were asked. In the biology section, more questions were asked from the botany section than zoology.

NEET 2018 difficulty level

NEET exam pattern 2026

Students preparing for NEET 2026 should be familiar with the exam pattern. The NEET exam pattern consists of the mode and language of the exam, the number of questions asked, the type of questions and the marking scheme.

NEET 2026 exam pattern

• Exam mode: The NEET exam is conducted offline, that is, in pen-paper mode.

• Exam duration: The duration of the NEET-UG exam is 3 hours.

• Exam languages: NEET UG 2026 is conducted in 13 different languages, including Hindi, English, and 11 other regional languages.

• Number and type of questions: A total of 180 multiple-choice questions are asked in NEET 2026.

• Total marks: NEET exam 2026 is conducted for a total of 720 marks.

• NEET marking scheme: As per NEET UG 2026 marking scheme, four marks are awarded for each correct answer and one mark is deducted for every wrong answer.

Also read:

• How to study Physics for NEET?

• How to study for NEET 2026 Chemistry?

• How to study Biology for NEET 2026?

• How to prepare for NEET 2026 using mock tests?

• How to crack NEET 2026 in the first attempt?