NEET MDS Exam Pattern 2026 - Marking Scheme, Negative Marking, Exam Timing

NEET MDS Exam Pattern 2026 - Marking Scheme, Negative Marking, Exam Timing

Manisha TiwariUpdated on 16 Aug 2025, 10:48 AM IST

The National Board of Examinations (NBE) releases the exam pattern for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Master of Dental Surgery. As per the NEET MDS 2026 exam pattern, the question paper will be divided into two parts: Part A and Part B, with sectional timings of 75 minutes and 105 minutes, respectively. Candidates will not be allowed to proceed to the next part until the allotted time for the current part is over. Moreover, once the time for Part A is completed, candidates will not be able to review or make any changes to it.

This Story also Contains

  1. NEET MDS exam pattern 2026
  2. NEET MDS question paper pattern 2026: Distribution of questions
  3. NEET MDS 2026 paper pattern: Marking scheme
  4. NEET MDS syllabus 2026
  5. NEET MDS section marking distribution
  6. NEET MDS 2026 exam day schedule
NEET MDS Exam Pattern 2026 - Marking Scheme, Negative Marking, Exam Timing
NEET MDS

NBE conducts the NEET MDS in a single session in computer-based mode (CBT). As per the NEET MDS exam pattern, the CBT exam covers the BDS syllabus, which includes Pre-Clinical, Clinical and Paraclinical topics. A total of 240 multiple-choice questions are asked in the examination. The test duration is three hours, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, as per the NEET MDS exam pattern 2026. Read the full article to know comprehensively about the NEET MDS 2026 exam pattern.

NEET MDS exam pattern 2026

A detailed overview of the NEET MDS 2026 question paper pattern is provided in the table below. The table highlights the distribution of questions across both parts of the paper, the sectional timings, and the marking scheme. Candidates are advised to carefully go through the pattern to understand the exam structure and plan their time management effectively.

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NEET MDS paper pattern 2026

Particulars

Details

Mode of the NEET MDS examination

Computer-based mode

Exam conducted

Annually

Time allotted during the exam

Part A: 75 minutes

Part B: 105 minutes

Type of questions

Objective-type questions

Total number of questions

240 Multiple choice questions

NEET MDS total marks

960 marks

Medium of exam

English only

Syllabus

Pre-Clinical, Clinical and Paraclinical topics from BDS

NEET MDS question paper pattern 2026: Distribution of questions

The NEET MDS 2026 syllabus comprises 17 subjects from the BDS curriculum. The postgraduate dental entrance exam will be divided into two sections: Part A and Part B, containing 100 and 140 questions, respectively. In total, candidates will have to attempt 240 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) in the NEET MDS 2026 exam.

Section-wise distribution of NEET MDS questions

Section

Number of Questions

Part A

100

Part B

140

Total

240

NEET MDS 2026 paper pattern: Marking scheme

As per the NEET MDS 2026 exam pattern, negative marking will apply for incorrect answers. Candidates should check the marking scheme to know how marks are awarded and deducted for each response. The detailed NEET MDS 2026 marks distribution is provided in the table below.

NEET MDS marking scheme

Response

Marks

Correct answer

+ 4 marks

Wrong answer

- 1 marks

Unanswered

0 marks

NEET MDS syllabus 2026

NEET MDS syllabus covers the topics of the BDS curriculum. The questions asked in the examination are from Pre-Clinical, Clinical and Paraclinical topics. In the table below, the NEET MDS weightage of questions is given for the reference of the candidates.

NEET MDS Subject Wise Weightage

Subject

Number of questions

Part-A (Total questions: 100)

General Anatomy including embryology and histology

14

General human physiology and Biochemistry

14

Dental Anatomy, Embryology & Oral Histology

14

General Pathology and Microbiology

14

General and Dental Pharmacology and Therapeutics

14

General Medicine

15

General Surgery

15

Part-B (Total questions: 140)

Dental Materials

14

Oral Pathology and Oral Microbiology

14

Oral Medicine and Radiology

14

Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry

14

Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics

14

Periodontology

14

Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge

14

Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics

14

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

14

Public Health Dentistry

14

Grand total (A+B)

240

NEET MDS section marking distribution

Check the section-wise marking distribution of NEET MDS 2026 in the table given below.

NEET MDS marks distribution

Subject

Section-wise marks distribution

Part-A (Total marks 400)

General Anatomy including embryology and histology

56

General human physiology and Biochemistry

56

Dental Anatomy, Embryology & Oral Histology

56

General Pathology and Microbiology

56

General and Dental Pharmacology and Therapeutics

56

General Medicine

60

General Surgery

60

Part-B (Total marks: 560)

Dental Materials

56

Oral Pathology and Oral Microbiology

56

Oral Medicine and Radiology

56

Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry

56

Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics

56

Periodontology

56

Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge

56

Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics

56

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

56

Public Health Dentistry

56

Grand total (A+B)

960

NEET MDS 2026 exam day schedule

Activities

Session (9:00 AM to 12:00 PM)

Entry to the examination centre and commencement of Biometric Registration

07:00 AM

Closing of entry at NEET MDS exam centre

8:30 AM

Candidate login access is given at

8:45 AM

Candidates log in for reading instructions

8:50 AM

Starting time of NEET MDS 2026

9:00 AM

Exam end

12:00 PM

Note: It must be noted by the candidates that the NEET MDS 2026 examination will be held on a single day & single session only.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Who are the competent authorities to determine the NEET MDS exam pattern 2026?
A:

The National Board of Examinations (NBE) is the competent authority which releases the NEET MDS 2026 exam pattern along with the official information bulletin.

Q: In which mode NEET MDS 2026 will be conducted?
A:

NEET MDS 2026 will be conducted by the authority in computer-based mode (CBT).

Q: When NEET MDS 2026 will be conducted?
A:

NEET MDS 2026 will be announced soon. 

Q: For how many duration NEET MDS is conducted?
A:

The NEET MDS exam is conducted for three hours from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Q: In how many sessions NEET MDS exam is conducted?
A:

The NEET MDS exam is held in a single day and single session. 

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Questions related to NEET MDS

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to NEET MDS ?

With a NEET MDS rank of 1,172, your chances of getting admission to Dr. Harvansh Singh Judge Institute of Dental Sciences, Chandigarh, are very strong under the All India Quota. The institute’s closing rank for general category candidates in recent years has been well beyond your rank, making you eligible for consideration. While top clinical branches like Oral Surgery, Orthodontics, and Endodontics may be highly competitive and close at lower ranks, you still have a good chance of getting clinical specialties such as Periodontology, Prosthodontics, or Public Health Dentistry. Final allotment will depend on your category, the choices filled, and seat availability during the counselling rounds. Overall, your rank positions you well for admission into a reputable government dental college like HS Judge with a clinical branch.

Hello aspirant,

As your rank is high, it is very much possible for you to get a seat in government dental college, Triuvananthpuram in OMFS department.

For better updates, vist the link given below,

https://medicine.careers360.com/neet-mds-college-predictor


In NEET MDS, the All India 50% category rank is your rank among candidates of the same category (like OBC, SC, ST) only for AIQ 50% seats. It helps in category-wise seat allotment during counseling. The lower the rank, the better your chances in your category.

With 211 marks in NEET MDS 2025, getting Endodontics in government colleges is very unlikely due to high cutoffs. However, you may have a chance in some private colleges or deemed universities where the competition is lower. Keep an eye on counselling rounds and management quota seats.

With an AIQ rank of 1188 in NEET MDS 2025, getting a government seat is unlikely, especially if you are in the General category. Usually, government seats go to candidates with ranks below 1000. However, you can try private or deemed universities where seats may be available for your rank. Look for different specializations and colleges to increase your chances of admission.