NEET Attempt Limit 2026 by NTA- How many attempts for NEET

NEET Attempt Limit 2026 by NTA- How many attempts for NEET

Switch toEnglish IconHindi Icon
Manisha TiwariUpdated on 17 Nov 2025, 11:47 AM IST
Switch toEnglish IconHindi Icon

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is the single largest entrance examination in the medical domain. Through NEET UG, admissions are granted to medical and dental colleges across India. However, there remains confusion regarding the age limit and the NEET exam attempt limit. It has always been a major doubt amongst the aspirants. Every year, lakhs of aspirants register for NEET; however, they are often confused about the NEET UG age and attempt limit.

This Story also Contains

  1. How many attempts for NEET?
  2. NEET attempt limit 2026
  3. NEET age limit: Overview
  4. How many attempts in NEET?
NEET Attempt Limit 2026 by NTA- How many attempts for NEET
NEET attempts limit

Candidates should know that there are no restrictions on the NEET attempts and the maximum age limit for NEET. The NMC removed the restriction for NEET UG exam on the age and number of attempts. However, as per the NEET age limit, candidates should be above 17 years old to be eligible to fill out the NEET application form. Know more about the NEET 2026 number of attempts and age limit before applying for the entrance test from the article below.

How many attempts for NEET?

There is no limit to the number of attempts in the NEET exam. The committee has also proposed to restrict the number of attempts in the NEET 2026 exam. NEET exam is a single national-level entrance examination which is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admissions to over one lakh MBBS, 27,868 BDS, 52,720 AYUSH courses (BHMS, BAMS, BUMS), and 525 BVSc & AH courses in colleges across the country. Admission to BSc nursing courses in many universities is also granted based on NEET result. As per the paper pattern of NEET, a total of 200 multiple-choice questions are asked, and candidates will have to answer only 180 MCQs.

JSS University Mysore 2025

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

NEET attempt limit 2026

There is no certainty on whether there will be an attempt limit in NEET 2026. The NEET UG attempt limit is set by the NTA, and as per the current update, candidates can appear as many times as they want. Such candidates need to fulfil the NEET eligibility criteria.

NEET age limit: Overview

The NTA has set a certain age limit for the NEET UG exam. Where there is no restriction on the upper age limit, the NTA has implemented a lower age limit for the NEET UG exam.

Minimum age for NEET

Aspirants should have reached the age of 17 by the time of admission or attain this age on or before December 31 of the same year they are seeking admission.

Maximum age limit for NEET

Earlier, the medical aspirant had a cap of 25 years to be eligible for the NEET UG exam. Candidates belonging to the SC/ ST/ OBC and other reserved categories were given a relaxation of 5 years. However, at present, there is no upper age limit. Any student who is 17 years old can take the NEET exam along with no limit on the number of attempts.

How many attempts in NEET?

NEET exam attempt limit refers to the number of times a candidate can appear for the NEET UG exam. As per the NTA (National Testing Agency), there is no restriction on the number of attempts for the NEET exam. Candidates can apply for the NEET exam as many times as they want.

NEET UG attempt limit - historical trends

2022

With an official notification, the National Medical Commission announced that the upper age limit for NEET UG has been removed. The decision on the NEET upper age limit has been taken in the 4th NMC meeting held on October 21, 2021; however, announced on March 9, 2022. The official notice released by the NMC can be checked below.

FNaZ63tXEAMI53-

2019

The ineligibility of NIOS/ open school students for NEET UG was another major controversy that arose in 2019. While they were allowed to appear for NTA NEET until 2017, the Medical Council of India (MCI) decided to bar them from appearing in NEET from 2018 onwards. The clause was later revoked, and open school students were allowed to appear for the exam.

The other controversy was in regard to the question of Biology as an additional subject. Students who had studied Biology as an additional subject in Class 11 and 12 were considered ineligible. This clause was also revoked, and such students were allowed to take the exam in 2019.

2018

The MCI's decision to reintroduce a NEET upper age limit was first revealed via a Gazette of India notification published on January 23, 2018. The introduction of these rules led to tremendous controversy and an uproar among NEET aspirants. Within a week of introducing the NEET attempt limit rule, MCI scrapped it.

For candidates, there is no fixed number of attempts for NEET anymore, and this was to be determined by the upper age limit criterion. However, the minimum age limit for medical students to appear in NEET must be 17 years or above.

2017

CBSE, in 2017, presented an upper age cap along with a maximum attempts limit with a notification that mentions “the number of attempts which a candidate can avail at NEET-UG examination shall be limited to 3 (three) uniformly to all the candidates. The previous attempts in AIPMT/NEET will be counted against these 3 permissible attempts. Candidates who have already exhausted their allowed 3 attempts are not eligible to apply for NEET (UG) 2017”.

CBSE also set an upper NEET exam age limit for unreserved candidates at 25 years and reserved candidates at 30 years, stating that “the upper age limit for NEET-UG is 25 years as on the date of examination with relaxation of 5 years for the candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC category”. This rule was overruled by the Supreme Court in the same year. The clause on NEET age limit and attempts was then reintroduced again in 2018 with a twist.

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

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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

There is no limit to the number of attempts for NEET exam.

Q: How many NEET attempts are allowed?
A:

You can appear for NEET as many times as you wish, provided you meet the eligibility criteria.

Q: I will be appearing for NEET for the first time in. How many times can I attempt the exam?
A:

As stated, there is no longer limit on attempts in NEET. Candidates should just ensure they fulfil the NEET eligibility criteria.

Q: I am above 25 years of age and I had appeared for NEET 2016, NEET 2017 and NEET 2018. Will I be allowed to appear in NEET 2026?
A:

There is no upper age limit for NEET 2026. You can appear for the examination. 

Q: I completed my Class 12 as a NIOS candidate. Am I eligible to apply?
A:

Yes. NIOS students are eligible to appear for NEET 2026 unless notified otherwise.

Q: What is the minimum basic qualification required for appearing in NEET?
A:

The minimum basic qualification required to appear in NEET is a 10+2 or equivalent examination with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology and English as core subjects. Candidates must have passed this exam from a recognized board with a minimum of 50% marks in the PCB group for the general category, 40% for SC/ST/OBC, and 45% for PwD candidates. Additionally, candidates must be at least 17 years old by December 31 of the admission year.

Articles
|
Upcoming Medicine Exams
Ongoing Dates
GAHET Application Date

7 Oct'25 - 26 Dec'25 (Online)

Ongoing Dates
Odisha BSc Nursing Counselling Date

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

Certifications By Top Providers
Management of Medical Emergencies in Dental Practice
Via Tagore Dental College and Hospital, Chennai
Industrial Biotechnology
Via Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
Via Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Maternal Infant Young Child Nutrition
Via Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Experimental Biotechnology
Via Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
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 ?

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.