About NEET PG 2026

National Eligibility cum Entrance Examination- Postgraduate, NEET-PG is a single window eligibility cum ranking examination for admission to various MD/MS, PG Diploma Courses, Post DNB Courses & NBEMS Diploma Courses.

Qualifying for the NEET-PG exam is mandatory for admission to any MCI-recognised government or private medical college for admission to medical PG courses in India, except INI institutions. Admission to INI institutions for medical PG courses is done through the INI-CET entrance examination. The exam is also compulsory for foreign nationals seeking admission to MD/MS/PG Diploma courses in medical colleges in India.

The NEET PG 2026 exam serves as the foundation for admission to the following institutions:

1. A 50% quota of seats for all Indian States and Union Territories.
2. All National Private Medical Colleges, Institutions, Universities, and Deemed Universities.
3. Facilities for the Armed Forces Medical Services.
4. Post-MBBS NBEMS Diploma Courses and Post-MBBS DNB Courses

Admission to the following medical colleges is not done through the NEET-PG exam:

1. AIIMS, New Delhi, and other AIIMS
2. PGIMER, Chandigarh
3. JIPMER, Puducherry
4. NIMHANS, Bengaluru
5. SCTIMST, Trivandrum

NEET PG 2026 Highlights

Before preparing and appearing for the postgraduate medical entrance exam, an aspirant must understand the NEET-PG exam pattern and important details about the exam. The NEET PG form 2026 can now be filled out online from the NBEMS portal.

The overview of the NEET-PG exam is given in the table below:

Conducting Body of NEET-PG

The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) was established by the Government of India in 1975 to improve the quality of medical education by establishing high and uniform standards for postgraduate examinations in modern medicine all over India and leveraging existing health infrastructure to build capacity.

It is a body that conducts the NEET-PG examination, result declaration, and result handover to the designated counselling authorities.

NBEMS is a conducting body for the following examinations,

• NEET-PG
• NEET-MDS
• NEET-SS
• DNB-PDCET (Post Diploma CET)
• Fellowship Entrance Test (FET)
• FMGE
• FDST
• MRE/DRE
• Fellowship Exit Examination (FEE)
• DNB/DrNB Final (Theory & Practical)

NBEMS provides a general national standard for assessing minimum levels of knowledge and competence in graduate and postdoctoral programs.

NEET PG 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria for Indian Citizens

• Candidates with the MBBS degree or Provisional MBBS certificate should have completed one year of compulsory internship can apply for the NEET PG entrance examination.
• Any candidate found ineligible at any stage will not be able to give the exam, and his/her candidature will be cancelled.
• Candidates who are already pursuing a PG degree from any university are ineligible to get admission until they complete their course. Candidates who are already pursuing PG courses either through All India Quota or State Quota and applying for All India Quota/State Quota can confirm the eligibility criteria of this university. NBEMS/MoHFW/Designated Counselling Authority is not responsible for the rejection of such candidates. Such candidates may choose subjects at their own risk and expense.

Eligibility for Candidates for Foreign Medical Graduates

• Indian citizens or overseas citizens of India who have completed their MBBS degree or primary medical qualification from any college outside India and want to pursue an MD/MS/PG Diploma from India should have qualified Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE-Screening Test) as per Screening Test Regulations, 2002, which is conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences.
• Moreover, candidates must have registered with the NMC/MCI/State Medical Council.
• Candidates are required to bring their FMGE pass certificate on their testing day, along with the provisional/permanent registration certificate issued by a medical council.

Eligibility Criteria for Foreign Nationals

• A candidate must be registered with the appropriate registering authority in his/her own country, from where they have completed their primary medical qualification, recognised by the respective medical council.
• A foreign national can write the NEET-PG entrance examination with registration with the NMC.
• A candidate is granted temporary registration till the postgraduate course duration.

NEET PG 2026 Process Flowchart

• Log in and fill out the NEET-PG 2025 application form.
• Attempt the Demo Test available at the NBEMS website after the exam application forms are out.
• Issuance of the admit card
• Reach the Test centre on the scheduled date and time.
• Security Check process at exam centres
• Registration for the exam, face ID & biometrics are done before the exam.
• Time for Examination
• Answer key release
• Result declaration
• Counselling procedure
• College admission

Important point:

Demo Test: Aspirants can undergo the demo test to get familiar with the exam pattern. It will be available at the website, https://nbe.edu.in once the NEET PG 2025 exam dates are out.

NEET PG 2025 Exam Pattern

NEET PG 2025 19 subjects 

The NEET PG 19  subjects are per the Graduate Medical Education Regulations issued by NMC.

As the NEET-PG is a national-level postgraduate medical entrance examination, an aspirant must have an in-depth knowledge of medical undergraduate subjects, which include:

• Human Anatomy
• Physiology
• Biochemistry
• Community Medicine
• Pathology
• Pharmacology
• Microbiology
• Forensic Medicine & Toxicology
• Ophthalmology
• Otorhinolaryngology
• General Medicine (Including Psychiatry, Dermatology, Venereology & Leprosy, and Respiratory Medicine including Tuberculosis)
• General Surgery (Including Orthopaedics, Anaesthesiology, and Radiodiagnosis),
• Pediatrics,
• Obstetrics &Gynecology
• ENT
• Psychiatry
• Respiratory Medicine / Pulmonology
• Orthopaedics
• Anaesthesiology
• Radiodiagnosis / Radiology

NEET PG 2026 Preparation Tips

1. Effective Preparation Strategy

Prioritise your schedule while keeping in mind the remaining time for the exam. Make a timetable that you can stick to and allocate your tasks to each subject. The two things that should be kept in mind for an effective plan, especially during postings, are time management and work-life balance.

2. Examine your Degree of Comprehension

Analyse how well you grasp the NEET-PG exam’s syllabus and concepts. Organise your time and create a study schedule based on how well you understand the module and subject. Avoid ignoring topics that bore you because doing so could turn out to be the worst choice you’ve ever made.

3. Make Notes and Use Mnemonics and Flashcards

Always prefer to study from your notes, including flowcharts, tables, and mnemonics for the NEET PG exam. Enrol in available online courses to get complete notes on all the important topics along with concise flowcharts, tables, and mnemonics to memorise well.

4. Practice MCQs, IBQs, previous years’ questions, and mock tests

Go through the self-assessment questions for each topic after you’ve finished memorising. This will help you learn in two ways: first, you’ll be able to gauge how well you understand the subject, and second, you’ll be aware of the kinds of MCQs that might come up in the exam.

PYQs are a must-do thing. Time management plays a vital part in the examination. PYQs of the NEET- PG test will help you familiarise yourself with the NEET exam pattern and the type of questions asked. This practice also instils confidence in you. Taking tests will help you gauge your knowledge. It will also help you analyse the topics you need clarity on.

5. Know the Exam Pattern

By searching past papers and analysing the patterns and marks distribution of various subjects, students will get a better understanding of the topics that tend to be repeated and prepare to crack the NEET Exam.

6. Focus on High-yielding Topics

Make a thorough list of the subjects and the topics that are most likely to generate exam points. When completing MCQs and PYQs, take proper notes on these topics and revise them thoroughly.

7. Learn Effective Time Management

​​Since the syllabus for NEET exams is huge, it is important to manage your time effectively and systematically. NEET is a three-hour exam, so practising time management and answering all the questions during the exam can be one of the most important coaching tips for NEET PG 2026. So learn to use your time and pace your questions calmly and methodically.

8. Revision

Don’t simply read about issues; clear up your concepts as well to improve memory recall. It is best to learn and revise simultaneously. Don’t leave a topic for later because you will be swamped with other topics by then if you don’t revise it within 5 to 10 days of reading it. Therefore, you must regularly review your notions. This method of balancing study and revision aids in effective memorisation and lessens strain in the final moments.

9. Use Available Online Resources

To supplement your college classes and get in-depth knowledge of the subject, enrol in the online medical courses. These courses not only clear your concepts but also help you to ace your medical preparation and secure a good rank. DigiNerve brings subject-specific courses by top faculty, which help you to ace your NEET PG 2026 preparation. The NEET PG coaching is highly useful in preparing for NEET PG 2026. The NEET PG online coaching has a lot of benefits, such as an aspirant can learn at their own pace, can manage the college and postings alongside preparation, access to notes, self-assessment questions, and clinical cases. An aspirant must benefit from online resources such as online lectures on YouTube, webinars, etc.

NEET PG 2026 Application Fee

The NEET PG 2026 application form is available from March 2026. The application form is submitted in online mode only. The examination fee for the NEET PG exam:

(The examination fee mentioned is as per the NEET PG 2022 application fee).

NEET PG 2026 Steps to Fill an Online Application Form

Steps for filling out an online form

1. Fill out the user registration form to generate the User ID/Application ID and Password.
2. User ID and Password will be sent via SMS and Email to the registered number and email ID.
3. Complete the application form by filling in all the details and upload your photograph, scanned signature, thumb impression & prescribed documents.
4. Choose your Test City.
5. Pay the Examination Fee
6. Submit the Application.

• Application submission processes are completed on successful payment of the examination fee and receipt of an acknowledgement to this effect from NBEMS. Keep a printout of the filled Application form along with the Transaction ID printed on it for records.
• To create an account with NBEMS, you will need to fill out a user registration form and upload your photograph, scanned signature, thumb impression, and prescribed documents. You will also need to choose a test city and agree to the NBEMS declaration. Finally, you will need to pay the examination fee.
• Candidate must remember their login credentials.
• An applicant can fill out the NEET PG form only once.
• A confirmation email confirming receipt of the candidate’s application will be sent to the registered email address. Only after the examination fee has been successfully paid. The candidate must verify the payment status in the PDF application form, where “S” denotes “Success” and “F” denotes “Failed.”
• If any candidate wants to edit any information in the application, they can do so during the period through the “Edit Window”. However, the following in the application form is non-editable:
  • Name of the Candidate
  • Email ID
  • Nationality
  • Test City
  • The correction in the images uploaded can only be done during the final edit window.

NEET PG 2026 Admit Card

• Admit cards can be downloaded from the NBA official website, https://nbe.edu.in.
• NEET PG 2026 admit card can be downloaded from the NBEMS.
• Candidates must not forget to affix their passport-size photograph on the downloaded admit card.
• The candidate must fix a clear photograph according to the image specifications provided on the admit card.
• Always read all the instructions carefully.

NEET PG 2026 Exam Centres

Candidates are advised to get familiar with the exam centre location at least one day before the exam.

Things to Remember for Exam Day

• Candidates must reach the exam centre at the reporting time mentioned in their admit card.
• The Indian citizens/OCI who have pursued their primary medical qualification outside India and are qualified FMGE must bring their original FMGE pass certificate.
• On examination day, candidates will need to bring a printed copy of their barcoded admit card, a copy of their registration card, and a photo ID. The photo ID must be an original and valid ID, such as an Aadhaar card, PAN card, driver’s license, passport, or voter ID.
• Read all the instructions carefully, keeping in mind the dress code and take only the allowed items.

NEET PG 2026 Result

Qualifying Criteria

The result will be declared in the month of March and shall be displayed on the NBEMS website, https://natboard.edu.in, and https://nbe.edu.in.

The responses that the candidates marked as correct will NOT be subject to re-evaluation, re-checking, or re-totalling.

Validity of NEET-PG result: The result is valid only for the particular admission session for MD/MS/PG Diploma courses.

Tie-breaker Criteria

In case two or more candidates obtain the same score, achieving the same score will determine your merit position in the following descending tie-breaker criteria:

1. Candidates with a large number of correct answers.
2. Candidates with a low number of negative responses
3. Older candidates are placed in positions of higher merit.
4. Candidates with high overall grades (in percentage) in all their MBBS professional exams have, better profit position.

Publication of Merit Lists

1. NEET-PG Rank: Among all candidates who have participated in the exam, this is the candidate’s total merit ranking.
2. All India 50% Quota Rank: This is the candidate’s total merit ranking among all candidates who took the NEET-PG exam and qualified for counselling under the All India 50% Quota. This rank is only applicable to All India 50% Quota MD, MS, and PG Diploma Courses.
3. All India 50% quota Category Rank: This represents the candidate’s standing overall in the category (OBC/SC/ST/EWS) they selected when applying for the NEET-PG. Individuals from the same category who are qualified for counselling under the All India 50% Quota, which is exclusively applicable to MD, MS, and PG Diploma Programs.

Counselling

The counselling for the MD/MS/Diploma and PG DNB courses is conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) of DGHS, Govt of India.

Admissions to PG Courses at Armed Forces Medical Services Institutions

The following are the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) training institutes for the eligible candidates:

1. Armed Forces Medical College, Pune
2. Army Hospital, Delhi Cantt, (Delhi)
3. INHS Asvini (Mumbai)
4. Command Hospital Air Force (Bangalore)
5. Command Hospital Eastern Command (Kolkata)
6. Command Hospital Western Command (Chandimandir)
7. Command Hospital Central Command (Lucknow)
8. Institute of Aerospace Medicine (Bengaluru)

In the following order of importance, the candidates will be evaluated for admission to the AFMS institutions stated above.

1. Priority-I (Serving Officers of the AFMS)
2. Priority-II (Government-Sponsored Candidates from Friendly Foreign Countries)

• Priority-III (Para Military/other Govt. of India sponsored candidates)

1. Priority-IV (Ex-Short Service Commission Officers of AFMS)
2. Priority-V (Civilian); it includes bond liability to serve AFMS

Note: Candidates will need to present their NEET-PG 2022 scores and admit cards during the counselling process for admission to postgraduate programmes in their relevant categories.

Allotment of Seats & Reservation

• There is no provision for reservation of seats for SC/ST/OBC/PwD in the Armed Forces Medical Services Institutions conducting Post Graduate Medical Courses.
• These students must have applied online to NEET-PG and AFMS.
• To be eligible for AFMS counselling for Post Graduate courses at AFMS teaching institutes. All eligible candidates desirous of MD/MS/PG Diploma seats in AFMS institutions will have to mandatorily register with MCC at its website www.mcc.nic.in.
• Candidates must choose “YES” when asked, “Are you willing to take up postgraduate courses in an institution/hospital of the Armed Forces Medical Services?” during the online application process for NEET-PG 2026 if they wish to enrol in postgraduate programmes at such institutions or hospitals.
• The MCC will do only the Registration part of AFMS counselling, and the further offline merit-based allotment of seats and admission process will be conducted by AFMS after the physical fitness test.

NEET-PG for Post MBBS DNB and NBEMS Diploma Courses

The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences will use the NEET-PG merit list for admission to various Post MBBS DNB programmes and Post MBBS Diploma Courses of NBEMS. DNB CET won’t be conducted separately.

Eligibility:

• Candidates must hold an MBBS degree or a Provisional MBBS Pass Certificate that is recognised by the NMC Act, 2019, and the repealed Indian Medical Council Act, 1956.
• A permanent or interim registration certificate of MBBS qualification granted by the NMC/the former Medical Council of India, or a state medical council is required of candidates.
• Candidates must have finished their internship in the particular academic year.

Eligible candidates may apply at the website: https://nbe.edu.in

Candidates who are currently enrolled in a DNB course are not eligible for admission to a DNB course until they have finished the entire period allotted for the course or have been released from it. This is applicable regardless of their resignation or withdrawal from the course for any reason.

Allocation of Seats & Reservation: The designated counselling authority for NEET-PG shall publish a separate handbook outlining the counselling procedure and any related reservations.

Conclusion

DigiNEET is the perfect companion for students preparing for the NEET PG 2026 exam. With its in-depth curriculum covering all 19 MBBS subjects, DigiNEET offers comprehensive video lectures, detailed MCQs, mock tests, and expert strategies to help students navigate the NEET PG Exam syllabus and exam pattern. Whether you’re focusing on high-yield topics, refining your clinical reasoning, or honing your exam-taking strategies, DigiNEET provides the tools you need for effective preparation. The platform also offers tips and techniques for time management, stress reduction, and maximising your score, ensuring you’re fully equipped for the challenges of NEET PG 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) :

Q1. Is NEET PG tougher than NEET-UG?

Ans. NEET-UG is for admission to MBBS, whereas NEET-PG is for admission to MD/MS courses. Both are difficult in their own way, but NEET PG is considered way more competitive than NEET-UG.

Q2. How do you qualify for NEET PG?

Ans. One must have an MCI-recognised MBBS undergraduate degree, along with the completion of the rotational internship to be eligible for the exam. To qualify for the NEET-PG, one must at least score 50% marks in the exam and a minimum cut-off score as per the category. As NEET-PG is a highly competitive examination, one needs to be on the merit list with the highest possible marks to get admission to the medical college for MD/MS courses.

Q3. Are NEET PG and MBBS the same?

Ans. No, NEET-PG and MBBS are not at all the same. MBBS is an undergraduate medical degree, whereas NEET-PG is a national-level entrance exam for admission to medical PG courses (MD/MS/PG Diploma).

Q4. How many seats does a NEET PG 2026 have?

Ans. There are approximately. 42000 MD/MS seats in India.

Q5. How difficult is the NEET PG?

Ans. NEET-PG is one of the toughest national-level examinations, as there is a very limited number of seats compared to the total number of aspirants. The exam structure, pattern, and marking system are all set by the NBE.

Q6. What books should I use for the NEET-PG preparation, with specified MCQ books?

Ans. ‘The Next Level of Preparation NEET PG Crystal clear (2016-2022)’ by Apurv Mehra, Thameen Saif, Kavan Parikh, and Akhil Monga and NEET Essence by Pritesh Singh are the NEET PG MCQ preparation books.

Q7. How do I prepare for NEET PG from the first year?

Ans. First, analyse the exam pattern and complete details about the NEET-PG examination. After being familiar with the NEET-PG highlights and the course modules of the first-year subjects, solve their MCQs and assessment questions, IBQs, and case studies for preparation.

Q8. What is the best time to start NEET PG prep?

Ans. The best time to start your NEET-PG preparation is your 2^nd year of MBBS. Analyse the exam pattern of the NEET-PG in your first year and get clarity over the subjects and curriculum. Then, from the second year, start your NEET-PG preparation.

Q9. Which one is tougher, the USMLE or the NEET PG?

Ans. Both exams are tough, but yes, the USMLE is tougher compared to NEET-PG. USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) is a three-step examination program for medical licensure in the US, whereas NEET-PG is a national-level PG entrance examination for admission to the MD/MS/Post diploma courses.