August 04, 2025: NBEMS has released the tentative schedule for NEET-SS theory exams to be held on November 7-8, 2025. Check Here.
NEET SS 2026: Exam Dates, Eligibility, Pattern and Admission
Content Writer | Updated On - Oct 27, 2026
What's New in NEET SS 2025?
NEET-SS 2026 is tentatively scheduled for 11 and 12 December 2026. The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has also kept 31 January 2027 as the cutoff for completing the required postgraduate qualification.
The detailed NEET-SS 2026 information bulletin and application dates are not out yet. NBEMS has announced the exam dates and the last date for completing the qualifying course. The remaining details below use the 2025 bulletin as a guide.
NEET-SS 2026 at a glanceThe exam is meant for doctors entering eligible DM, MCh and DrNB super-specialty courses after MD, MS, DNB or an equivalent qualification. An MBBS degree alone is not enough for this admission.
NEET-SS 2026 Latest Dates and Notices
NBEMS announced the tentative exam dates in its 29 April 2026 schedule. It has not yet published the detailed 2026 bulletin on the official NEET-SS page. Registration, form correction, test city, admit card and result dates therefore remain unannounced.
| Milestone | Official position |
|---|---|
| Detailed information bulletin | Not released for the 2026 examination cycle |
| Application form | Opening date and last date not announced |
| Exam dates | 11 and 12 December 2026, tentatively |
| PG qualification cutoff | 31 January 2027 in the tentative NBEMS schedule |
| Admit card and result | Dates not announced |
The 31 January date is the deadline for completing the required MD, MS, DNB or equivalent qualification. It is not the application deadline. The application window can be confirmed only after NBEMS publishes the 2026 bulletin.
What NEET-SS Covers
NEET-SS is the common entrance examination for covered super-specialty admissions. It is used for participating DM, MCh and DrNB Super Specialty seats. The result creates group-wise merit, while seat allotment happens later through counselling.
The exam does not cover every super-specialty seat in India. The 2025 bulletin excluded direct six-year DrNB courses. AIIMS, PGIMER Chandigarh, JIPMER Puducherry, NIMHANS Bengaluru and SCTIMST Thiruvananthapuram also use separate admission processes. A similar course name at two institutes does not always mean that both use NEET-SS.
| Point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Courses covered | Participating DM, MCh and DrNB super-specialty courses |
| Basic qualification | A relevant MD, MS, DNB or equivalent postgraduate medical qualification |
| Paper selection | The question-paper group must match the feeder qualification and intended course |
| Seat admission | A separate counselling process applies after the result |
| Not included | Direct six-year DrNB courses and the separate admission processes used by the listed Institutes of National Importance |
NEET-SS Eligibility and Feeder Qualifications
The latest completed rules required a recognised MD, MS, DNB or equivalent qualification in an accepted feeder specialty. A doctor could also apply while completing that qualification, provided it was completed by the official cutoff. The tentative 2026 schedule places this cutoff on 31 January 2027.
Indian candidates also needed permanent or provisional medical registration. Foreign nationals followed a separate rule under which Indian registration was not required for taking the exam, but temporary registration for the admitted course depended on the conditions in the bulletin.
Why the Feeder Specialty Matters
The intended super-specialty course decides which postgraduate qualifications are accepted and which paper group applies. The paper name alone is not a complete eligibility list. For example, Endocrinology was linked with the Medical Group, while Head and Neck Surgery used the ENT paper in the 2025 rules.
| Accepted feeder example | Course example | 2025 paper group |
|---|---|---|
| General Medicine or Paediatrics | Endocrinology | Medical |
| General Surgery or ENT | Head and Neck Surgery | ENT |
| General Medicine, Paediatrics, Respiratory Medicine, Anaesthesiology or Emergency Medicine | Critical Care Medicine | Critical Care Medicine |
Key insightOne paper group can lead to several courses, but a qualifying score does not make every course in that group available. The candidate's feeder qualification still decides which choices can be made during counselling.
NEET-SS 2026 Application and Fee Status
The NEET-SS 2026 application form has not opened. The live registration link, last date, correction window, test-city rules and fee will be known after the bulletin is released. Until then, previous-year values should not be presented as confirmed 2026 rules.
| Item | 2026 status or latest reference |
|---|---|
| Application link | Not active for NEET-SS 2026 |
| Application fee | Not announced for 2026; it was INR 3,500 per eligible paper group in 2025, plus gateway charges |
| Basic stages | Registration, personal and qualification details, group choice, image upload, test-city choice, payment and final submission |
| Correction window | Dates and editable fields will be known only after the 2026 bulletin is released |
In 2025, selecting more than one eligible paper group increased the fee by INR 3,500 for each additional group. A saved profile did not complete the application; payment and final submission were separate steps. These points are useful historical references, but NBEMS may change them for 2026.
NEET-SS Paper Groups and Syllabus
The 2025 scheme had 15 question-paper groups. Most papers tested the relevant broad specialty at postgraduate exit level, including its general and related sub-specialty areas. Critical Care Medicine and Medical Oncology had dedicated papers based on those super-specialty subjects.
| 2025 paper group | Main subject tested |
|---|---|
| Medical | General Medicine |
| Surgical | General Surgery |
| Orthopaedics | Orthopaedics |
| Paediatric | Paediatrics |
| Obstetrics and Gynaecology | Obstetrics and Gynaecology |
| Anaesthesia | Anaesthesiology |
| Radiodiagnosis | Radiology |
| Respiratory Medicine | Respiratory Medicine |
| Microbiology | Microbiology |
| Pathology | Pathology |
| Psychiatry | Psychiatry |
| Pharmacology | Pharmacology |
| ENT | ENT |
| Critical Care Medicine | Critical Care Medicine |
| Medical Oncology | Medical Oncology |
This table shows the subject tested, not the full course-eligibility map. The 2026 bulletin must be checked for the final group list and the feeder qualifications accepted for each DM, MCh or DrNB course. Chapter-wise weightage was not fixed in the official group scheme.
NEET-SS Exam Pattern, Timing and Marks
The completed 2025 exam used a computer-based paper with 150 multiple-choice questions and 600 maximum marks. The paper was divided into three locked sections. Each section had 50 questions and 50 minutes. Time left in one section did not move to another section.
Section A50 questions
50 minutes
50 minutes
Section B50 questions
50 minutes
50 minutes
Section C50 questions
50 minutes
50 minutes
Source: NEET-SS 2025 information bulletin. The 2026 pattern is awaited.
| Response | Marks |
|---|---|
| Correct answer | +4 |
| Incorrect answer | -1 |
| Unanswered question | 0 |
How the Score Changes
If a candidate answers 100 questions correctly, 30 incorrectly and leaves 20 unanswered, the raw score is 370 marks: (100 × 4) − 30. This is a raw mark, not a percentile or counselling rank.
What the locked sections changeThe total paper time may be 150 minutes, but it is not one open timer. Once a 50-minute section closes, its questions cannot be revisited under the 2025 rule.
NEET-SS Result, Cutoff and Counselling
NBEMS publishes results by question-paper group. Marks, rank and qualifying status belong to that group and examination cycle. A percentile is a position in the score distribution; it is not the same as a percentage of 600 marks.
The 2025 qualifying threshold was later reduced from the 50th to the 30th percentile for the special stray-vacancy stage. That later change did not turn the 30th percentile into 30% marks, and it does not set the 2026 cutoff. The 2026 cutoff will be known only after that examination and its official result notice.
| Stage | What is decided |
|---|---|
| Result | Marks, rank and qualifying status for the relevant paper group |
| Qualifying cutoff | The minimum score linked to the prescribed percentile for that group |
| Counselling choice | Only courses that accept the candidate's feeder qualification |
| Seat allotment | Rank, available seats, choices, documents and the rules of that counselling round |
| Joining | Reporting, institute fee and any applicable bond or service condition |
The Medical Counselling Committee conducts the central counselling process covered by the official scheme. Registration, choice filling and security payment are separate from the NBEMS examination form. Qualifying the exam allows a student to take part in counselling; it does not guarantee a preferred seat.
Things to Remember
- 11 and 12 December 2026 are tentative exam dates, not a complete application schedule.
- 31 January 2027 is the postgraduate qualification cutoff in the tentative schedule, not the form deadline.
- The course and feeder qualification decide the correct paper group.
- The 150-question pattern and INR 3,500 fee are 2025 references until the 2026 bulletin confirms or changes them.
- Qualifying percentile, raw marks, group rank and college closing rank are different figures.
Related NEET-SS Information
The following pages cover the NEET-SS application process, exam pattern, syllabus, results and counselling. These pages should be read with the same examination year because rules and dates can change between cycles.
NEET-SS 2026 FAQs
When will the NEET-SS 2026 application form open? +
NBEMS has not announced the opening date. The form link and complete schedule will be available with or after the 2026 information bulletin.
Are 11 and 12 December 2026 confirmed exam dates? +
They are tentative dates in the NBEMS schedule. The detailed bulletin will confirm the final paper-wise schedule.
Can an MBBS graduate apply for NEET-SS? +
No. Admission requires an accepted MD, MS, DNB or equivalent postgraduate medical qualification for the intended super-specialty course.
Can a doctor completing PG training after the exam apply? +
The qualification must be completed by the official cutoff. The tentative schedule lists 31 January 2027, but the detailed bulletin will give the final proof and eligibility conditions.
How many questions are asked in NEET-SS? +
The 2025 paper had 150 MCQs in three sections of 50 questions. The 2026 pattern is not confirmed until the new bulletin is released.
Is the 30th percentile the same as 30% marks? +
No. A percentile shows relative position within a paper group. It is different from the percentage of marks scored out of 600.
Does a qualifying score guarantee a DM, MCh or DrNB seat? +
No. Admission also depends on feeder eligibility, group rank, choices, seat availability, documents and the rules of the counselling round.
Do AIIMS and PGIMER DM or MCh seats use NEET-SS? +
The 2025 bulletin listed AIIMS and PGIMER Chandigarh among institutions with separate admission processes. The current institute notice should be checked for the intended course.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.
