NEET PG vs INI CET Exam: Know Difference and Overview

NEET PG and INI CET can be confusing for medical aspirants. Both are major postgraduate entrance exams. This article explains key differences between NEET PG and INI CET. Read about eligibility, exam pattern, syllabus, admission process and participating institutes.

Medical graduates need to qualify for entrance exam for postgraduate admission. These entrance exams include NEET PG and INI CET.

NEET PG score is used for admission to MD, MS and other PG medical courses in medical colleges across India. INI CET is conducted for admission to PG programmes at institutes of national importance. This includes AIIMS New Delhi and other AIIMS institutes, JIPMER Puducherry, NIMHANS Bengaluru, PGIMER Chandigarh and SCTIMST Thiruvananthapuram.

NEET PG and INI CET are postgraduate medical entrance exams. But they differ in many terms. It includes conducting authority, participating institutes, admission process and exam pattern. National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences conducts NEET PG. AIIMS New Delhi conducts INI CET.

This article will explain difference between NEET PG and INI CET. Read their purpose, eligibility, participating institutes and other key factors.

What is INI CET exam?

INI CET full form is Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test. The exam is held for admission to Institutes of National Importance. INI CET is conducted twice a year, one for the January session and another for the July session. INI CET 2026 exam is scheduled to be held on November 1, 2026.

What is NEET PG exam?

NEET PG full form is National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Post-Graduation. The exam is conducted annually in computer-based mode for admission to MD/MS courses in medical colleges. NEET PG 2026 exam is scheduled to be held on August 30, 2026. More dates will be announced for 2026-27 session.

NEET PG vs INI CET Exam Comparison: Overview

NEET PG vs INI CET: Application Process

NEET PG application process is simple. But INI CET application is a bit complicated. INI CET application process involves basic and final registration. It will generate Exam Unique Code (EUC). The exam conducting body has introduced the Prospective Applicants Advanced Registration (PAAR) process for INI CET registration, which facilitates the selection of more than one course at a time.

Below are steps for application process for NEET PG exam:

• Go to the NBE official website to register.
• Log in to the website.
• Upload scanned documents.
• Pay the application fee.

Below are steps for INI CET basic registration:

• Go to official website of AIIMS Delhi
• Register yourself.
• Check provisional status of the registration.
• Generate code and do final registration.

The EUC code can only be generated for those candidates whose basic registration was accepted.

NEET PG vs INI CET: Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme

Candidates who want to appear for the NEET PG and INI CET exams should know about their exam patterns and marking schemes. Exam pattern comprises the syllabus, the type and number of questions, and timings. Last year, NBE introduced some important changes in the NEET PG exam pattern. There were changes in the application fee, the number of test centres, the total number of questions, and the tie-breaking parameters.

NEET PG syllabus is another important thing candidates should pay attention to. NEET PG syllabus comprises subject areas as per the Graduate Medical Education Regulations issued by the Medical Council of India. Candidates need to check the subject-wise topics and weightage for each topic. NEET PG test paper will have 200 multiple-choice questions of 800 marks and candidates will get 3.5 hours to answer them. There will be negative marking for wrong responses.

INI CET exam will be carried out in online mode with a test paper comprising a total of 200 multiple-choice questions. Candidates will be getting 3 hours to answer them. There will be single and multiple correct answer type questions in the INI CET test paper. As per the marking scheme, candidates will be awarded 1 mark for the right answer and -1/3 mark for the wrong answer. Candidates must note that the NEET PG exam is conducted once a year while INI CET is held twice, in January and July sessions.

Institutions that Accept NEET PG or INI CET score

NEET PG score is valid for admission in all private and government medical institutions except AIIMS, JIPMER(Puducherry), PGIMER(Chandigarh), and NIMHANS(Bengaluru). SGPGIMS, Lucknow and Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, also don’t accept NEET PG score NEET-PG is valid for admission to the following:

• All India 50 percent quota seats for MD/MS/PG Diploma courses across all states, except Andhra Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Telangana
• State quota seats for MD/MS/PG Diploma courses for all States/Union territories of India, including the three mentioned above
• MD/MS/PG Diploma courses offered by Private Medical Colleges, Institutions & Universities/Deemed Universities across India
• MD/MS/PG Diploma courses offered by Armed Forces Medical Services Institutions
• DNB Broad specialty courses

INI CET scores are accepted for admission for PG courses at 19 AIIMS, and other Institutes of National Importance. Below is the list of AIIMS:

• AIIMS Delhi
• AIIMS Bhopal
• AIIMS Bhubaneswar
• AIIMS Jodhpur
• AIIMS Patna
• AIIMS Nagpur
• AIIMS Raipur
• AIIMS Rishikesh
• AIIMS Bathinda
• AIIMS Bibinagar
• AIIMS Deoghar
• AIIMS Manglagiri
• AIIMS Raebareli
• AIIMS Kalyani
• AIIMS Bilaspur
• AIIMS Gorakhpur
• AIIMS Guwahati
• AIIMS Rajkot
• AIIMS Jammu.

Read More:

• How to Prepare for INI CET exam?
• How to prepare for NEET PG at home?