NEET 2026 Preparation: Five Common Mistakes that Bring Your Score Down

Avoid repeating the mistakes made by NEET aspirants in the past and improve your chances of clearing the exam in the first go. Read on to know the five common NEET 2026 preparation mistakes that bring the score down.

Students who prepare for NEET 2026 exam should have idea there is no scope of making mistakes in exam. One cannot afford to make mistakes during NEET preparation as every single mistake may prove you fatal. As NEET is competitive exam and more than 20 lakh students appear every year for exam, students must not leave any stone unturned to score good rank in NEET 2026 exam.

Often students may not perform as expected in NEET exam and reason is not he or she had less dedication but students might had make small mistakes which can be avoided easily.This article ‘five common mistake which may bring your score down in NEET 2026 exam’ includes tips and tricks how not to make mistakes.

Five Common NEET 2026 Preparation Mistakes that Bring the Score Down

Students are advised to refer below given list of mistakes during NEET 2026 prepration. It must be noted these mistakes are not related to subject or topic but your approach or method of prepration etc. Let us know which are such common yet wrong practices followed during preparation that must be avoided to secure a high score in the exam.

Mistake #1: Disregarding NCERT

NEET 2026 preparation and NCERT books are inseparable. They must go together if one wants to score decent marks in NEET. Neglecting the NCERT books and focusing only on the reference material is one common mistake that many NEET aspirants make. NCERT must always be the first book that you refer to for any topic. Only after completing the preparation of a chapter from NCERT, one should move to another book to study the same chapter. Reference books should be used as supplementary books as they can never replace NCERT for NEET 2025 preparation. According to NEET toppers, they gave priority to NCERT books before other reference books that are available in the market.

Also Read: Are NCERT books enough for cracking NEET?

Mistake #2: Depending too much on mock tests and avoiding analysis

Many students feel that taking NEET mock tests is more beneficial than reading textbooks for NEET 2026 preparation. They focus more on solving NEET mock tests and spend very little time actually reading and understanding the nuances of a chapter. It does help in the beginning when the difficulty level of the questions is low. As the preparation reaches an advanced stage, they find it difficult to attempt the questions which require a thorough understanding of the topic.

While preparing for NEET 2026, students must always read and understand the chapter before attempting mock tests. Only when the base and concepts are clear, they will be able to attempt any question from a topic. Another important mistake students often commit during NEET preparation is avoiding analysing their mock test performances. After each mock test, they should get their mock tests analysed by their mentor to understand the scopes of improvement and the recurring errors. After this, modify your preparation strategy accordingly. 

Also Read: NEET Preparation: 5 advantages of solving previous years' question papers and mock tests

Mistake #3: Shifting from one book to another

The minute one decides to prepare for NEET, he/she ends up searching for the books that people refer to for NEET preparation. Most of the students end up buying two or more reference books for a subject, apart from NCERT books. These books for NEET preparation usually sit on the shelves until exam day. Another common problem is shifting from one book to another, without completing a chapter from either of them which leads to confusion. To avoid both these issues during the advanced stages of NEET 2026 preparation, students should start by buying only one reference book that they intend to use. They should finish the NCERT books first and then complete the reference book. Only after completing these, they should refer to the third book for better retention of concepts.

Mistake #4: Trying to mug up the answers

While solving the mock tests and previous years' NEET question papers, students may come across many questions that they are unable to attempt. Though mugging up the answers for the Biology section may be beneficial sometimes, doing the same for the Physics and Chemistry sections usually proves to be futile. The approach for such questions must not be cramming all the answers, but reworking the concepts. They should first Identify the weak chapters or topics and then revise them thoroughly before taking the next mock test.

Mistake #5: Not taking breaks and making no time for hobbies

Spending time with family and friends helps relieve stress during the preparation phase. The same applies to your hobbies. However many students stop interacting with their friends and spend little or no time with their families while preparing for NEET. The result is demotivation towards the end. Moreover, the current situation of uncertainty can cause anxiety and stress but aspirants must not get bogged down with numerous news, discussions and deliberations on the impending NEET exam dates and NEET application process. Remain focused on preparation and unwind from time to time to maintain composure and balance. 

Read More:

• How to Complete NEET Syllabus on Time
• NEET Study Material: Check Subject-wise Study Material
• How to Prepare for NEET Without Coaching