NEET SS Exam Pattern 2026: Check Pattern & Marking Scheme, Total Marks

Updated on Mar 22, 2026 19:34 IST

By Rupali Pruthi, Deputy Manager - Editorial

NEET SS Exam Pattern 2026: The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences, the exam conducting body, prescribes the exam pattern for the NEET SS 2026. The NEET SS is a group-based exam conducted online in computer-based exam mode. The NEET SS 2026 exam contains three sections. Each section has 50 multiple-choice questions (MCQs). The total exam duration is 2 hours and 30 minutes. The exam carries total 600 marks, wherein each question carries 4 marks and there is a negative marking of 1 mark for every wrong answer.

The NEET SS 2026 exam pattern is such that there are time-bound sections. Candidates need to attempt each section in 50 minutes in NEET SS exam.

Table of contents

NEET SS Exam Pattern 2026: Highlights
NEET SS 2026 Exam Pattern
NEET SS 2026 Marking Scheme
NEET SS 2026 Groups and Syllabus
NEET SS exam pattern 2026: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

NEET SS Exam Pattern 2026: Highlights

As per th NEET SS exam pattern 2026, candidates can opt for any of the super specialities as per the feeder subject in the exam. The questions are asked from the speciality chosen by the candidates. Candidates can refer to the points given below to know the highlights of the NEET SS pattern:

Total number of questions: NEET SS 2026 will have 150 multiple-choice questions.

Total time allotted: Candidates will be given a total of 2.5 hours or 150 minutes to attempt the question paper of NEET SS 2026. Each section will have 50 questions to be answered in 50 minutes.

Total marks: The NEET SS 2026 paper will carry 600 marks, as every question has one mark allotted to it.

Also Read: NEET SS Admit Card

Commonly asked questions

Q: What is the total number of questions in NEET SS?

According to the latest exam pattern of NEET SS, there are 150 multiple-choice questions, from broad speciality and super speciality course. There will be three time-bound sections of 50 minutes each, carrying 50 questions. The question paper is of 600 marks. The question paper will consist of questions from the General/Basic component of the primary feeder broad specialty subject and from all sub-specialty/systems/component of that primary feeder broad specialty subject. All the 150 questions would be from the Curriculum of the Post Graduate Exit level of the primary feeder broad specialty subject. Candidates will get two-and-a-half hours to attempt the questions.

Q: What is the total duration of the NEET SS exam?

The total duration of the NEET SS exam is 150 minutes or 2.5 hours. There is a sectional time limit of 50 minutes for each of the three sections. Hence, candidates have to manage the time accordingly to attempt as many number of questions as possible within this duration. There are 150 questions in total and 50 questions in each section. Hence, to attempt all the questions, test-takers will get one minute per question. Along with maintaining to speed to complete the NEET SS exam, candidates must also maintain accuracy to avoid losing marks since there is a negative marking scheme.

NEET SS 2026 Exam Pattern

There are three sections in NEET SS, each carrying 50 questions. Candidates will not be allowed to proceed to the next section till 50 minutes of the current section are over. They will not be allowed to review questions or modify them after the 50 minutes of that particular section have concluded. The next section will automatically begin once the time of the current section is over. The NEET SS 2026 exam pattern has been highlighted in the table below:

Details	Features
Mode of the examination	Online
Medium of the examination	English
Type of questions	MCQ
Total number of questions	150
Total sections in the question paper	Three
Total number of questions in each section	50
Total duration of each section	50 minutes
Exam duration	2 hours 30 minutes
Total marks	600
Marking scheme	+4 for each correct answer -1 for each incorrect answer 0 for unattempted questions
Number of exam days	2
Number of exam slots	2

Also Read: NEET SS Cut Off 2026

Commonly asked questions

Q: Can I crack NEET SS in 3 months preparation?

Candidates can crack the NEET SS exam with 3 month preparation. Candidates can follow the NEET SS preparation tips shared below to obtain good marks in 3 months of studies-

Cover the syllabus.
Prepare short notes.
Practice previous years papers.
Solve NEET SS demo test
Revise regularly

Q: Has there been a change in the NEET SS pattern?

According to a notification released by NBEMS, there was a time-bound sectional demarcation of questions for NEET SS. There are three sections carrying 50 minutes and 50 questions each. Unless a section is over, candidates cannot proceed to the next section. Once the next section begins, the questions of previous sections cannot be reviewed or changed.

NEET SS 2026 Marking Scheme

As per the prescribed NEET SS 2026 exam pattern, the exam carries 600 marks. For each right answer, candidates get 4 marks. However, there is NEET SS negative marking of 1 mark for each wrong answer. The table brings the marking scheme of the NEET SS exam.

Response	Marks
Correct	+Four
Incorrect	-One
Unattempted	Zero

Also Read: NEET SS Preparation

Commonly asked questions

Q: What is a good score in NEET SS?

A good score in NEET SS is around 450 -500 out of 600 marks. Candidates who are able to obtain around 450 NEET SS scores are considered good scorers. In 2025, the NEET SS AIR rank 1 got 533 marks out of 600. Thus, 533 are good scores in the exam.

Q: Will there be any descriptive questions in the NEET SS exam?

The NEET SS exam does not contain descriptive questions. It is objective in nature. There are 150 multiple-choice questions, MCQs. Every question displays four options and candidates need to select the right one as the answer.

Q: Is there any negative marking in NEET SS Exam?

There is negative marking in the NEET SS exam. Each wrong answer results in deduction of one mark. However, no marks are deducted for unanswered questions. Candidates get four marks for each correct answer.

NEET SS 2026 Groups and Syllabus

The NEET SS is a group-based exam. There are a total of 15 course groups, each encompassing a number of subjects or specialisations. The table below brings the list of course groups and the subjects covered under them.

NEET SS Question Paper Group	Primary Eligible Feeder Course	NEET SS Syllabus
Medical Group	MD/DNB General Medicine	1. Cardiology 2. Clinical Haematology 3. Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology 4. Critical Care Medicine 5. Endocrinology 6. Medical Gastroenterology 7. Hepatology 8. Infectious Diseases 9. Medical Genetics 10. Medical Oncology 11. Nephrology 12. Neurology
Surgical Group	MS/DNB General Surgery	1. Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery 2. Paediatric Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery 3. Paediatric Surgery 4. Surgical Gastroenterology 5. Hepato Pancreato Biliary Surgery 6. Neurosurgery 7. Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery 8. Urology 9. Vascular Surgery 10. Surgical Oncology 11. Endocrine Surgery 12. Thoracic Surgery
Paediatric Group	MD/DNB Paediatrics	1. Neonatology 2. Paediatric Hepatology 3. Paediatric Nephrology 4. Paediatric Oncology 5. Paediatric Neurology 6. Paediatric Cardiology 7. Paediatric Gastroenterology 8. Paediatric Critical Care
Obstetrics & Gynaecology Group	MD/MS/DNB Obstetrics & Gynaecology	1. Gynaecological Oncology 2. Reproductive Medicine & Surgery
Orthopaedics Group	MS/DNB Orthopaedics	1. Hand Surgery 2. Paediatric Orthopaedics
Anaesthesia Group	MD/DNB Anesthesiology	1. Cardiac Anaesthesia 2. Neuroanesthesia 3. Organ Transplant Anaesthesia & Critical Care 4. Paediatric & Neonatal Anaesthesia
Radiodiagnosis Group	MD/DNB Radiology	1. Neuro Radiology 2. Interventional Radiology
Respiratory Medicine Group	MD/DNB Respiratory Medicine	1. Pulmonary Medicine
Microbiology Group	MD/DNB Microbiology	1. Virology
Pathology Group	Pathology Group	1. Onco-Pathology
Psychiatry Group	MD/DNB Psychiatry	1. Geriatric Mental Health 2. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Pharmacology Group	MD/DNB Pharmacology	1. Clinical Pharmacology
ENT Group	MS/DNB ENT	1. Head & Neck Surgery

All the questions in this examination are of PG exit level. There is no fixed syllabus for NEET SS 2026. The questions can be asked from all the topics that have been covered during both the undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications. However, the subjects that need to be prepared will be limited to the feeder course and super speciality course selected by the candidate.

Read More:

Commonly asked questions

Q: What are the books for the NEET SS exam?

The NEET SS exam does not have a fixed syllabus. Usually, questions from medical course books are asked up to the postgraduate level. You are advised to read your course books to prepare for this exam. Other than course material, you can study the following books: 1. Harrison's textbook of Internal Medicine 2. NEET SS MCQ book by Deepak Marwah & Mudit Khanna 3. Schwartz's Principles of Surgery 4. R. Kumar's book named Clinical Methods in Medicine 5. Guyton and Hall's book named Textbook of Medical Physiology.

Q: What is the level of NEET SS exam?

NEET SS is a super speciality medical entrance exam. It is a doctorate level exam conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) for the admission to Doctorate of Medicine (DM), Master of Chirurgiae (MCh) and Doctorate of National Board (DrNB) courses. To appear for this exam, candidates must have completed their post graduation in medical or in the final year of MD and MS.

Q: Will NEET SS be conducted in 2026?

The NBE will conduct the NEET SS exam in 2026. The exam will likely be held in September-October 2026. The NEET SS 2026 exam date will be announced soon.

View Syllabus

NEET SS exam pattern 2026: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Take a look at the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) of the NEET SS 2026 exam pattern.

Q: How many government seats are there in NEET SS?

Have a look at the tentative data regarding the government seats in NEET SS counselling below-

State	Govt Institutes
Delhi	261
Uttar Pradesh	449
Tamilnadu	390
Madhya Pradesh	112
Rajasthan	234
Maharashtra	367
Karnataka	194
Kerala	197
Andhra Pradesh	188
Gujarat	126

Q: What courses I will get admission into through NEET SS?

NEET SS is the single eligibility cum entrance examination for admission to Super Specialty Courses. Candidates who completed their post graduation (MD/MS) can apply for NEET SS entrance test. The exam is held once a year in computer-based mode. NEET SS is held for admission to following courses:

• All DM/MCh Courses in the country including all Private Medical Colleges/Institutions/Universities/Deemed Universities.

• All DM/MCh courses at Armed Forces Medical Services Institutions

• All DrNB Super-specialty Courses (except Direct 6 Years DrNB Courses

Q: How many slots are there in the NEET SS exam?

The NEET SS exam is conducted for a window of two days, with two slots each day. Hence, the total number of slots in which the NEET SS exam is conducted is four. Each of the slots conducts different exam groups. The duration of the exam is 2.5 hours or 150 minutes. The table below brings the slot-wise timings of the NEET SS exam.

NEET SS Slot	Timings
Forenoon or Morning Slot	9 AM to 11.30 AM
Afternoon Slot	2 PM to 4.30 PM

There are a total of 15 groups which are covered in the NEET SS exam. These groups are divided into the four slots conducted over two days.

Q: Does NBE release NEET SS syllabus?

No, NBE does not release NEET SS syllabus. Hence, there is no specific list of topics or chapter-wise weightage. But based on expert suggestions and students' views, preparing from the postgraduate study materials would suffice. NEET SS test-takers should complete their course syllabus and solve as many mock tests or past years' question papers to complete the NEET SS syllabus.

Q: I have marked two answers for review in the NEET SS exam, both were correct. Will I be awarded marks for them?

The answers marked for review will also be considered as attempted and will be marked as per the marking scheme of NEET SS exam. Each correct answer will fetch four marks, whereas for each wrong answer, there is a negative marking of one mark. An answer will only be considered for marking when it is submitted. However, there is no marking scheme applied for unattempted questions.

Q: What is NEET SS exam all about?

NEET SS stands for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Super Speciality Courses). The entrance exam is conducted for providing admission into DM/ MCh courses. National Board of Examinations (NBE) conduct the exam once a year in computer-based mode. Candidates who have already completed their PG course can apply for the exam. It is a qualifying-cum-ranking examination for admission to super speciality courses. According to the official information brochure, qualifying NEET-SS is mandatory for entry to DM/MCh/DrNB Courses under various Universities/ Institutions in the country.

Q: In how many languages in NEET SS exam conducted?

NEET SS exam is conducted in only one language, which is English. Candidates must prepare for the exam by referring to the best preparation books in English language for the subject and course groups selected. Taking regular NEET SS mock tests in English, or solving previous years' question papers will ensure good score in the NEET SS exam.

Q: When was NEET SS 2025 exam conducted?

The NBE conducted the NEET SS exam on December 26 and 27, 2025. The super speciality exam was held in two shifts on each day. The authority allotted the NEET SS exam date to candidates based on their selection of the exam group.

Q: Which course group have the highest NEET SS cutoff?

The NEET SS cutoff in 2025 was released along with the result. The cutoff went the highest for Microbiology Group, which is 389 out of 600.

Q: What is the mode of the NEET SS exam?

The mode of the NEET SS exam is online, or computer-based. The NEET SS question paper or the subject-wise questions will be displayed on screen and candidates have to answer the questions by clicking on the correct answer option with the help of a mouse. Since the questions are objective, they need not type any answer. They will be provided sheets of paper to carry out rough work. Since NEET SS is a computer-based test and not computer-adaptive test, test-takers will be able to go through all questions and select the sequence of answering as per their convenience.