Which topics or chapters have the highest weightage in the NEET MDS exam?

Oral Pathology & Oral Microbiology and Oral Medicine & Radiology are the two chapters/topics which carry the highest weightage of approximately 15 marks each in the NEET MDS entrance exam. Candidates must note that this is based on previous years' analysis. For the upcoming NEET MDS exam, the weightage may differ. Hence, students must give equal emphasis to all subjects or topics.

Has there been any change in the NEET MDS syllabus?

It is expected that the NEET MDS syllabus 2026 will be the same as last year. Last year also, there was no change in the NEET MDS syllabus. The syllabus of NEET MDS is based on the BDS curriculum, which they had studied while pursuing their undergraduate Dental course. Talking about the NEET MDS syllabus, the exam conducting authority NBE has stated, "The syllabus for the exam shall be that of BDS standard and shall cover all the subjects/syllabus taught during the BDS course as prescribed in the DCI Revised BDS Course Regulations, 2007 as amended from time to time."

What is the NEET MDS syllabus?

The syllabus of NEET MDS exam is the same as what students have studied for their BDS course. There are a total of 17 subjects which are covered under the NEET MDS syllabus. According to NBE, the NEET MDS syllabus is as per the latest Regulations for BDS courses notified by the Dental Council of India with prior approval of the Government of India. It is expected that the NEET MDS syllabus will remain the same compared to last year.

What is the total number of subjects in the NEET MDS exam?

There are a total of 17 subjects or topics from which questions are asked in the NEET MDS exam. Each of the subject carries 14 to 15 questions. While all subjects carry 14 questions, there are two subjects, General Medicine and General Surgery, which carry 15 questions each. Candidates will not be provided any choice in terms of attempting the subjects or sections. Moreover, there is no time limit to attempt the subjects. Hence, candidates will have to divide the time accordingly in order to solve as many questions as possible within the three hours total duration.

What are the subjects or topics covered under the NEET MDS exam?

There are a total of 17 topics which are covered under the NEET MDS exam syllabus. The topics are listed below. General Anatomy including embryology and histology General Human Physiology and Biochemistry Dental Anatomy, Embryology and Oral Histology General Pathology and Microbiology General and Dental Pharmacology and Therapeutics Dental Materials General Medicine General Surgery Oral Pathology and Oral Microbiology Oral Medicine and Radiology Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Periodontology Prosthodontics and Crown and Bridge Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Public Health Dentistry NBE, or the exam conducting body states, "The syllabus of the above topics shall be as per the latest Regulations for BDS courses notified by the Dental Council of India with prior approval of the Govt. of India."

Will there be negative marking in NEET MDS?

Yes, the pattern of NEET MDS clearly states that penalty marks will be deducted for incorrect answers. Each correct answer will fetch four marks and for each wrong answer, there will be negative marking of one mark. Hence, the negative marking applied in the NEET MDS exam is 25 per cent. No marks will be awarded or deducted for unattempted questions.

In which languages is NEET MDS exam is conducted?

NEET MDS is conducted in only one language, which is English. This exam, conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) is held in a single language and window, in a computer-based test (CBT) mode. Since BDS course is offered in English, it would not pose challenge to candidates in terms of attempting the NEET MDS exam in English. The exam will be conducted for a duration of three hours, from 2 PM to 5 PM in exam centres located in India. The syllabus and pattern and expected to remain the same as last year.

What is the NEET MDS exam pattern?

NEET MDS is a computer-based exam of three hours duration with two time-bound sections. Part A was for 75 minutes and had 100 questions. Part B had 140 questions to be solved in105 minutes. The timing of the exam was 2 PM to 5 PM. There were a total of 240 objective-type multiple-choice questions (MCQs) from the NEET MDS syllabus. Each question has four marks and there will be negative marking of one mark for each wrong answer. The following table brings the overview and structure of the NEET MDS exam pattern. NEET MDS Pattern 2025 Mode of the examination Online Medium of the examination English only Duration of the examination 3 hours Type of questions Objective type Total number of questions 240 Negative marking 25% negative marking for incorrect answers The NEET MDS 2025 exam pattern has been revised from last year.

NEET MDS Exam Pattern 2026: Check Time-Bound Sections, Negative Marking, Total Marks, No. of Questions

402 Students Q&A

Admit Card - 22 Apr '26

Updated on Feb 23, 2026 16:46 IST

By Rupali Pruthi, Deputy Manager - Editorial

NEET MDS Exam Pattern 2026: The National Board of Examinations (NBE) prescribes the exam pattern for the NEET MDS. The exam pattern states that the NEET MDS 2026 exam will be conducted online in the computer-based test mode. There will be 240 questions in the exam- 100 in Part A and 140 in Part B. The exam duration is three hours, from 2.00 to 5.00 pm. The exam has two time-bound sections, Part A to be solved in 75 minutes, and Part B to be solved within 105 minutes. To make candidates familiar with the paper pattern, the NBE will also release a demo test or official NEET MDS mock test for practice purpose.

The NEET MDS exam will be held on May 2, 2026. Read further to know about the marking scheme, subjects or topics, weightage of topics and other important details.

Table of contents

Highlights of NEET MDS Exam Pattern 2026
NEET MDS 2026 Exam Pattern
NEET MDS 2026 Marking Scheme
NEET MDS Pattern 2026: Distribution of Topics
NEET MDS 2026 Syllabus
NEET MDS 2026 Pattern: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Highlights of NEET MDS Exam Pattern 2026

The following table brings the overview and highlights of the NEET MDS exam pattern.

NEET MDS Pattern 2026
Mode of the examination	Online/Computer-based
Medium of the examination	English
Duration of the examination	3 hours
Sectional duration	Part A - 75 minutes Part B - 105 minutes
Type of questions	Objective type
Total number of questions	240
Sectional questions	Part A - 100 Part B - 140
Number of Parts of Question Paper	Two
Number of Topics for Each Subject	14 and 15
Negative marking	25% negative marking for incorrect answers

Also Read: NEET MDS previous year question papers

NEET MDS 2026 Exam Pattern

The table below brings the NEET MDS 2026 exam pattern as per the time-bound sections.

Section	Number of Questions	Duration (in minutes)
Part A	100	75
Part B	140	105

NEET MDS 2026 Exam Structure

Have a look at the detailed NEET MDS 2026 exam pattern below-

Exam Mode- NEET MDS is conducted online in a computer-based mode.

Medium- The question paper language of MDS exam is English.

Exam Duration- The exam is held from 2 PM to 5 PM, giving candidates three hours to attempt the examination. Part A is of 75 minutes, and Part B needs to be attempted in 105 minutes.

Number and type of questions: The NEET MDS exam contains 240 MCQs. There are four answer options for each question. Only one option can be selected. Part A carries 100 questions, and Part B carries 105 questions.

NEET MDS 2026 Marking Scheme

Knowing the marking scheme of NEET MDS 2026 is very important for its aspirants. Candidates who know about the negative marking system of the NEET MDS pattern 2026 will avoid guesswork while attempting the question paper. This will avoid losing marks and will improve their overall score. There is a 25 per cent negative marking for wrong answers. They can also evaluate the cost of leaving a question unanswered.

NEET MDS Marking Scheme 2026

The following table brings the marking scheme of NEET MDS 2026.

Type of response	Marks awarded
Correct response	+4
Incorrect response	-1
Unanswered	0

NEET MDS Pattern 2026: Distribution of Topics

The NEET MDS exam has two sections- Part A and Part B. The table contains the topic-wise distribution of questions from both sections below.

S. No.	Subjects	Number of Questions
	Part A	100
1.	General Anatomy- embryology and histology	14
2.	General Human Physiology and Biochemistry	14
3.	Dental Anatomy, Embryology & Oral Histology	14
4.	General Pathology and Microbiology	14
5.	General and Dental Pharmacology and Therapeutics	14
6.	General Medicine	15
7.	General Surgery	15
	Part B	140
1.	Dental Materials	14
2.	Oral Pathology and Oral Microbiology	14
3.	Oral Medicine and Radiology	14
4.	Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry	14
5.	Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics	14
6.	Periodontology	14
7.	Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge	14
8.	Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics	14
9.	Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery	14
10.	Public Health Dentistry	14
	Grand Total (Part A + Part B)	240

NEET MDS 2026 Syllabus

The broad topics covered under the NEET MDS syllabus are given below.

General Anatomy including embryology and histology
General Human Physiology and Biochemistry
Dental Anatomy, Embryology and Oral Histology
General Pathology and Microbiology
General and Dental Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Dental Materials
General Medicine
General Surgery
Oral Pathology and Oral Microbiology
Oral Medicine and Radiology
Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry
Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics
Periodontology
Prosthodontics and Crown and Bridge
Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Public Health Dentistry

NEET MDS 2026 Pattern: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Read the frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding the NEET MDS 2026 exam pattern.

Q: Can I crack NEET MDS in 3 months?

Candidates can crack the NEET MDS exam in 3 months with dedication, discipline, time management and practice.

Q: What is the topic-wise distribution of questions of NEET MDS?

The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), the exam conducting body has released the complete syllabus and pattern for NEET MDS. The topic or subject-wise weightage is given in the table below.

S.NO	Subject	Number of Questions
1	General Anatomy including embryology and histology	14
2	General Human Physiology and Biochemistry	14
3	Dental Anatomy, Embryology & Oral Histology	14
4	General Pathology and Microbiology	14
5	General and Dental Pharmacology and Therapeutics	14
6	Dental Materials	14
7	General Medicine	14
8	General Surgery	14
9	Oral Pathology and Oral Microbiology	15
10	Oral Medicine and Radiology	15
11	Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry	14
12	Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics	14
13	Periodontology	14
14	Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge	14
15	Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics	14
16	Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery	14
17	Public Health Dentistry	14
Grand Total		240

Q: What is the NEET MDS exam for?

NEET MDS stands for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Masters of Dental Surgery. It is a national-level entrance exam for admissions to postgraduate dental courses in India. The exam is conducted by the National Board of Examinations (NBE).

Q: What is the approximate weightage of topics such as Dental Materials, General Medicine and General Surgery in NEET MDS?

Topics such as Dental Materials, General Medicine and General Surgery carry approximately 14 marks each in the NEET MDS entrance exam. The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) does not release the exact topic-wise weightgae of NEET MDS exam. Moreover, the past year NEET MDS question papers are also not released by NBE. Hence, the exact makrs or weightage prediction is difficult. The approximate weightage mentioned here is based on previous years' student reactions.

Q: What is NEET MDS exam timing?

The NEET MDS 2026 exam will be held on May 2, 2026. Have a look at the NEET MDS exam timing for the events that will take place on the day of examination-

Event	Time
Entry to the exam centre	12.00 PM
Closing of centre gates	01.30 PM
Candidate Login	01.45 PM
Reading instructions	01.50 PM
Exam Starts	02.00 PM
Exam Ends	05.00 PM

Q: What is NEET MDS exam date 2026?

The NBE has announced the tentative exam date for NEET MDS 2026. The MDS exam will be held on May 2, 2026. However, the confirmed date will be published on the information bulletin.

Q: What does mark for review mean in NEET MDS exam?

Being a computer-based exam, candidates are given the option to mark one or more answer options for review. According to NBE, candidates are given an option to mark any question, whether attempted or not, for review which means that candidate has been given an option to go through these questions again before the examination time ends. However, candidates must submit the answer as without that, the question will be considered unattempted.

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

The NEET MDS exam consists of 240 objective type multiple choice questions (MCQs). Each question carries four answer options, out of which candidates have to select the correct answer option and mark it. Divided into two parts, the Part A of the question paper will have 100 questions and Part B of the paper will have 140 questions.

Q: Who conducts the NEET MDS Counselling?

The NEET MDS counselling is conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC). The counselling process is taken over by the MCC after the exam results. The NBE role ends with the release of NEET MDS result and cutoff. The MCC conducts MDS counselling for 50 per cent All India Quota seats and the rest 50 per cent seats quota is filled by the respective state authorities.