NEET Eligibility Criteria 2025 By NTA, Age Limit, Attempts
NEET Eligibility 2025: The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is the single largest medical entrance exam in India, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). It serves as a crucial gateway for admission to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and B.Sc. Nursing courses across the country. To ensure a fair and transparent selection process, the NTA has outlined specific eligibility criteria for NEET 2025 that aspiring candidates must meet.
These criteria cover essential aspects such as age limits, nationality, educational qualifications, and minimum marks required in the qualifying examination. Understanding and adhering to the NEET Eligibility 2025 criteria is of utmost importance for candidates who wish to pursue their dreams of becoming medical professionals.
NEET Eligibility 2025 Overview
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has established the NEET Eligibility Criteria 2025, which outlines the essential requirements for candidates to appear for the NEET 2025 exam. To be eligible, candidates must meet the following criteria:
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Nationality: The exam is open to Indian nationals, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), and foreign nationals.
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Age Limit: Candidates must be at least 17 years old as of January 31, 2025. There is no upper age limit.
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Educational Qualification: Candidates must have passed the 10+2 or equivalent examination with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as core subjects.
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Minimum Marks: General category candidates need a minimum of 50% aggregate marks in the qualifying exam, while SC/ST/OBC candidates require 40% and PwD candidates need 45%.
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Attempts: There is no limit on the number of attempts a candidate can make to appear for the NEET exam.
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NEET Eligibility 2025 Highlights |
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Criteria |
Details |
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Nationality |
Indian nationals, NRIs, OCIs, PIOs, and foreign nationals |
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Age Limit |
Minimum 17 years old as of January 31, 2025. No upper age limit |
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Educational Qualification |
Passed 10+2 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as core subjects |
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Minimum Marks |
General: 50% aggregate, SC/ST/OBC: 40% aggregate, PwD: 45% aggregate |
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Attempts |
No limit on the number of attempts |
NEET Eligibility 2025 Criteria by NTA
The NEET Eligibility 2025 criteria set by the National Testing Agency (NTA) include several key points. Candidates must be at least 17 years old by December 31, 2025, with no upper age limit. They must have passed the 10+2 exam with at least 50% marks in Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English for the general category, and 40% for SC/ST/OBC and PwD candidates.
Indian Nationals, NRIs, OCIs, PIOs, and Foreign Nationals can apply, and there is no limit on the number of attempts. Candidates seeking B.Sc Nursing admission must meet the same age and qualification criteria. The NRI quota is 15% of total seats, and admission to private medical and dental institutes will follow state or union territory policies.
NEET Eligibility Criteria 2025 for MBBS
The NEET eligibility criteria 2025 for MBBS include completing 10+2 education with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English from a recognized board. General category candidates must score at least 50% marks in these subjects, while SC/ST/OBC candidates require 40%. Additionally, candidates must be at least 17 years old by December 31, 2025.
NEET Eligibility 2025: Age Limit
Here is the required NEET Eligibility 2025 for age limit listed below, candidates below:
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Lower Age Limit: For the NEET exam, a candidate must have completed 17 years of age at the time of application or admission or will complete that age on or before 31 December of the respective year of their admission to the first year of the Undergraduate Medical Course. That means, to qualify for the lower age limit, candidates must be born on or before December 31, 2006.
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Upper Age Limit: There is no upper age limit for NEET aspirants. The previous upper age limit of 25 years (30 for reserved category candidates) has been removed by NMC.
NEET Eligibility 2025: Educational Qualification
Before applying for the NEET 2025 exam, candidates need to make sure they meet these educational requirements:
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Students who have passed their Class 12 exams are eligible to apply.
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In Class 12, candidates must have studied Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English and passed all these subjects.
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The main qualification for NEET is passing Class 12, but the required marks depend on the candidate's category.
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Candidates must complete the online application form with the correct NEET Qualifying Examination Code.
NEET Eligibility 2025: Qualifying Marks
Here is the required NEET Eligibility 2025 qualifying Marks listed below, candidates can find the same over here:
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NEET Eligibility 2025: Qualifying Marks |
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Category |
Qualifying Marks in the Qualifying Exam |
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General/GEN-EWS |
50% marks |
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OBC/SC/ST Category |
40% marks |
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Persons With Disabilities |
40% marks |
NEET 2025: Qualifying Exam Codes
Candidates who wish to apply for NEET 2025 must select a qualifying examination code. The table below provides information about Codes 1 through 7.
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NEET 2025: Qualifying Exam Codes |
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Code |
Description |
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01 |
Candidates taking their Class 12 board exam in 2025 and awaiting results. Must qualify for Class 12 by admission time. |
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02 |
Candidates who completed Class 12 or equivalent exams, including ISC, with required science subjects and English. |
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03 |
Candidates who passed Intermediate/Pre-degree Examination in Science with required subjects and practical tests. |
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04 |
Candidates who completed a Pre-professional/Pre-medical Examination after Higher Secondary with required subjects and practical tests. |
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05 |
Candidates pursuing a three-year degree course with required subjects, passed the first year with practical tests, and have a qualifying Class 12 exam. |
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06 |
Candidates who qualified for B.Sc. with at least two required subjects and passed the previous 10+2 exam with required subjects. |
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07 |
Candidates who passed an equivalent exam to the last two years of 10+2 study with required subjects and practical tests, including those from foreign countries. |
NEET Eligibility 2025 Criteria: For NRI/Foreign Students
Indian Nationals, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCI), and Foreign Nationals can take the NEET (UG) – 2025 exam. Here are the NEET Eligibility 2025 criteria for NRI and foreign students:
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Candidates who studied abroad and want to study medicine in India must have passed Chemistry, Physics, English, and Biology/Biotechnology with 50% marks in Class XII, including practical tests in these science subjects. Their qualifications must be recognized as equivalent by the Association of Indian Universities, according to MCI regulations and the concerned university.
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Candidates who completed the IB (International Baccalaureate), GCSE, or Advanced Placement curriculum in high school are also eligible for NEET. In India, IB candidates can also take NEET.
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Foreign nationals can apply for admission to medical or dental colleges in India, following the laws and regulations of the respective state governments, institutions, and the government of India. They should check with the relevant state medical or dental schools to confirm their eligibility.
NEET Eligibility 2025 Criteria: Number of Attempts
There are no restrictions on the number of times a candidate can take the NEET exam, as long as they meet the other eligibility criteria. The limit on the number of NEET attempts was removed with changes to the NEET eligibility requirements in 2018. Therefore, candidates can attempt the NEET exam as many times as they wish.
NEET Eligibility 2025 Criteria: For B.Sc Nursing
Candidates seeking B.Sc Nursing admission using NEET scores should review the following NTA NEET Eligibility 2025 criteria:
Age: Candidates must be 17 years old by December 31, 2025.
Minimum Qualification:
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Candidates must have passed the qualifying exam for Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and English individually.
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They must have passed Class 12 with a minimum aggregate score of 45%. For reserved category students, the minimum score is 40%.
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English must be a compulsory subject in Class 12 for all applicants.
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Candidates who completed Class 12 in a State Open School recognized by NIOS in the subjects mentioned above are also eligible to take the test.
Reservation Criteria: PwD candidates will receive a 3% reservation.
NEET Eligibility 2025 Criteria: 15% NRI Quota
Aside from the All India Quota and the State Quota, there is also a 15% designated special quota for NRIs (Non-Resident Indians) known as the NRI Quota. The Medical Council of India (MCI) has set aside this quota for students who live and study outside India but are originally from the country. NRI students can easily gain admission to Indian medical colleges through these 15% reserved seats under the NRI Quota. This quota also includes Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI). However, they must qualify for the NEET UG Exam to be considered for admission.
NEET 2025 NRI Quota Eligibility:
Candidates who fall under the following categories are eligible for the NRI quota:
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People of Indian Origin (PIO), Overseas Citizens of India (OCI), and their children.
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Students who are the children of State or Central Government workers on deputation in another country.
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Indian origin students who reside or study in another nation.
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Children of Indian citizens who are studying or working overseas.
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Candidates born in another country but have Indian parents.
Conditions for NRI Quota Eligibility:
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Students must meet the above conditions for the NRI quota.
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Applicants must have a valid passport.
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Only bona fide NRIs will be assigned seats under the NRI Quota.
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Candidates must have qualified for the NEET 2025 exam.
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Candidates applying for NRI sponsorship must be related to the financial supporter by blood, such as mother, father, sister, brother, aunt, or uncle.
NEET Eligibility 2025 Criteria: 15% All India Quota (AIQ)
Indian nationals, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCI), Persons of Indian Origin (PIO), and Foreign Nationals are all eligible for 15% of seats under the All India Quota.
Candidates who qualify the NEET 2025 exam will be eligible for these 15% All India Quota seats, as well as 100% of seats in Deemed Universities, Central Universities, ESIC, and AFMC. The Medical Council of India (MCI) will oversee the NEET counselling process on a national level.
Candidates from Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) are not eligible for the 15% All India Quota seats unless they submit a self-declaration form along with their NEET 2025 application. This self-declaration indicates their intention to participate in counselling for the 15% All India Quota seats instead of their home state counselling. Such candidates will be considered for seats at Deemed Universities, ESIC, and AFMC colleges based on NEET eligibility criteria.
The remaining 85% of seats in Delhi University (DU) are reserved for candidates who completed their Class 10 and 12 education in Delhi. Additionally, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Institutional Quota seats are exclusively available to AMU students.
NEET Eligibility 2025 Criteria: 85% State Quota
The 85% state quota includes seats in all government colleges of the respective states/union territories. Counselling for these seats will be conducted by the relevant state authorities. To qualify for state quota seats, candidates must meet the NEET Eligibility 2025 criteria set by each state or union territory, which may include domicile requirements and other criteria.
Admission to private medical and dental institutes through NEET will also be governed by the policies of the respective states/union territories.
NEET Eligibility 2025 FAQs
Q1. Who can apply for NEET 2025?
Answer: Indian nationals, NRIs, OCIs, PIOs, and foreign nationals can apply for NEET 2025.
Q2. What are the age requirements for NEET 2025?
Answer: Candidates must be at least 17 years old as of January 31, 2025, with no upper age limit.
Q3. What educational qualifications are needed for NEET 2025?
Answer: Candidates must have passed Class 12 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as core subjects.
Q4. What are the minimum marks required in the qualifying exam for NEET 2025?
Answer: General category candidates need 50% aggregate marks, SC/ST/OBC candidates require 40%, and PwD candidates need 45%.
Q5. How many times can I attempt NEET 2025?
Answer: There is no limit on the number of attempts for NEET 2025.
