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NEET Eligibility Criteria 2025 – Qualification, Marks, Age Limit, Number of Attempt

All the Students who want to appear or are preparing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) exam need to meet certain eligibility requirements set by NTA and NMC. Every year, the National Testing Agency uploads an information brochure that includes information such as eligibility criteria, age limit, qualification required, and number of attempts. We have shared information regarding the NEET 2025 Eligibility Criteria, which mainly comprises educational qualifications, Age limit, and the total number of attempts in the article below.

NEET Eligibility Criteria 2025

The NEET Eligibility requirements provide mandatory parameters of the educational qualifications, age limitations, nationality requirements, and more than overall determine eligibility for NEET 2025. As per NEET Eligibility criteria, the minimum age for NEET is 17 years. There is no upper age limit to appear for the NEET Exam. Candidates must have passed Class 12 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology as major subjects. The table below summarizes the key eligibility criteria for NEET 2025, helping you understand if you qualify for the exam.

NEET Eligibility Criteria 
Exam Name National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET)
Educational Qualification 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology
Minimum NEET Age 17 years
NEET Maximum Age No Upper Age
Minimum Marks in 12th 50% for Gen, 40% for SC/ST/OBC, and 45% for PwD in Class 12th (Science Stream)
Maximum number of Attempts There are no restrictions on the number of Attempts for NTA NEET
Nationality Indians, NRIs, OCIs, PIOs, and Foreign nationals

Educational Qualification for NEET Exam

The educational qualifications set by the NTA are the basic parameters required for students before appearing in the NEET Exam. Check the following NEET Educational Qualification as given below.

  • Candidates must have passed Class 12 or an equivalent examination with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English.
  • General category candidates need to achieve a minimum of 50% marks in the major subjects, including Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. For reserved categories (SC/ST/OBC), the minimum mark required is 40%.
  • Candidates who are currently pursuing Class 12 and awaiting their results are eligible for the NEET Exam.
  • Additionally, candidates who have studied Biology as an additional subject after passing Class 12 are also eligible.

Minimum Marks Required in Class 12th for NEET Exam

The percentage of marks required in class 12 varies for each category, which are listed below.

NEET Eligibility Marks
Category Marks Obtained in Class 12th
General/UR 50%
SC/ST/OBC 40%
PwD 45%

NEET UG Age Limit 2025

All the students who are willing to get admission into medical courses based on the NEET 2025 exam need to first fulfill the minimum eligibility requirements for the exam. Similarly, before appearing for the exam there are some NEET Age Limit that need to be looked after before form submission.

  • The lowest age of an applicant for the NEET 2025 exam must not be below 17 years at the time of application or by December 31, 2025.
  • As of now, there is no maximum age limit to appear for the NEET Exam 2025. Previously there was an age restriction of 25 years (30 years for the reserved category).

Number of Attempts for NEET Exam

Earlier before the year 2018, there were restrictions on the total number of attempts to take the NEET Exam for every candidate. These restrictions are now removed with amendments in 2018 for NEET UG Eligibility Criteria. As per the recently released eligibility criteria, there is no restriction on the number of attempts for NEET.

NEET Requirement for International Students

All the Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), and Foreign Nationals appearing for the NEET 2025 Exam need to fulfill the basic eligibility requirements listed below:

  • The applicants need to have passed their 12th or equivalent level of education while having physics, chemistry, and biology as the major subjects
  • It is required that the minimum score in the final results should be 50% or equivalent from a recognized board or institution as determined by the Associations of Indian Universities
  • Applicants after completing the IB (International Baccalaureate)/ GCSE/ Advanced Placement curriculum can also apply for the NEET 2025 exam

NEET 2025 Qualifying Exam Code

The candidates applying for the NEET 2025 exam will need to select one of the qualifying exam codes from the 7 options listed below in the table. Check the table and study the exam codes:

NEET 2025 Qualifying Exam Code
Code Description
01 Result awaiting students who are enrolled in class 12 use this code
02 All the candidates who have passed their higher/senior secondary examination or the Indian School Certificate Examination (ISCE) of education use this code. According to the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), it is mandatory to have physics, chemistry, and biology as the main subjects in classes 11th and 12th
03 Candidates with a pass in the Intermediate / Pre-Degree examination in Science from a recognized board or institution having PCB as the main subject use this code
04 Candidates passing the Pre-professional/ Pre-medical examination after passing the Intermediate / Pre-Degree examination having PCB as the main subject opt for this code
05 Candidates who are pursuing a 3-year degree course from a recognized university or institution having Physics, Chemistry, Biology/ Biotechnology as the main subjects must choose this code
06 Candidates who have qualified for the BSc course having a minimum of two subjects from Physics, Chemistry, Biology/ Biotechnology as the main subjects from a recognized university or board must use this code
07 Any candidates who have passed courses other than the 12th class but are equivalent to 10+2 study or Intermediate Science Examination of an Indian University/Board having Physics, Chemistry, Biology/ Biotechnology as the main subjects must use this code. Applicants passing a qualifying examination from foreign country must also use this code

Can PCM Students Appear for NEET Exam?

Yes, students from PCM (Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics) backgrounds can sit for the NEET Exam. To be eligible, PCM Students must have studied Biology/Biotechnology as one of the subjects in their 10+2 curriculum.

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NEET Eligibility Criteria -FAQs

Q. What is the important eligibility criteria for NEET Exams?

Ans: You must be at least 17 years old and have completed 10+2 or equivalent education with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology as your core subjects.

Q. What is the minimum NEET eligibility marks?

Ans: Candidates must have completed their 10+2 or equivalent examination with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English from a recognized board. General category applicants need at least 50% marks in these subjects, while SC/ST/OBC candidates require 40%, and candidates with disabilities (PwD) need 45%.

Q. What is the qualifying code for 12th passed students?

Ans: The qualifying examination code for Class 12th passed or dropper students is Code 2.

Q. What if I don't meet the NEET eligibility criteria?

Ans: If you don't meet the NEET eligibility criteria, Firstly, double-check the specific eligibility criteria to see if there are any exceptions or additional options for your situation. Consider retaking the exams, if your educational qualifications are the issue.

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As Associate Manager- Content Writer, I take on leadership within our content creation team, overseeing the development of error-free educational content. My primary responsibility is to produce and analyse high-quality content educating and informing the aspirants about upcoming government exams published on our website. I have more than 6 years experience in content writing wherein 4.5 years of experience in ed-tech content writing.