Total marks in NEET 2025: Exam pattern, marking scheme and weightage – NTA update

The National Testing Agency(NTA) conducts the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for under graduate medical courses in India for students aspiring to become doctors. Every year many candidates apply for the limited seats in the various medical colleges of India, making NEET as one of the most competitive exams. Therefore, knowing the NEET exam pattern 2025, marking scheme and weightage of topics in all 3 subjects in the NEET exam becomes extra important for students to clear this entrance exam.

This guide will provide clarity on all your NEET exam pattern related queries. Prepare yourself for the upcoming NEET 2025 exam one step ahead from others, with latest NEET related updates only on futureMBBS. Stay tuned!

Passing marks in NEET 2025

The passing marks in NEET exam varies depending upon category of candidates. For general category students passing marks out of total 720 is 50th percentile. For SC/ST/OBC it's 40th percentile and for general-PH candidates 45th percentile. Along with the NEET result, NTA also releases category-wise NEET exam total marks and passing marks.

According to previous year's (2024) cutoff, NEET passing marks for different categories were shown in the below table:

NEET exam pattern 2025

Knowing the NEET exam pattern is important for aspirants to perform well in the 2025 exam. The National Testing Agency set the NEET exam pattern.

NEET (updated) exam paper pattern 2025

In the NEET 2025 exam pattern, there will be only one section now as section B has been removed. You will now encounter 45 questions each in both subject Chemistry and Physics and 90 questions in Biology from both section Botany and Zoology. The NEET aspirants will not have any optional questions now.

There will be a total of 180 objective multiple choice questions (MCQs) from the NEET subjects of Physics, Chemistry and biology and all are compulsory. Candidates are advised to take a review of the new exam pattern to avoid any negative marking.

NEET 2025: Major changes

NTA is soon going to release the NEET exam date for 2025. After the recent incident of NEET UG paper leak, education ministry has brought new changes according to the proposals made by committees to ensure fair and transparent NEET exam conduction. As per the NTA, section B has been removed from paper. Earlier, NEET marks were divided into two sections A and B, now there will be no optional questions in section B. From here on 2025, NEET UG exam will composed of 180 compulsory questions-45 each in Physics and Chemistry, and 90 in the biology. The duration of the NEET 2025 exam will be of 180 mins.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has also reassured that the mode of NEET UG 2025 exam will be in pen and paper mode (offline) in a single day and in one shift. This decision is in accordance with the National Medical Council (NMC) guidelines.

As per the NTA, the temporary provision for optimal questions, introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, will no longer be available.

Also read: How many MBBS seats in India

NEET marking scheme

The NEET marking scheme is essential to understand how marks are awarded and deducted. Here’s a quick breakdown of how it works:

• Correct Answers: +4 marks for every correct answer.

• Incorrect Answers: For each incorrect answer, 1 mark is deducted (negative marking).

• Unattempted Questions: No marks are awarded or deducted for questions left unanswered.

Things to remember while filling OMR

1. If a candidate chooses multiple answers for a question, it is considered incorrect and will result in negative marking.

2. Once the answers are marked in the OMR sheet, it cannot be changed.

3. You should not use whitener on an OMR sheet.

4. Half-filled or over-filled bubbles won't be read by the scanner. 

5. Use ballpoint pen to fill bubbles.

Also read: How to prepare for NEET 2025

Formula to calculate NEET score

NTA will release answer key once the exams are done. Candidates can apply the formula to check on their scores. This will help students with predicting their medical college. Previous year cutoff can also be used for taking an idea about minimum marks required for a particular government medical college.

Here is the formula to calculate your NEET score:

NEET Score = (Number of Correct Answers × 4) - (Number of Incorrect Answers × 1)

For example, if you answer 150 questions (100 correct and 50 incorrect), your score would be:

(100 × 4) - (50 × 1) = 400 - 50 = 350 marks.

Also read: NEET exam centre 2025

NEET exam 2025: Chapter wise weightage

Understanding the chapter-wise weightage for NEET 2025 is essential for effective exam preparation. Each chapter in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology contributes differently to the overall score, so knowing which topics carry more weight helps prioritize study efforts.

Focusing on high-weightage chapters allows students to target important areas, improving the chances of scoring well, considering the NEET exam pattern. A strategic approach for the NEET exam that emphasizes these key chapters ensures a more efficient and confident preparation.

NEET 2025 latest updates:

• NEET exam centres 2025

NEET 2025: Weightage for Biology

The NEET Chapter Wise Weightage 2025 for Biology breaks down the topics in the Biology section of the NEET exam. This helps candidates understand the importance of each chapter, enabling effective study planning.

Key chapters like Genetics and Evolution, Plant Physiology, and Human Physiology hold significant weightage in the exam pattern of NEET. By focusing on these high-scoring topics, students can align their preparation with the NEET 2025 exam pattern and improve their chances of success. Prioritizing these chapters ensures efficient coverage and maximizes total marks in the exam.

Class XI NEET biology

Class XII NEET biology

NEET 2025: Weightage for Physics

NEET physics can be prepared by using the following table for topic wise weightage.

NEET 2025: Weightage for Chemistry

As there are 3 sections in Chemistry including physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry and physical chemistry. Aspirants preparing for NEET exam should refer to the following table for strategic preparation.

Physical Chemistry

Inorganic Chemistry

Organic Chemistry

NEET UG: Medium of exam

The NEET 2025 exam will be offered in 13 different languages, depending on the exam center you select. Here are important points to remember while choosing the language in NEET during registration:

• The candidates can choose their preferred question paper language from the following 13 options: English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Odia, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, or Punjabi.

• This language choice is made during the form-filling process and cannot be changed after submission.

• Those selecting English will be provided with English test booklet. Candidates choosing Hindi will get a bilingual test booklet in both Hindi and English.

• Candidates opting for regional languages will be provided with a bilingual test booklet in their chosen language and English.

• In case of any ambiguity in the translation of a question, the English version will be considered the final reference.

Tips to avoid negative marking

To minimize the impact of negative marking in the NEET exam, the candidates can follow these tips:

1. Avoid guessing
   Don’t attempt questions you’re unsure about, as negative marking will cost you 1 mark for each wrong answer.

2. Read questions carefully
   Thoroughly read each question before answering to ensure you understand it and reduce the chance of errors.

3. Prioritize confident answers
   Answer only those questions you're confident about. If you're unsure, it's safer to skip them.

4. Manage your time
   Don’t rush through the exam. Allocate enough time for each question to avoid careless mistakes.

5. Eliminate wrong options
   If you’re unsure, eliminate clearly incorrect options to improve your chances of guessing correctly.

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Conclusion

NEET UG exam is conducted by National Testing Agency for medical aspirants to avail seats in various medical college. Considering the limited number of seats in India, NEET becomes an extra competitive for candidates. The candidates should have complete idea of NEET exam pattern, marking scheme, weightage of topics from subjects physics, chemistry and biology to ace this exam. Recently NTA has announced changes in NEET exam pattern 2025 by removing section B from the NEET question paper and reducing the duration of exam to 3 hours. Previously NEET question paper had two sections namely section A and section B. Changes has been made in accordance with MNC guidelines. Students must keep eyes on latest updates made by NTA. futureMBBS delivers the latest NEET updates directly to you, ensuring you stay ahead in your exam preparation. Remember NEET is just a chapter of a life and not your whole life, there are options where you don't have to compromise with your dream of becoming a doctor without getting trapped in NEET cutoff game, one such solution is MBBS abroad. FutureMBBS is a trusted partner—helping 1000+ students secure their MBBS admissions in Europe! Visit the link to book a free consultation.