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NEET Age Limit and Attempts
NEET age limit and attempts: no cap on either
NMC reconfirmed the age position in January 2026
The NEET UG 2026 bulletin states there is no upper age limit, citing NMC letters dated 9 March 2022 and 13 January 2026.
The only age rule is a minimum, not a maximum
A candidate must turn 17 on or before 31 December of the exam year, under the Graduate Medical Education Regulations amendment of 16 June 2023.
The bulletin sets no limit on attempts
The NEET UG 2026 information bulletin carries no clause limiting how many times a candidate may sit the exam. No NMC regulation sets one either.
The old caps were removed in 2022
Before 2022 the upper limit was 25 years for unreserved candidates and 30 for reserved candidates. NMC ended that with its letter of 9 March 2022.
A change would have to be notified first
An age limit or an attempt cap would need an NMC regulation or a government notification. No draft or public notice proposing either exists today.
What this means if you are planning a drop year
A repeat attempt carries no eligibility risk under the rules as they stand. The thing to watch for is a notification, not a news report.
Want to know more about NEET eligibility and the exam?
Our NEET overview sets out who qualifies, the pattern, the dates and what follows the result.