National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test Eligibility Criteria

NEET 2025 is a key exam for students aiming to pursue medical and dental courses in India. It has specific eligibility requirements, including age limits, the number of attempts allowed, and qualifying marks. In this guide, we will explain the important NEET 2025 eligibility details, helping students understand the rules they must meet to appear for the exam and secure admission to medical colleges.

The NEET 2025 eligibility criteria outline the necessary qualifications and requirements for candidates aspiring to pursue medical and allied health courses in India. Understanding these criteria is crucial to ensure a smooth application process. Key aspects include age limits, nationality, and educational qualifications, along with document verification. Candidates must meet these requirements to appear for the exam.

NEET 2025 General Eligibility

The general eligibility criteria for NEET 2025 cover essential aspects like age, nationality, and academic qualifications. Indian nationals, NRIs, OCIs, PIOs, and foreign nationals can apply. Candidates should have studied Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English in Class 12. The general eligibility criteria for NEET 2025 are as follows:

• Candidates must be Indian nationals, NRIs, OCIs, PIOs, or foreign nationals.
• Completion of Class 12 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as core subjects is mandatory.
• Applicants must ensure they meet the minimum age requirement of 17 years as of December 31, 2025.
• There is currently no upper age limit for NEET.

NEET 2025 Detailed Criteria

To successfully apply for NEET 2025, candidates must meet specific eligibility requirements covering age, nationality, educational qualifications, and documentation. Each criterion is vital to ensure fairness and uniformity among applicants. By understanding these requirements, students can plan their application and preparation effectively. Below is a detailed breakdown of the eligibility criteria for NEET 2025.

NEET 2025 Age Limit: 

It is important to know the maximum age limit for NEET as it affects a candidate's eligibility directly. These age limits for NEET are always in a process of alteration, and it is recommended that the age limits for NEET 2025 should be cross-checked from the official authorities or the website for NEET. Knowing the age limit is an important part as it guides applicants to plan their preparation and application accordingly.

Here is the age criterion for NEET:

• Minimum Age: The minimum age for NEET applicants is usually 17 years. This means that applicants must have completed 17 years of age as of December 31, 2024, for NEET 2025.
• Maximum Age: No upper age limit for NEET exam.

NEET 2025 Nationality:

NEET 2025 allows students from different backgrounds to apply. Indian students, those living abroad (NRIs), people with Indian roots (PIOs), foreign nationals, and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) can all take the exam. Everyone must follow certain rules set by the exam authorities.

NEET 2025 Educational Qualification:

To appear for NEET 2025, students must meet specific educational requirements. These include completing Class 12 or an equivalent exam with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (PCB) as core subjects. The required minimum percentage varies for different categories, ensuring fair opportunities for all. Candidates should ensure their marks meet the set criteria to qualify for the exam. Proper preparation and understanding of the requirements are key to success.

• Class 12 qualification with a minimum of 50% marks in PCB for general category candidates.
• Reserved category (SC/ST/OBC): Minimum 40% marks.
• PwD candidates: Minimum 45% marks.

NEET 2025 Reservation Criteria

NEET 2025 offers reservations under various categories to ensure fair admission opportunities for students from different backgrounds. The reservations are categorized based on factors like caste, economic status, and disability. Additionally, seats are reserved for students from Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and victims of terrorism. Here is a breakdown of the NEET 2025 reservation criteria:

AIQ Reservation for NEET 2025

• 15% of All India Quota (AIQ) seats are filled through online counseling and cover Indian citizens, NRIs, Overseas Citizens of India (OCI), Persons of Indian Origin (PIO), and Foreign Nationals.
• The remaining seats after the AIQ process are transferred to the state quota.

AIQ Reservation Percentage:

These reservations apply to MBBS and BDS courses in government and private medical colleges under the AIQ.

State Quota Reservation Criteria

For 85% of State Quota seats, each state or Union Territory (UT) conducts its own counseling process. The reservation coverage varies by state but typically includes categories such as SC, ST, OBC, EWS, and PwD. Additionally, Tamil Nadu has introduced a 7.5% reservation for government school students who qualify in NEET.

Reservation for Specific Categories:

In the NEET 2025 exam, certain groups of students can get special help through reservations. These reservations are for students from specific backgrounds, like those who belong to certain categories or have disabilities. This helps to make the process fairer and gives more opportunities for students who might face challenges. Here's a breakdown of how reservations work for some important groups:

1. OBC-NCL ReservationOBC Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) candidates are eligible for 27% reservation under AIQ. Candidates must meet the prescribed income and living standards.
2. EWS ReservationCandidates from economically weaker backgrounds are eligible for 10% reservation under the EWS category. The criteria include a family income of less than ₹8 lakh per year and restrictions on agricultural land ownership and residential property size.
3. PwD ReservationA 5% reservation is available for candidates with disabilities of 40% or more. A valid disability certificate from one of the designated centers is required.

Candidates from Jammu & Kashmir and LadakhCandidates from Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) and Ladakh are not eligible for the 15% AIQ seats unless they submit a self-declaration form during the NEET application process. They can, however, apply for state quota seats in their respective states or UTs.

Reservation for Terror VictimsSeats are reserved for victims of terror attacks, including children and spouses of those affected by terrorism. These reserved seats are part of the central pool for MBBS and BDS admissions.

Deemed Universities ReservationDeemed universities follow AIQ counseling for admissions:

NEET 2025 Number of Attempts

The number of attempts to sit for NEET exams has no limit as stated by the National Testing Agency (NTA), which is the regulatory body for NEET exams. This also aligns with the statement put on the official NEET website, which categorically states, "There is no cap for the number of attempts." Further, CBSE has approved the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's letter number U.12023/16/2010-ME-II dated 6th December 2017 that declares that there is no limitation on the number of attempts from the previous period.

NEET 2025 Qualifying Marks 

Qualifying marks or eligibility criteria in NEET are important aspects involved in the examination process. To appear for NEET, a candidate must fulfill certain criteria. The qualifying marks differ with respect to your category. Here's a general idea:

• General Category Candidates Usually, they demand a candidate in general categories be scoring not below 50 per cent from an NEET entrance exam to join the process of eligibility. At times this requirement may even become less than 50.
• Reserved Category: The candidates who belong to the reserved category, like SC, ST, and OBC, have a lesser qualifying percentage. It is generally around 40%. Like all other criteria, this percentage also varies.
• PwD Candidates: Normally, PwD candidates also have a qualifying percentage that is the same as the category in which they belong (General, SC, ST, OBC).

The importance of qualifying marks is that it directly affects your eligibility for admission to medical and dental courses. Scoring below the qualifying marks may render the application invalid.

NEET 2025 Qualification Eligibility

The NEET 2025 exam has specific eligibility requirements that students must meet to apply. These include educational qualifications, age limits, and the minimum percentage needed in class 12 subjects like Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. There are also rules about who can apply based on nationality and the number of times a student can take the exam. Understanding these requirements is important to ensure a smooth application process. Below are the detailed eligibility criteria for the NEET 2025 exam:

Also, applicants need to get a qualifying aggregate in your qualifying exam. The qualifying aggregate for different categories is given below:

NEET 2025 Nationality Eligibility: Who Can Appear in the Exam?

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2025 is one of the most important entrance exams for those who wish to pursue medical and dental courses in India. One of the basic eligibility criteria for NEET 2025 is nationality. Let's see the various eligibility categories for NEET 2025 nationality:

• Indian Citizens: NEET 2025 is open to all Indian citizens. Candidates who are Indian nationals with the required educational qualifications are eligible to sit for the examination. This is the basic eligibility for the exam.
• Overseas Citizens of India (OCI): OCI card holders also are included for NEET 2025. This has also provided a pathway for Indians residing abroad and citizens of foreign nations to appear in the NEET 2025 examination. Therefore, this adds an inclusiveness aspect of including people who belong to the country and yet would like to carry on their MBBS/ MD studies from the same nation.
• Non-Resident Indians (NRI): The NEET 2025 will be open to NRIs, who are Indian nationals living abroad. This category allows students from the Indian diaspora to take the NEET and pursue medical education opportunities in India, especially if they have completed their schooling abroad.
• Foreign Nationals: Foreign nationals can take NEET 2025, too. This will open great avenues for students interested in medical and dental education abroad, who may want to seek it in India, thus making an environment academically diverse.
• Persons of Indian Origin: PIOs are those who have Indian ancestry but do not hold Indian citizenship. Those PIOs also get a chance to appear for NEET 2025, which is a huge opportunity for individuals from foreign countries belonging to the Indian ethnicity.
• Jammu & Kashmir Applicants: The All India quota has 15% reserved for candidates from Jammu & Kashmir. This provision now allows them to apply for medical seats in institutions like AFMC, Pune.

NEET 2025 Eligibility – Qualifying Codes

NEET 2025 aspirants need to pick the NEET qualification codes for the qualifying examination when filling out the application form. Details about the NEET 2025 qualification codes are provided below.

• Code 01: All those students who will take their Class 12 board exam in 2025 and are awaiting their board results must select this code. However, until the time of admission, such applicants must have completed their class 12 as indicated by the criteria, otherwise, they will be disqualified.
• Code 02: applicants must choose this code if they are studying higher/senior secondary examination or the Indian School Certificate Test (ISCE), which is comparable to the Class 12 exam and comes almost after a period of 12 years of proper study.
• According to the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), the last two years of this study must include science courses such as physics, chemistry, biology/biotechnology, and mathematics, as well as any other elective disciplines with English as a core subject. applicants who completed Class 12 in the year 2023 or earlier and have not followed any other study after Class 12 must select this code.
• Code 03: This code is for applicants who have successfully finished their Intermediate/Pre-degree Examination in Science at an Indian University/Board or other recognised authority, including Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as obligatory subjects. A practical exam in science disciplines should be included in the course. applicants who have completed a state board's class 12 or equivalent qualifying examination must additionally choose this code.
• Code 04: Aspirers who have passed a Pre-professional/ Pre-medical Examination after completing either the Higher Secondary Examination or the Pre-University or an equivalent examination with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/ Biotechnology, and English must apply using this code. Practical exams in these topics, as well as English as a compulsory subject, will be included in the Pre-professional/Pre-medical examination.
• Code 05: Applicants must pick this code if they are studying a three-year degree program at a recognised university with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology as necessary topics and have passed the first year including practical examinations in these areas. applicants should keep in mind that the qualifying test here must be a University Examination. They must have cleared the previous qualifying examination, which is 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as a core course.
• Code 06: Applicants who have passed the BSc Examination from an Indian university with at least two of the following subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, or Bio-technology must select this code throughout the application process. They must also have passed the previous qualifying test (10+2) with Physics, Chemistry, English, and Biology.
• Code 07: Applicants who have passed any other examination that is found to be equivalent to the Intermediate Science Examination of an Indian University/Board in scope and standard (years of 10+2 Study comprising of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology; which shall include practical test in these subjects) must select this code. aspirers who have passed the qualifying examination in a foreign country must additionally include this code.

Frequently Asked Question