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NEET-UG 2025: The NTA has revised tie-breaking criteria for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate exam.
NEET UG 2025: NTA will conduct the examination on May 4, 2025. (Representative image/Getty)
The National Testing Agency (NTA) started the application process for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2025 on the official website – neet.nta.nic.in on Friday, February 7, 2024. According to the official schedule, NEET UG 2025 is scheduled to be conducted on May 4, 2025. While releasing the schedule for the NEET UG 2025 exam, the agency has introduced several important changes to the conduct of the medical entrance test.
One major update is the revised city selection process. For the first time, candidates will be able to choose three cities for their exam centre, up from the previous option of two. When filling out the NEET 2025 application form, candidates must select these cities in order of preference. However, the selection of cities will be restricted to those within the state of the candidate’s permanent or present address, ensuring convenience for all applicants. NTA has also advised candidates to select cities within their own state or nearby cities, discouraging the selection of distant cities in other states.
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In a further update, NTA has announced that if there are not enough candidates opting for an exam centre with a regional language, candidates may be assigned to a centre outside of their preferred list, irrespective of their initial choices.
Additionally, the number of exam centres in India for NEET UG 2025 has been reduced to 552, five fewer than last year. However, the number of international exam cities remains the same at 14.
No Optional Questions In NEET UG 2025
In line with the updated exam pattern, the NEET UG 2025 question paper will consist of 180 compulsory questions from Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Candidates will have 3 hours to answer these questions, and the exam will be conducted for a total of 720 marks. There will be no optional questions this year, streamlining the exam format.
NEET UG Tie-Breaking Method Revised
The NTA has also revamped the tie-breaking process for NEET UG 2025. In cases where two or more candidates achieve the same score, an independent expert committee will now resolve the tie using a “random process,” according to the latest information bulletin. This new method follows last year’s removal of the application number and age criteria from the tie-breaking rules. The testing agency will now apply this random process after exhausting other criteria.
Extended Centre Opening Time
For added convenience, NTA has increased the opening time of NEET UG exam centres. This year, the centres will open three hours before the exam starts, rather than the two hours in previous years. The exam will be held from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, with centres now opening at 11:00 AM to allow candidates extra time for entry, security checks, and other necessary procedures.
