NEET Eligibility Criteria 2025: Age Limit & Qualification

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) serves as the sole crucial path for aspiring medical students in India, especially for individuals wanting to enroll in MBBS courses.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has published the NEET 2025 eligibility standards for medical applicants on neet.nta.nic.in.  The essential NEET eligibility conditions for 2025 indicate that a candidate must be 17 before December 31, 2025.  According to the NEET eligibility criteria, the candidate must have completed class 12 by admission and studied Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English.

The NEET exam eligibility criteria detail the necessary educational qualifications, age limitations, nationality requirements, and other crucial factors that determine one's eligibility for the exam. Candidates wishing to take the NEET UG 2025 must be conversant with all parts of the NEET eligibility standards. No candidate can complete the NEET application form unless they meet the established valid standards. The NEET examination is required for admission to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, BSc nursing, and other medical programs. Consult the entire page for more details on the NEET 2025 qualifying conditions.

NEET UG eligibility criteria 2025

The NTA announced the NEET exam date and eligibility requirements in the NEET 2025 information bulletin.  Candidates who match the eligibility criteria for NEET 2025, given below, and complete the application process by the deadline are eligible to take the undergraduate medical entrance exam.  The criteria for sitting the NEET UG test are:

NEET's Age Limitation 

The NEET 2025 age limit states that a candidate must be 17 years old at the time of admission or by December 31, 2025.

Age Limitations for NEET

There is no age limit for NEET 2025. There are no age restrictions for the NEET exam. The NEET 2025 examination is open to all applicants, regardless of age.

NEET Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the NEET 2025 exam, a candidate must have completed class 12 by the admission date.  Candidates must complete their class 12 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as core courses from a certified board.

NEET qualification marks in the 12th grade 

The 12th percentile required for NEET 2025 varies by category. To be eligible for the NEET 2025 exam, students must obtain a certain aggregate percentage in their Class 12 marks.

Limit on NEET attempts

In 2018, changes to the NEET UG eligibility standards removed the limit on the number of NEET tries.  As a result, there are no restrictions on the number of attempts for NEET 2025.  Candidates may take the NEET 2025 entrance exam as many times as they desire as long as they match the qualifying requirements.

Eligibility criteria for NEET 2025: Qualifying exam requirements

NEET 2025 eligibility requirements for NRI/international students

Candidates who have completed their studies abroad must meet the NEET eligibility standards. The final assessment for NRI/foreign students must correspond to the Class 12 qualification in their home country. Candidates must have finished studies in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology and have passed the theory and practical assessments in each of these disciplines, as well as English, in the qualifying exam.

• Non-resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), and Foreign Nationals are eligible for admission to Medical/Dental Colleges, provided they follow the norms and regulations issued by the respective State Governments, Institutions, and the Government of India, as applicable. 
• NRI and OCI Applicants/Candidates must submit a certificate from the relevant Indian Diplomatic Mission in their place of residency to authenticate their status as an NRI/OCI Candidate in addition to their online NEET UG 2025 application form. 
• Similarly, a foreign candidate applying for NEET 2025 must submit Documentary Proof (such as relevant pages of a valid passport or a certificate from the Competent Authority in their home country confirming their citizenship status) to verify their nationality in addition to the online NEET application form.

NEET Qualification Code for 2025 

Candidates in the general category must pass NEET with a score of 50% in the 12th grade.  Reserved categories require 40% of the total marks.  When completing the application form, students must select the NEET qualification codes that correspond to the qualifying exam.  Candidates should familiarize themselves with the NEET qualification codes and NEET UG 2025 test mode syllabus by examining the table below.

NEET Eligibility Examination Codes 2025

Information about the qualifying examination codes for NTA NEET 2025

Code 01: Students who will sit their Class 12 board exam in 2025 and are awaiting the results must select this code.  However, by the time of admission, these candidates must have completed class 12 according to the specified standards; otherwise, they will be considered ineligible.

Code 02: Candidates studying for the higher/senior secondary examination or the Indian School Certificate Examination (ISCE), which is similar to the Class 12 test and follows 12 years of schooling, must use this code. According to the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT), the final two years of study should contain science courses such as physics, chemistry, biology/biotechnology, and mathematics, as well as extra electives, with English serving as a key subject. It is vital to note that the examination code for NEET 2025 repeaters will also remain unchanged. For example, if someone passed the qualifying exam from CBSE/ICSE or any state board in 2020 and wishes to take NEET 2025, he or she can register using Code 2.

Code 03: Candidates who have completed their Intermediate/Pre-degree Examination in Science from an Indian university/board or other recognised organisation with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as required subjects should use this code. The curriculum should incorporate a hands-on evaluation in the science fields. Candidates who have completed their 12th grade or an equivalent qualifying exam from a state board should also select this code.

Code 04: Candidates who have taken a pre-professional/pre-medical examination after completing either the Higher Secondary Examination or the Pre-University or a comparable exam with subjects in physics, chemistry, biology/biotechnology, and English should use code 04 when applying. The pre-professional/pre-medical exam will include practical examinations in several areas, in addition to English as a required subject.

Code 05: Candidates must select this code if they are enrolled in a three-year degree program at a recognised university and have completed the first year, including practical assessments in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology, which are required topics. Candidates should be informed that the qualifying exam in question must be a university examination, and they must have passed the previous qualifying examination, specifically 10+2, which includes Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as a core topics.

Code 06: Candidates who have passed the BSc Examination from an Indian recognised university and have at least two of the courses Physics, Chemistry, Biology (Botany, Zoology), or Biotechnology must select this code when completing the application process.  Additionally, students must have passed the prior qualifying examination (10+2) in English, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. 

Code 07: Candidates who have passed any other examination of similar scope and standard (last two years of 10+2 studies covering Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology, including practical assessments in these subjects) deemed equivalent to an Indian University/Board's Intermediate Science Examination, should choose this code.  Candidates who have completed the qualifying exam in an international country must also fill in this code.