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INI CET Exam 2026: Exam Dates, Eligibility, Application Form, Exam Pattern, Admit Card, Syllabus, Result, Counselling

Exam Level: NationalApplication Date: Mar 09, 2025

Last Updated on 31st July 2025

Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test

INI CET Exam Overview

INI CET Exam Latest Updates

  • The counselling process for the July 2025-2026 session is being conducted. 
  • The official INI CET exam date for the July session 2026-2027 is scheduled for May 17, 2026. 
  • The INI CET entrance exam 2026 will be held on 1st november 2026 for the January 2026-2027 session.
  • The result notification will be declared on November 7, 2026 for the January session 2026-2027.
  • The result notification will be declared on May 23, 2026 for the July session 2026-2027.

Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test [INI CET] for the July session is still going on, and mock round choice filing is completed for the July session 2025-2026.  INI CET Answer key, and the INI CET cut-off is not released on official website yet for 2025. 

The INI CET entrance exam 2026 will be held on 1st november 2026 for the January 2026-2027 session. The result notification will be declared on November 7, 2026 for the January session 2026-2027. The colleges accepting marks of INI CET 2026 are as follows: AIIMS, JIPMER, PGIMER in Chandigarh, NIMHANS in Bangalore, and SCTIMST in Trivandrum. 


INI CET Exam: Quick Highlights for 2026

Here are the quick highlights of the INI CET exam.

Particulars

Details

Name of Exam 

Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test [INI CET] 

INI CET 2026 Testing Authority 

AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences), New Delhi

Exam level 

National-level & PG Entrance Exam

INI CET Exam section 2026

Step 1: 

  • Pre-Clinical: Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology
  • Para-Clinical: Forensic Medicine, Pharmacology, Pathology, Microbiology
  • Clinical: Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Pediatrics, Medicine, Surgery, specialties.

Step 2: Practical/Clinical/Oral exam

Exam Mode

Step 1- Computer-Based Test (CBT) 

Step 2- Offline (Practical Assessment) 

Course Available After Exam 

MD, MS, MDS, DM, MCh

No. of Question

200 MCQs

Duration of Exam 

3 hours

Counselling Round 2025

Still Continued

Mock Round Choice Filing 2025

Completed

INI CET entrance exam 2026 

November 1, 2026 (January session)

INI CET result date 2026

November 7, 2026 (January session)

INI CET entrance exam 2026 

May 17, 2026 (July session)

Marking Scheme 

+1 (for each correct answer)

-⅓ ( for each incorrect answer)

INI CET official website

aiimsexams.ac.in


What is the INI CET Exam? 

The Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test [INI CET] is conducted by AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences), New Delhi. This postgraduate medical entrance exam in India (MS, MD, MDS, DM, MCh) is conducted at the Institute of National Importance (INIs). The exam is held twice a year in January and July sessions. The INI CET exam pattern includes 200 questions, and the duration of the exam is 3 hours. 


INI CET Admit Card  2026

The INI CET 2026 admit card is the most important document you must carry to the exam centre. The students are not allowed to enter the exam hall without the admit card. The INI CET exam releases the admit card for each session of the exam separately. The candidate must download the admit card before going to the exam centre. Refer to the points below to know step-by-step how to download the admit card:

  • The candidate must visit the official INI CET exam website 
  • Click on the “Admit Card” for INI CET  exam 2026 button on the homepage.
  • Log in by entering the user ID and password that you used during registration.
  • After logging in, your admit card will appear on the screen.
  • Download the admit card and take at least two printouts.
  • Make sure the print is clear and the photograph is visible.

Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test

Exam Details

INI CET Eligibility Criteria 2026

The candidates who fulfill the INI CET eligibility requirements have to submit the application form along with the required documents. The process is completely online through the INI CET official website. Refer to the points below to know about the step-by-step application process of the INI CET exam 2026: 

Category

Courses

Eligibility Criteria 

For Indian Nationality

MD/ MS/ DM-6 yrs/ MCh-6 yrs/ MD (Hospital Administration),

  • 12 months compulsory rotating Internship or,
  • Practical training on or before 31st December, 2025 for all INIs.
  • Candidates who will complete their internship after 31st December, 2025 are not eligible for Registration in this examination.
  • Compulsory MBBS degree. 

MBBS/ BDS or equivalent Examinations

a)For candidates belonging to the SC/ST Categories - 50% marks in aggregate 

 b) For all other categories including OBC/EWS Category - 55% marks in aggregate.

c) For Persons with Benchmark Disabilities [PWBD] candidates the minimum aggregate as provided in

For Foreign Nationality

MD/ MS/ DM-6 yrs/ MCh-6 yrs/ MD (Hospital Administration),

  • 12 months compulsory rotating Internship or,
  • Practical training on or before 31st december, 2025 for all INIs.

MBBS/ BDS or equivalent Examinations

  • Eligibility: 55% aggregate or equivalent.

For Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)/ PIO

Indian Nationality

They will not be eligible for consideration for seats for Indian Nationals. 

Foreign Nationality

They will not be eligible for consideration for seats for Foreign Nationals. 


INI CET Application Process 2026

The complete application process for INI CET is completely online through their official website. Recommended steps for applicants are to see if they are eligible for the course they choose and to problem-solve if they meet the criteria for it. 

Step 1. After this, register on the site and input your basic details like name, mobile number, and email ID. 

Step 2: After successfully registering, they need to log in, fill out the online application form, and provide personal, academic, and contact details as requested in the application. 

Step 3: As part of their online application, candidates will be required to upload their most recent passport-size photograph, signature, and left thumb impression.   

Step 4: All documents must conform to the required formats and sizes. 


INI CET Application Fees 2026

To complete the registration process, students are required to pay a certain amount of registration fees. The registration fees for General/OBC/OCI/Foreign and SC/ST/EWS. Refer to the table below for the details of registration fees for the INI CET exam.


Particulars

Details

Registration Fees 

  • General/OBC/OCI/Foreign National: INR 4,000
  • SC/ST/EWS: INR 3,200
  • PwBD: Exempted


INI CET Syllabus 2026

The INI CET syllabus contains a variety of topics that assess the understanding and awareness of the candidates for various professional PG courses. The syllabus formulated are as follows 

Pre-Clinical: Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology

Para-Clinical: Forensic Medicine, Pharmacology, Pathology, Microbiology, 

Clinical: Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Pediatrics, Medicine, Surgery, specialties. 

All of the questions on the INI CET exam will be multiple-choice with multiple answers drawn from the syllabus. 

INI CET Exam Pattern 2026

It is conducted by the INI CET Committee every year. The examination pattern depends on the course in which the candidate is applying, with a different number of subjects being tested, the number of questions available, and the duration of the exam. All the questions will be in multiple-choice format, and each correct answer will have a weightage of four marks. It is a computer-based exam.

Subject

Number of Questions 

Weightage

Surgery, ENT, Orthopedics, and Anesthesia

30

15%

Medicine, Dermatology, and Venereology

26

13%

Obstetrics & Gynaecology

16

8%

Pathology

17

9%

Social and Preventive Medicine

16

8%

Microbiology

14

7%

Pharmacology

14

7%

Anatomy

10

5%

Physiology

10

5%

Biochemistry

10

5%

Paediatrics

10

5%

Radiodiagnosis and Radiotherapy

9

5%

Forensic Medicines

6

3%

Ophthalmology

6

3%

Psychiatry

6

3%


Preparation Tips for INI CET 2026 exam

The INI CET exam 2025 is a crucial entrance exam for students aiming to take admission in PG programs across India. The scores in the INI CET exam are considered for admission to various PG programs in colleges in India. However, with the right preparation and strategies, candidates can get a good score and rank in the INI CET exam. Here are some preparation tips that need to be followed:

● The candidate must understand the exam pattern and syllabus and be familiar with the INI CET exam pattern.

● The candidate must make a practical study schedule and divide time subject-wise, and include weekly mock test sessions.

● The candidate must practice mock tests regularly and review their mistakes to improve their recovery.

● The candidate must keep short notes for quick revisions and revise important formulas and concepts weekly.

Things to avoid during exam

The students need to avoid carrying certain things on the INI CET exam day, including mobile phones, bluetooth devices, calculators, cameras, or any other valuables, which will lead to a conflict.


INI CET Previous years Question Papers 2026

The INI CET previous years' question papers help the students to prepare for the upcoming INI CET exam. The previous year's question helps in the analysis of the questions and the topics to be focused on. Students get an idea of the exam pattern, which helps them in the exam for their future. Here are the links to the INI CET previous year question papers.

Exam 

Question Paper

INI CET 2024 Exam

Check Here 

INI CET 2023 Exam

Check Here 


INI CET Result 2026

The Candidates who have appeared for the INI CET exam can download the result from the INI CET  official website. Refer to the points below to know step-by-step how to download the INI CET result:

  • Go to the official INI CET  website 
  • Click on the Result link and find and click on “Download Scorecard for INI CET 2026’ on the homepage.
  • Enter your INI CET ID number and password to log in.
  • INI CET 2026 result scorecard will appear on the screen.
  • Download the PDF of the scorecard and take a printout for future reference for admission.


INI CET Answer Key 2026

The INI CET Answer Key 2026 is yet to be released. The Candidates can download the answer key by entering their login credentials. Refer to the points below, step-by-step, to know how to download the answer key:

  • Go to the official INI CET 2025 website.
  • Log in by entering your registration ID and password.
  • Click on the “Sign in” button on the screen.
  • The INI CET  2025 answer key will appear on the screen in PDF format.
  • Download the answer key and check the answers, and take a printout of the file.


INI CET Participating Colleges 2026

All the colleges that take part in INI CET are recognised by the government and Universities. INI CET exam is conducted for the candidates who want to pursue PG courses at these institutes like AIIMS, JIPMER, etc.

These are among the top colleges accepting INI CET 2026 scores, including AIIMS, JIPMER in Puducherry, PGIMER in Chandigarh, NIMHANS in Bangalore, and SCTIMST in Trivandrum. These institutes are well-equipped with good academic infrastructure and experienced staff, ensuring quality education and training.

Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test

INI CET Exam Dates 2026

The Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test [INI CET] follows a set schedule, which is announced by AIIMS twice a year. Important dates for candidates include when the application form opens, the deadline for the submission of the application form, when the admit card will be issued for the candidates, when the examination date is scheduled, and when the result date is scheduled.


Upcoming Events

Tentative Dates 

Application Start

September -October 2026 (Tentative)

Application Deadline

October 2026 (Tentative)

Correction Window

October 2026 (Tentative)

Admit Card Release

November  2026 (Tentative)

Main Exam

November 1, 2026 

Result Declaration

November 7, 2026 

Counselling Begins

January 2026 (Tentative)

Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test

INI CET Cut-off 2026

The INI CET 2026 cutoff will be released by INI CET  after the results.  After the exam declaration, Symbiosis colleges will start releasing their INI CET cut-off percentile. The INI CET result is expected to be released in the first week of January, 2026. The expected cutoff for admission in AIIMS is likely to be 96 percentile. Refer to the table below to know about the expected cut-off for the INI CET cutoff 2025.

Category

Percentile

Unreserved (UR), EWS, Sponsored/Deputed, OCI/Foreign

50th

SC/ST/OBC

45th

Bhutanese Nationals (PGI-Chandigarh only)

45th


INI CET Exam Frequently Asked Questions


1. What is the INI CET 2026 exam?

The INI CET exam is a national-level PG entrance exam conducted across India. 


2. When will the INI CET exam 2026 be conducted?

The INI CET exam 2026 is expected to be conducted in November 2025 across multiple cities in India for the January session. 


3. Who can apply for the INI CET exam 2026?

The candidate with 50% in their graduation and 45% for SC/ST can apply for the INI CET exam 2025.

AcronymInstitute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test
Conducting BodyAll India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)
Mode and TypeOnline (Computer Based Test (CBT))
Application ModeOnline
Frequency2 in a year
LanguagesEnglish
Test Takers130000
Duration180
Total Marks200
Marking Scheme1 for correct, 0.75 for incorrect
Application Fee4000
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