NEET MDS Exam 2026: Exam Dates, Eligibility, Application Form, Exam Pattern, Admit Card, Syllabus, Result, Counselling

Latest Updates

• The NEET MDS 2025 counselling registration's last date is 30 June 2025. 
• The NEET MDS 2025 counselling is scheduled in July 2025 for admission to the Master's of Dental Surgery.
• The NEET MDS 2025 seat allocation is scheduled for July 2025.

Overview

The National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test for Masters of Dental Surgery (NEET MDS) is a postgraduate exam conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS). The NEET MDS 2026 exam is conducted for the Master's of Dental Surgery program in India.

Students who have passed BDS (Bachelor's in Dental Surgery) and completed their internship are eligible to apply. The NEET MDS 2026 exam pattern consists of two major sections with 240 MCQs in total. 

Candidates can check previous year's question papers through the candidate login, and preparation tips for the exam. There are 329 colleges in India accepting NEET MDS 2026 for admission. Let us understand the NEET MDS 2026 in detail.

NEET MDS: Quick Highlights

Below are the quick details of NEET MDS 2026.

What is NEET MDS? 

The National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test for Masters of Dental Surgery [NEET MDS] is national level exam conducted by National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS). The NEET MDS is conducted for admissions to Master's in dental surgery.

NEET MDS 2026 Application/Registration Process

The NEET MDS 2026 application process begins with login credentials, followed by application details and documentation. Students registering for NEET MDS 2026 can follow the process below.

• Visit the official website- https://natboard.edu.in/viewnbeexam?exam=neetmds  and click on ‘New Registration’.
• Fill in the details such as Name, date of birth, contact, and email address.
• Once you get login credentials, you can begin an application form with qualification details, identity proof, and internship status.
• Upload all the required documents and pay the registration fee.
• Save and take a printout.

Application Fees

To complete the application process, students have to pay a registration fee as per category. Below are the details of the NEET MDS 2026 enrollment fee.

NEET MDS 2026 Admit Card

After registration, students can download the NEET MDS 2026 admit card on the official website. Candidates need the application number and login details to access the admit card. The table below provides NEET MDS 2026 Admit Card details.

The NEET MDS 2026 exam is conducted in two sections, Part A & Part B. These sections include questions based on a Bachelor's in Dental Surgery. Here are quick details of the NEET MDS 2026 syllabus.

NEET MDS 2026 Eligibility Criteria

The candidates applying for NEET MDS 2026 must have a Bachelor's in Dental Surgery. Below are the details of NEET MDS 2026 eligibility criteria.

NEET MDS Exam Pattern 2026

The NEET MDS 2026 is a multiple-choice questions-based exam conducted in two sections. For complete NEET MDS 2026 exam pattern details, read the table below.

NEET MDS Marking Scheme 

The NEET MDS 2026 has a 25% negative marking for every incorrect answer. Students applying for the exam can check the NEET MDS 2026 marking scheme.

NEET MDS Previous Years' Question Papers 

The NEET MDS previous year question papers are available to download on the official website. The NEET MDS exam pattern includes 240 questions carrying a 4-mark weightage each. Here are some of the NEET MDS previous year question papers.

NEET MDS 2026 Preparation Tips

The NEET MDS 2026 exam is highly competitive for students. Candidates appearing for the exam can follow some practice tips as follows.

• Understand Syllabus: The first thing that you need to focus on is the syllabus for the exam. Check out all the topics and subtopics that you have to go through for preparation.
• Time Management: Make sure you prepare and practice for exams with time management. NEET MDS 2026 is a time-based exam, so practising to solve questions within a specified time is important.
• Prioritise: Make sure you prioritise your weak topics to improve these sections. Practice your strong areas every day, and give additional time to improve weak areas.
• Maintain Health: Make sure you take breaks, eat healthy, and ensure enough sleep. During exam preparation, ensuring good health is important for mental and physical well-being.

Exam Day Guidelines & Dress Code

Students appearing for NEET MDS 2026 have to follow certain exam day guidelines and dress codes. Here's the detailed information on NEET MDS 2026 exam guidelines and dress code. 

• Make sure you visit the exam centre half an hour before the specified time. 
• Make sure you wear simple and comfortable clothing, including t-shirts, and lower. 
• Avoid wearing jewellery like earrings or bracelets.
• Avoid wearing closed-toe footwear like shoes, as they require additional checking.

Things to Avoid During the Exam

While appearing for the NEET MDS 2026 exam, there are a few things students need to avoid, such as:

• Do not leave your allocated seat without permission.
• Bring passport-size photographs (same as uploaded on the registration portal). 
• Do not bring any electronic device or study material. 

NEET MDS 2026 Answer Key

The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) releases the answer key soon after the exam. The NEET MDS 2026 answer key is likely to be released in April 2026. Here are the quick details on the answer key.

NEET MDS 2026 Result 

The NEET MDS 2026 results are likely to be released in July 2026. Students can download results or scorecards on their candidate login. The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) releases the cut-off and merit list for counselling.

NEET MDS 2026 Counselling

The Medical Council Committee (MCC) conducts NEET MDS 2026 counselling for 50% AIQ (All India Quota). 15% of seats in NEET MDS 2026 are allocated to NRI candidates. MCC conducts counselling in 3 rounds, followed by a stray vacancy round. Here are the details of NEET MDS 2026 Counselling.

Colleges Accepting NEET MDS Score

The NEET MDS 2026 exam is conducted to provide admissions to Master's in Dental Surgery in various specialisations at top dental colleges in India. Here are the colleges accepting NEET MDS 2026 scores.

The NEET MDS 2026 is expected to start in the third week of January 2026. The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) will release the NEET MDS 2026 notification in January 2026, followed by a registration and correction window. Here are the details of the NEET MDS exam dates & schedule for 2026.

The NEET MDS 2026 cutoff will be released by NBEMS after the result declaration. The NEET MDS 2026 expected cut-off is calculated based on the previous year's cut-offs and exam results. Here's the expected NEET MDS 2026 cutoff.

NEET MDS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the highest NEET MDS score?

The highest NEET MDS score out of 960 is 779, scored in 2025.

2. Is NEET MDS easy to crack?

The difficulty level of NEET MDS is moderate to high. However, it can vary from person to person.

3. How many times can I attempt NEET MDS?

The students can attempt the NEET MDS exam as many times as possible.

4. How many seats are there in NEET MDS?

There are approximately 6,228 seats in 329 government and private dental colleges in India.