Medical Entrance Exams in India: Here’s Your Basic Guide!

Planning to pursue a medical degree? Are you aiming to get into a medical college in India? Well, besides their comprehensive curriculum and training, cracking the medical entrance exams can be a tiresome journey in itself.

Cracking the entrance exam is the most crucial requirement for those looking to pursue a degree in medical science, regardless of the programme they choose (MBBS, BDS, BHMS, or BAMS). While many institutions have their own tests to evaluate applicants, a select handful are recognised throughout the nation.

In this blog, we’ll tell you all about the notable medical entrance examinations conducted in India.

Which Are The Different Medical Entrance Exams in India?

Let’s discuss the variety of medical entrance exams in India. 

National Eligibility cum Entrance Test – NEET

The nation’s most well-known medical entrance exam, NEET, is held to give admission to applicants in the prestigious MBBS and BDS programmes nationwide. The scores are also accepted nationally for admission to AYUSH, veterinary, and other graduate-level medical programmes, in addition to MBBS. NEET is a single nationwide entrance exam for UG medical programmes in the nation, administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA).

• The three-hour NEET exam is administered offline, using pen and paper.
• The NEET exam format is structured objectively.

NEET PG

For MD, MS and PG Diploma programmes, the NEET PG test is recognised on a global scale. It is conducted by the NBE each year (National Examination Board). Your performance on this MBBS entrance exam will also be taken into account for your post-MBBS DNB studies. Approximately 10,000 students take this test each year.

• This examination is conducted online.

NEET SS

For admission to various DM or M.Ch programmes, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Super Speciality Courses), or NEET SS, is administered by NBE. All independent medical institutes and colleges, deemed universities, and the Armed Forces medical services institutions accept NEET SS scores.

INI CET

For admission to its postgraduate programmes, AIIMS, Delhi administers the INI CET. In addition to MD/MS programmes, admission to the six-year DM/M.Ch programmes provided at AIIMS, JIPMER, PGIMER, and NIMHANS is also based on test results. 

• AIIMS PG is conducted twice a year, in the months of January and July.

Nursing Entrance Exam – AIIMS Nursing

The nation’s top medical college, AIIMS, New Delhi, administers the AIIMS nursing exams for enrollment in its B.Sc. in Nursing undergraduate programmes. Every year, applications are invited for the AIIMS nursing programme from qualified applicants throughout India.

• Both the B.Sc. (H) and B.Sc. (post-basic) entrance exams have identical exam formats.
• Only female candidates may apply for the B.Sc. (H) Nursing course, whereas both male and female applicants may apply for the B.Sc. Nursing (Post-Basic) course.

AIAPGET

The NTA administers the AIAPGET(All India AYUSH Postgraduate Entrance Test) yearly. AIAPGET is given in India to those seeking admission to postgraduate AYUSH programmes. Candidates who pass the AIAPGET exam will be eligible to enrol in MS, MD, or postgraduate diploma programmes in one of the following AYUSH disciplines: Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy. 

• AIAPGET is administered in a computer-based mode over the course of two hours (CBT).
• There will be 120 multiple-choice questions in the exam.

NEET MDS

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for MDS, or NEET MDS, is yet another NBE test. In India, the NEET MDS is only conducted once a year for entry to graduate dental programmes.

• The NEET MDS is a three-hour computer-based test with 240 multiple-choice questions.
• Each question carries four marks, with one mark deducted for each incorrect response.

DNB PDCET

The National Board of Examinations conducts the Diplomate of National Board Post Diploma Centralised Entrance Test, or DNB PDCET, which is a ranking examination. As the name suggests, DNB PDCET is an exam for admission to DNB programmes in India. Nevertheless, the candidates must hold a postgraduate diploma to apply for the DNB PDCET exam.

Where Can I Pursue the Medical Field?

Some of the best medical colleges in India are as follows:

• AIIMS Delhi – All India Institute of Medical Sciences New
• PGIMER Chandigarh – Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research
• CMC Vellore – Christian Medical College
• NIMHANS Bangalore – National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences
• BHU Varanasi – Banaras Hindu University
• JIPMER Puducherry – Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research
• SGPGIMS Lucknow – Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences
• Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore
• KMC Manipal – Kasturba Medical College 
• SCTIMST Trivandrum – Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology

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