NEET Marking Scheme 2025 – Every year, lakhs of students in India dream to become doctors. NEET is the only entrance exam for MBBS, BDS, and other medical courses in India. But many students get confused about how NEET marking works. In this blog post, we will explain the NEET Marking Scheme in the simplest way.
You will understand everything, how many marks are for each question, what happens if you skip a question, and how negative marking works. We will also share some smart tips to avoid losing marks. So let’s start.
What is NEET?
- NEET stands for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test.
- It is a national-level exam for admission in MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, BSc Nursing, and veterinary courses.
- NEET is conducted by NTA (National Testing Agency) every year.
NEET 2025 Exam Pattern (Basic Overview)
- The NEET exam is offline, in pen and paper mode.
- It includes 200 questions, but students need to answer only 180 questions.
- The paper is divided into 4 subjects – Physics, Chemistry, Botany, and Zoology.
- Each subject has two sections: Section A and Section B
Here is a simple table to understand it –
Subject | Section -A (Compulsory) | Section – B (Optional Attempt any 10) |
Physics | 35 Questions | 15 Questions |
Chemistry | 35 Questions | 15 Questions |
Botany | 35 Questions | 15 Questions |
Zoology | 35 Questions | 15 Questions |
Total | 140 Questions | 60 Questions (Attempt any 40) |
So, you have to attempt a total of 180 questions from the paper.
NEET Marking Scheme 2025– Subject Wise Breakdown
- Each correct answer gives +4 marks.
- Each wrong answer gives -1 mark.
- No marks are added or cut for unattempted questions.
- Total maximum marks = 720
Let’s see this in a simple format –
Response Type | Marks Given |
Correct Answer | +4 |
Wrong Answer | -1 |
Unattempted | 0 |
More than One Marked | 0 (considered wrong) |
How Total Marks Are Calculated?
Let’s say you attempt 180 questions and –
- 140 are correct
- 30 are wrong
- 10 are unattempted
Then your NEET score will be –
- (140 × 4) = 560
- (30 × -1) = -30
- Total Marks = 560 – 30 = 530
Smart Tips to Avoid Negative Marking
Many students lose marks not because they don’t know the answer, but because they make silly mistakes. Here are some smart tips:
- Read the question carefully before marking.
- Don’t guess blindly. Use elimination methods.
- If you are not sure, it’s better to leave the question.
- Fill the OMR sheet properly, as wrong bubbling leads to 0 marks.
- Try not to mark two answers for one question.
- Always keep track of attempted and unattempted questions.
NEET Marking Rules – Important Points
- If you leave a question blank, no marks are added or deducted.
- If you mark two answers for one question, even by mistake, it is considered wrong.
- Only black or blue ball pen is allowed to fill the OMR sheet.
- Answers are checked by a machine. So, any error in OMR filling may lead to wrong evaluation.
NEET Tie-Breaking Rules (If Two Students Have Same Marks)
If two or more students score the same marks, then NTA follows tie-breaking rules –
Tie-Breaking Step | Criteria Used |
Step 1 | Higher marks in Biology |
Step 2 | Higher marks in Chemistry |
Step 3 | Fewer wrong answers in all subjects |
Step 4 | Student older in age gets preference |
So, your Biology section can play a big role if marks are tied.
NEET Score vs Rank (Expected Range)
Here is a rough idea to understand how NEET score affects your rank. This is just for understanding, actual rank depends on many factors.
NEET Score | Expected Rank Range |
700 – 720 | Top 50 |
650 – 700 | 100 – 1000 |
600 – 650 | 1000 – 5000 |
500 – 600 | 5000 – 50,000 |
400 – 500 | 50,000 – 1,00,000 |
Below 400 | Above 1,00,000 |
NEET Total Marks Distribution Subject-Wise
Subject | Total Questions | Total Marks |
Physics | 45 | 180 |
Chemistry | 45 | 180 |
Botany | 45 | 180 |
Zoology | 45 | 180 |
Total | 180 | 720 |
NEET OMR Sheet Instructions
- Use only black or blue ballpoint pen.
- Fill circles completely and carefully.
- Don’t fold or damage the OMR sheet.
- Don’t overwrite or use correction fluid.
In Short – Key Points to Remember
- NEET paper has 200 questions, but you attempt 180.
- Each correct answer gives +4 marks.
- Each wrong answer cuts 1 mark.
- No marks for unattempted questions.
- Total marks = 720.
- Avoid negative marking by answering only when confident.
- Fill OMR sheet carefully.
- Focus more on Biology to break tie cases.
Final Thoughts
Understanding the NEET marking scheme is the first step to prepare wisely. You must keep in mind how negative marking works and avoid careless mistakes. Even if you prepare well, one small mistake in bubbling or guessing can cost you many marks.
Always aim to answer only those questions which you are sure about. Practice mock tests at home with the same NEET marking pattern. This will train your brain to stay calm during the real exam.
