There had been some uncertainty and ambiguity regarding what the syllabus would be for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG), the all-India common entrance examination for undergraduate medical studies in the upcoming academic year. Finally, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has clarified the syllabus, putting an end to all concerns of students.
On Tuesday, December 23, the NMC published the final syllabus for NEET 2026. It shows that no major new changes have been made to the current curriculum. Rather, the syllabus has been trimmed in some areas considering the practical situation. However, as before, candidates have been advised to prepare based on the NCERT books for classes XI and XII.
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From the official syllabus notification published by NMC, it is clear that students will have to follow the NCERT-based curriculum completely, just like in 2024 and 2025. No additional new topics or chapters have been added to this syllabus, and no particular chapter or subject has been specifically excluded.
This means candidates can study from previous edition books. Although the current NEET syllabus has been structured in alignment with the NCERT curriculum, the syllabus has been 'rationalised' or trimmed for the convenience of students, so that complexity in preparation is reduced.
Teachers react on NEET UG syllabus
Teachers who prepare students for NEET say that this year's syllabus has tried to increase focus on core subjects by excluding relatively less important topics. However, no list has been published in the 2026 official notification clearly stating which chapters have been excluded or not excluded. What needs to be understood, experienced teachers can comprehend by going through the syllabus and inform accordingly.
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There is no indication of any change in the structure of the NEET-UG examination this time either. The exam will be conducted as before, with a total of 180 questions, 720 marks and for 3 hours. There will be a specific number of questions from each subject— Physics, Chemistry and Biology. That is, there will be 45 questions each in Physics and Chemistry (180 marks each subject) and 90 questions in Biology (total 360 marks).
According to sources from the National Testing Agency (NTA), the central organisation that conducts NEET, detailed information about the exam date and application process for NEET 2026 will be published in January-February.
