The National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially begun the online registration process for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2026 from February 8, marking the start of the country’s largest medical entrance cycle. Candidates can submit their application forms through the official portal at neet.nta.nic.in.

NEET UG continues to be the single national-level entrance examination for admission to undergraduate medical and allied courses such as MBBS, BDS and other health-science programmes across India.

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According to the official schedule, the last date to submit the application form is March 8, 2026 (up to 9 pm), while the examination fee must be paid by 11:50 pm on the same day. The correction window will remain open from March 10 to March 12.

Exam date, pattern, and schedule

The NEET UG 2026 examination will be conducted on May 3, 2026, in a single shift from 2 pm to 5 pm, with a duration of three hours. The test will be held in the traditional pen-and-paper mode.

Admit card release dates, city intimation slips, answer keys, and results will be announced later on the official websites of NTA and NEET.

Eligibility criteria that candidates must check

Before applying, aspirants must ensure they meet the prescribed eligibility requirements. Candidates must have passed Class 12 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as core subjects from a recognised board.

Applicants must also be at least 17 years old by December 31, 2026. Minimum qualifying marks in the Class 12 examination are generally 50 per cent for the General category and 40 per cent for reserved categories.

Indian nationals, NRIs, OCIs, PIOs and foreign nationals are eligible to apply for the examination.

Application process and documents

The application process is strictly online, and offline submissions will not be accepted. Candidates are required to upload documents such as a recent passport-size photograph, scanned signature and relevant certificates while filling out the form.

NTA has also introduced updated security measures this year, including Aadhaar-based eKYC authentication and live photo capture during registration to reduce impersonation and improve transparency.

Application fee

The registration fee is Rs 1,700 for General category candidates, Rs 1,600 for General-EWS and OBC-NCL, and Rs 1,000 for SC, ST, PwBD and Third Gender applicants. For examination centres outside India, the fee is Rs 9,500 for all categories.

With registrations now open, the medical admission season has officially begun. Aspirants are advised to complete their forms early, carefully verify details, and continue preparation for what remains one of India’s most competitive entrance examinations.