NEET 2023 exam pattern has been announced by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on March 6. The NEET exam pattern 2023 has remained the same as that of last year. The exam pattern of NEET underwent major changes in 2021 and in 2022, the total duration of the exam increased by 20 minutes. NTA announced the NEET UG 2023 exam pattern along with the NEET 2023 notification and information bulletin. The NEET 2023 exam will be conducted on May 7. As per the exam pattern of NEET, there will be 200 multiple-choice objective-type questions from three NEET subjects – Physics, Chemistry and Biology (further divided into Botany and Zoology). Each question carries four answer options, out of which candidates will have to select one option.
As per the marking scheme of the NEET UG exam pattern, each question carries four marks and one mark will be deducted for each wrong answer. The total marks for NEET 2023 will be 720. Aspirants aiming to appear for NEET 2023 must be appraised of the NEET exam pattern while preparing.
The latest NEET exam pattern gives candidates more choices of questions to attempt. Each of the NEET exam subjects will carry two sections, with 35 and 15 questions respectively. In the second section, candidates will have to attempt 10 out of 15 questions. The number of languages in which NEET 2023 will be conducted is 13, giving more choices to candidates in terms of opting for regional languages.
Candidates who wish to score well in NEET must be well-versed with the exam pattern of NEET 2023. Details such as the mode of the examination, medium, marking scheme, and duration of the examination are covered under the NEET exam pattern.
According to the NEET UG 2023 exam pattern, candidates will be given an OMR sheet to mark their responses with a ballpoint pen. Thus, it becomes important to know everything about the OMR sheet and how to mark the responses on it. NEET 2023 pattern will also control the number of questions that will be asked from each subject. Read the complete article to learn about the new exam pattern of NEET 2023 and other relevant information.
NEET Exam Pattern 2023: Highlights
NEET exam pattern is dynamic and is likely to undergo minor changes this year too. Even if the structure undergoes change, the subjects for NEET will remain the same. Know the details of the NEET 2023 exam pattern in the table below.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Mode of the examination | Offline |
| Duration of the examination | Three hours and Twenty Minutes (3.20 hours) |
| Exam timing | 2 pm to 5.20 pm |
| Type of questions | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Total number of Questions | 200 (180 applicable questions for attempt) |
| Total Marks | 720 |
| Negative marking | Yes |
| Marking Scheme | +4 for each correct answer-1 for each incorrect answer |
| Total sections in the question paper | 3 (Two sections for each subject)Section A – 35 questionsSection B- 15 questions (10 to be attempted) |
| NEET Subjects | Physics, Chemistry and Biology (Botany + Zoology) |
NEET 2023 Pattern: An Overview of the Question Paper
According to the exam pattern of NEET 2023, the NEET question paper will comprise three subjects- Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Each subject will be divided into two sections. The table given below depicts the NEET subject-wise weightage and breakup of the question paper.
Also Read: NEET 2023 chapter-wise weightage
NEET 2023 Subject-Wise Weightage
The following table indicates the sections of NEET 2023 exam pattern, NEET subject list, NEET subject-wise weightage, and the distribution of marks.
| Sections | Number of Questions | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Physics Section A | 35 | 140 |
| Physics Section B | 15 | 40 |
| Chemistry Section A | 35 | 140 |
| Chemistry Section B | 15 | 40 |
| Botany Section A | 35 | 140 |
| Botany Section B | 15 | 40 |
| Zoology Section A | 35 | 140 |
| Zoology Section B | 15 | 40 |
Clarifying the NEET exam pattern, NTA has stated the following instructions:
- Section A consisted of 35 questions in each subject (Question Numbers – 001 to 035, 051 to 085, 101 to 135, and 151 to 185). All questions are compulsory.
- Section B consisted of 15 questions in each subject (Question Nos – 036 to 050, 086 to 100, 136 to 150, and 186 to 200). In Section B, a candidate needs to attempt any 10 questions out of 15 in each subject.
- Candidates were advised to read all 15 questions in Section B of each subject carefully before they start attempting the question paper. In the case of a candidate attempting more than 10 questions, the first 10 questions answered by the candidate will be evaluated.
NEET 2023 Distribution of Marks
Here we bring the marking scheme of NEET in detail:
- Each correct answer will be awarded four marks
- One mark will be deducted for every incorrect answer
- No mark will be deducted for the questions which have not been answered
- Questions that have two or more responses marked on the OMR sheet will be considered as incorrect and one mark will be deducted for them
Distribution of Marks in NEET 2023
The table below brings the marking scheme of NEET UG 2023.
| Response Type | Marks awarded |
|---|---|
| Correct answer | +4 |
| Incorrect answer | -1 |
| Question with more than one response | -1 |
| Unanswered question | 0 |
| Extra attempted question | 0 |
Important points to remember while marking the OMR sheet
NTA has suggested the following guidelines for filling the NEET OMR sheet:
- Answers have to be marked using a ballpoint pen which will be provided in the examination hall
- Changing of answers on the OMR sheet is not allowed
- Erasing/ obliterating any information printed on the OMR sheet is a punishable offence
- Rough work should be done on the test booklet only
- A Candidate must not forget to mark the test booklet code on the OMR sheet
Language options in the exam pattern of NEET 2023
The following table indicates the NEET languages and the centres/cities where it will be available.
| Medium | Availability in the NEET exam centres |
|---|---|
| English | Available at all exam cities/ centres |
| Hindi | Available at all exam cities/ centres |
| English | Available at all exam cities/ centres |
| Marathi | Available at exam centres in Maharashtra |
| Bengali | Available at exam centres in West Bengal |
| Gujarati | Available at exam centres in Gujarat, Daman, Dadra and Nagar Haveli |
| Tamil | Available at exam centres in Tamil Nadu |
| Telugu | Available at exam centres in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana |
| Kannada | Available at exam centres in Karnataka |
| Oriya | Available at exam centres in Odisha |
| Assamese | Available at exam centres in Assam |
| Punjabi | Available at exam centres in Punjab, Chandigarh and Delhi |
| Malayalam | Available at exam centres in Kerala and Lakshadweep |
Important points to remember while choosing the medium of NEET 2023:
- The medium of the question paper has to be selected in the NEET 2023 application form
- The language chosen once cannot be changed
- Candidates who have opted for English as a medium will be provided with the Test Booklet in English language only
- Candidates opting for any other language will be provided with a Bilingual Test Booklet, their selected language preference, and English
- TheEnglish version of the NEET question paper shall be treated as final in case of any ambiguity in the translation of any of the questions
FAQs Regarding NEET 2023 Pattern
Q: Will there be any change in the NEET 2023 exam pattern?
A: The NEET 2023 exam pattern has been announced by NTA on March 6. The pattern will remain the same this year. The exam pattern had undergone changes over the past two years in terms of structure and duration.
Q: What is the total number of questions that will be asked in NEET 2023?
A: The total number of questions in the question paper is expected to be 200, out of which 180 questions will have to be attempted. Each of the three NEET subjects will be divided into two sections and each subject will carry an equal weightage. While Section A carries 35 questions, 15 questions are there in Section B. While all 35 questions have to be attempted in Section A, 10 out of 15 questions will have to be attempted in Section B.
Q: Will NEET 2023 have sectional time limits?A: No, there is no time limit to solve a section in NEET 2023. However, students must keep a tab on the timing as NEET is a time-pressed exam. Before the exam day, candidates are advised to prepare a time management strategy wherein a particular timing should be assigned for each section or subject.
Q: Will NEET 2023 have descriptive questions?A: As per the NEET exam pattern 2023, the examination will only have objective type multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Unless the exam pattern or structure changes, there is no possibility of having descriptive questions in NEET. Moreover, given the fact that it is an entrance exam, there is not much significance of the descriptive questions.
Q: I will be appearing for NEET 2023 examination in Delhi. Can I choose Marathi as the medium of examination?
A: No, according to the exam pattern of NEET 2023, regional languages are subject to geographical barriers. Thus, Marathi can be chosen as a medium if you appear for NEET 2023 in Maharashtra only.
Q: Will there be negative marking in NEET 2023?
A: Yes, the NEET 2023 examination pattern suggests that there will be negative marking. For every incorrect answer, one mark will be deducted and 4 marks will be awarded for every correct answer. However, negative marking will not be applicable for the unattempt or extra attempted questions.
Q: I marked two answers for a question. One of the answers is correct. Will I get full marks for this question?
A: According to the NEET pattern 2023, a question for which more than one response is marked on the OMR sheet will be considered incorrect. For such questions, one mark would be deducted. Hence, candidates should be careful while answering on the OMR sheet. They should solve the questions separately and then shade the answer option on the OMR sheet to avoid such errors. Revision after completing the exam is also important.
Q: How much time will I get to solve each section of NEET 2023?
A. The candidates will get three hours and 20 minutes to solve the entire question paper of NEET. They can divide the time between the NEET subjects or sections as per their convenience. There is no sectional time limit in the NEET exam pattern.
Q: Will marks be deducted for unanswered questions in NEET 2023?
A: According to NEET pattern 2023, there will be no deduction of marks for unanswered questions. Such questions will not be taken into consideration while calculating the total marks of a candidate.
Q: Is it necessary to pass in individual sections of NEET 2023?
A: There is no sectional qualifying criterion for NEET 2023. The overall marks will be considered while preparing the rank list for NEET. But to ensure a good score, candidates must ensure a high number of attempt with full accuracy.
Q: I have chosen Hindi as the medium for the question paper. Will the questions be only in Hindi?
A: According to NEET pattern 2023, the question paper for the candidates who have chosen Hindi as the medium will be bilingual. The second language of the question paper will be English. In case candidates have any doubt regarding a particular question or term, they can refer to the English questions.
Q: Can I appear for NEET 2023 online?
A: NEET 2023 will be conducted in paper-pencil based mode or offline mode. Hence, there is no option to appear for NEET in online mode.
