NEET UG Eligibility Criteria 2025: Academic Qualifications, Age Limit, Nationality and Reservation etc.

NEET UG Eligibility Criteria 2025: The National Testing Agency (NTA) released the updated NEET 2025 eligibility criteria on official website. Candidates must ensure they are at least 17 years old by December 31, 2025 and have completed Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology and English to qualify. NEET provides admission opportunities to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, BSc Nursing and other medical courses. Eligible candidates who submit their applications on time can appear for the exam.

This article provides a detailed overview of the NEET UG eligibility criteria 2025. It is covering age limits, academic qualifications and percentage requirements for various categories. Take the first step towards your medical career by confirming you meet all the necessary requirements for NEET UG 2025.

Highlights

Here’s a overview of the NEET UG 2025 eligibility:

Particulars	Details
Age Limit	Minimum Age: 17 years as on December 31, 2025 Upper Age Limit: No restriction
Educational Qualification	Must have passed or be appearing for Class 12 or equivalent exam. Compulsory Subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, English
Minimum Marks in Class 12	General: At least 50% in Physics, Chemistry, Biology combined OBC/SC/ST: At least 40% PwD: At least 45%
Nationality	Indian Nationals, NRIs, OCIs, PIOs, Foreign Nationals
Number of Attempts	No limit
Open Schooling Eligibility	Candidates from open schools (e.g., NIOS) are eligible if they studied required subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology

NEET UG 2025 Age Limit

Aspiring candidates should know about the age limit and the relaxation criteria of age provided under different categories of reservations, especially for SC/ST/OBC candidates:

General Category:

• Minimum Age: 17 years (as of December 31, 2025).
• Maximum Age: No upper age limit.

Reserved Categories (SC/ST/OBC/PH):

• Age Relaxation: +5 years (up to 30 years).
• PwD Candidates: +10 years for General PwD (up to 35 years).
• SC/ST PwD: +15 years (up to 40 years).

EWS: No extra age relaxation, benefits similar to General category.

Computation of Age: For NEET UG, the age is calculated based on the candidate’s birth date as mentioned in their birth certificate or any other government-issued document. For example, candidates born on or before December 31, 2008 will be eligible to appear for NEET UG 2025, provided they meet all other age criteria.

The age limits are strictly enforced and failure to meet them may result in disqualification. All applicants should refer to the official NEET notification to avoid any confusion regarding the rules and regulations.

Proof of Age Documents: The NEET UG application form will be accompanied by a valid birth certificate or any official document proving the date of birth of the candidate. This is so that at the time of applying, the candidate would satisfy the age criteria.

A key concern for many aspirants is the age limit for the NEET exam. As per the NEET 2025 eligibility criteria, candidates must have completed 17 years of age by the time of admission or on or before December 31, 2025.

Category-wise Age Criteria for NEET 2025:

Category	Date of Birth for Minimum Age
Unreserved Category (UR)	Born on or before December 31, 2007
SC/ST/OBC Category	Born on or before December 31, 2007

Academic and Educational Qualifications

This part gives details on academic and educational qualifications that one should satisfy when taking NEET UG 2025. They involve subjects, minimum marks and among others.

a) Qualifying Examination: Candidates must pass Class 12 or its equivalent from any recognized board in India or abroad. Recognized boards include CBSE, ISC, NIOS and foreign boards approved by the Ministry of Education, Government of India. Candidates from non-recognized boards must ensure their qualifications are equivalent to the Indian system.

b) Compulsory Subjects: Candidates must have completed Class 12 or its equivalent with the following subjects:

• Physics
• Chemistry
• Biology (Botany and Zoology)

c) Minimum Marks Required: Candidates must have minimum marks in category.

• General Category: A minimum of 50% aggregate in Physics, Chemistry and Biology.
• OBC-NCL, SC, ST: At least 40% aggregate.
• PwD Candidates: At least 45% aggregate.

These percentages are based on the marks in Physics, Chemistry and Biology only excluding other subjects.

Minimum Marks for Admission (Category-wise)

The minimum marks for NEET UG 2025 will depend on the total score (720 marks). Based on past trends, the expected minimum marks are:

Category	Minimum Expected Marks
General Category	145 – 150 marks
OBC Category	130 – 140 marks
SC Category	120 – 130 marks
ST Category	120 – 130 marks
General PwD	130 – 140 marks
OBC PwD	120 – 130 marks
SC/ST PwD	110 – 120 marks

Qualification Codes

The qualification codes of NEET UG 2025 are essential for the applicants to fill out their application forms correctly and to be eligible. Here is a detailed description of the qualification codes of NEET UG 2025:

Code	Category	Eligibility	Note
01	Candidates Appearing for Class 12 in 2025	Candidates currently studying in Class 12 and waiting for their board results in 2025.	Admission to MBBS/BDS courses will be based on merit in Class 12, with required marks in the first round of counseling.
02	Candidates Who Have Passed Class 12 in 2024 or Earlier	Candidates who have qualified their Class 12 exams in 2024 or earlier.	Can apply for NEET UG 2025 if they meet all other requirements.
03	Class 12 Passed Candidate	Candidates who completed Class 12 through a recognized Indian board/university with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English, including practical exams.	For candidates who appeared in the qualifying exams with the concerned subjects and practicals.
04	Candidates Who Have Passed Pre-Professional/Pre-Medical Exam	Candidates who passed a pre-professional or pre-medical examination after Higher Secondary or equivalent exams, with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English, including practicals.	For students who appeared in pre-professional or pre-medical exams with the requisite subjects and practicals.
05	Students Who Have Completed First Year of Bachelor’s Degree	Candidates who completed the first year of a Bachelor’s degree with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, including practicals, and have also qualified Class 12 in the same subjects.	For students who completed their first year of a Bachelor’s degree in the relevant subjects and practicals, along with Class 12 qualification.
06	Candidates Who Have Passed B.Sc. Exam	Candidates who passed B.Sc. with at least two subjects, including Biology/Biotechnology, Physics, and Chemistry, and qualified Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology and English.	For candidates who completed B.Sc. in the required subjects and also qualified Class 12 in those subjects.
07	Candidates Who Have Passed an Equivalent Examination	Students who passed an equivalent examination to the intermediate science examination of any university/board within two years, with Physics, Biology/Biotechnology, Chemistry and English, including practicals.	For students who completed an equivalent examination with the required subjects and practicals.

Number of Attempts

The number of attempts for the candidates who fulfill the eligibility criteria is 3 times for NEET UG 2025. We will elaborate the important factors concerning attempts, as follows:

1. General Category Candidates: The general category candidates can appear for the NEET UG three times. If a candidate appears more than 3 times for the entrance exam, his candidature will not be applicable in the future.
2. Reserved Category Candidates (OBC, SC, ST): The number of attempts for students belonging to the reserved categories- OBC, SC and ST-remains the same at three under the existing NEET UG 2025 guidelines as well.
3. EWS (Economically Weaker Section) Candidates: Almost the same rules apply for EWS candidates as for general category. EWS candidates can attempt NEET UG three times.
4. PwD Candidates: Three attempts are also available for PwD candidates.

NEET UG 2025 For B.Sc. Nursing

NEET UG 2025 is one of the most significant entrance exams for admission to several undergraduate medical programs in India, including B.Sc. Nursing. Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), NEET UG mainly provides admission to MBBS, BDS and other medical courses, though some nursing colleges also provide admissions based on NEET UG scores for B.Sc. Nursing programs.

• Eligibility Criteria
  • Candidate must have passed 10+2 with English, Physics, Chemistry and Biology as compulsory subjects.
  • Minimum Aggregate Marks:
    • 50% for General Category students
    • 40% for SC/ST/OBC students
• Exam Format
  • Total of 180 multiple-choice questions
  • Physics: 45 questions
  • Chemistry: 45 questions
  • Biology: 90 questions (divided into Botany and Zoology)

Eligibility for NRI and Foreign Students

NEET UG 2025 eligibility criteria for NRI and foreign students have different rules and regulations from that of an Indian citizen or an Indian-origin person. Still it is aligned with the general education rules as envisaged by the National Medical Commission (NMC).

1. Nationality

• NRI Students: Must have completed their education under the NRI category (with NRI parents).
• Foreign Nationals: Citizens of any foreign country, including those of Indian origin with foreign nationality.

2. Academic Qualifications

• For Both NRI & Foreign Students:
  • Must have passed or appeared for 12th grade or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as compulsory subjects along with English as the medium of instruction.
  • Minimum Marks Required:
    • 50% in core subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) for General Category.
    • 40% for SC/ST/OBC students.

3. Recognition of Qualifying Exam

• Foreign qualifications must be recognized by Indian authorities (e.g., Association of Indian Universities – AIU) as equivalent to the 12th-grade examination in India.

4. Additional Rules for Foreign Nationals

• Foreign students may need to provide a valid passport.
• They must comply with all visa and immigration laws set by the Government of India to be eligible for admission.

Admission to Medical Colleges for NRI/Foreign Students 

NRI and foreign students can apply for both All India Quota (AIQ) and State Quota seats in Indian medical colleges. However the eligibility criteria and application processes differ for each:

All India Quota (AIQ)	State Quota
NRI Students in AIQ: This quota reserves 15% of the total seats in government medical colleges across India.	NRI Quota in State Colleges: Many states have a separate NRI quota in their state government medical colleges.
Eligibility: NRI students are eligible for NRI seats under the AIQ and they may not need to be physically present in India to appear for the NEET exam, as long as they meet the required qualification criteria.	Eligibility and Criteria: While the NEET score remains the primary criterion, additional requirements may apply depending on the state, such as: -Residency rules -Specific documentation to verify NRI status.
Selection: Admission to AIQ seats is based on merit determined by NEET scores.	State-specific Variations: The allocation and admission procedures under the state quota vary from state to state.

Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)