What is NEET UG? What Has Changed This Year?
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test is the sole entrance exam in India for admission to the MBBS and BDS programs (NEET). The exam lasts three hours and 20 minutes and is given once a year in offline mode. The medical entrance test for enrollment in MBBS, Veterinary, BAMS, BSc, Nursing, BDS, as well as other medical/paramedical programs in India is administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA). Every year, more than 15 lakh students take the NEET UG exam. There are 13 languages available for the exam.
The following list of modifications to the NEET UG Exam for 2022:
- NEET now lasts for an additional 20 minutes. The examination will now last three hours and twenty minutes rather than three hours.
- There has been a 100 INR increase in the application cost for all candidate groups.
- There won’t be two phases to the registration process.
- Six additional parameters have been added to the three already included in the tie-breaking formula.
- There are currently 543 exam cities in India and Fourteen overseas.
NEET Exam Pattern for 2022
Medical aspirants who intend to take the NEET 2023 examination must have either begun their preparations or have plans to do so shortly. Knowing the exam format in-depth is the first and most significant step in any exam preparation. Major changes were made to the NEET test pattern last year. The NEET 2023 examination format is anticipated to be identical to last year’s. In order to prepare for the largest medical admissions test in India seeking undergraduate admissions, which will be taken by over 15 lakh people, NEET aspirants must be aware of and adhere to the revised exam pattern. This article describes the updated NEET 2023 exam format as well as a winning test-taking approach.
NEET Exam Pattern for 2022
The exam’s structure is presented in the table below.
| Sections | Number of Questions | Total Marks |
| Physics Section A | 35 | 140 |
| Physics Section B | 15 | 40 |
| Chemistry Section Part A | 35 | 140 |
| Chemistry Section Part B | 15 | 40 |
| Botany Section Part A | 35 | 140 |
| Botany Section Part B | 15 | 40 |
| Zoology Section Part A | 35 | 140 |
| Zoology Section Part B | 15 | 40 |
Let’s now examine the modifications made to each pattern factor.
Sections: Chemistry, Physics, and Biology will continue to be the disciplines covered in NEET 2022. (Separated even more into Botany and Zoology). There will be two sections, Section A and Section B, for each of these topics. Three portions without any subdivisions used to exist.
Quantity of Questions: There are now 200 questions in all, up from 180 previously. Candidates must choose from 180 questions, though. Only 10 out of the 15 questions in Section B can be chosen to be attempted, compared to all 35 questions in Section A of each subject. The NTA states that “the overall number of questions, as well as the time used, will remain the same.”
Marking Procedure: Each question will be worth four points, with one point deducted for each incorrect response. The examination will continue to carry a maximum score of 720. The total score for Section A is 140, whereas Section B’s is 40.
This means that only 10 questions will receive marks, while the remaining five will remain unmarked. No points will be awarded or subtracted for questions that are not answered. All candidates will receive four additional marks (+4) whenever a question is dropped or ignored, regardless of whether the contestant attempted the question or not.
What Motivated NTA to Change the NEET 2021 Written Exam?
To account for the scholastic loss of pupils during the pandemic, NTA adopted revisions to keep the schedule in line with the Class 12 syllabus. “To rationalize the choice of reduction in the curriculum by several School Education Boards, NTA has taken the action to provide an option in Section “B” for each of the 4 (four) topics,” the NTA had noted on the NEET 2021 quality services.
The NEET 2021 test pattern has been modified by NTA to include additional internal options for questions to be attempted. With the updated format, test-takers will be able to answer more questions correctly and achieve higher exam scores.
How to Pass NEET 2022 Using the New Exam Pattern
While the segment weightage has stayed the same, students do not need to significantly alter their preparation plan for the NEET syllabus. But the test-taking approach must be adjusted in order to optimize the number of attempts and scores. Study and test-taking strategies are discussed in the following sections.
Just under two months remain until the exam, therefore students should concentrate on revision. In regards to conceptual comprehension or wrapping up the subjects of each chapter or unit, there must be no loose ends. Examining the NEET question papers from prior years and the analyses to get a sense of the topical weighting.
1.) Selecting the Correct Questions: In the current NEET test format, it’s extremely crucial to select the correct questions from the lengthy 200-item question paper. Candidates should check Section B of each subject’s question paper as soon as they receive it to cross out the 5 questions they do not wish to answer. After that, the next step is to go over the Section A questions and decide which ones to tackle. After choosing the questions, they can immediately start working on the answers without wasting any more time. During this phase, exam takers should also shortlist just a few backup questions so they can tackle one of them if they become stuck on a question.
2.) The order to attempt the paper: Ideally, candidates should begin the exam with the topics on which they are most knowledgeable. They would feel more at ease and more confident taking the test as a result. Additionally, this would guarantee that they finish these courses fast before devoting more time to their weaker courses. Test takers must make sure that their actions do not compromise the correctness of the attempts, regardless of the order in which they are made. Otherwise, they would be penalized under the system of negative marking.
3.) Time management: During the three-hour test, candidates must spend their time wisely selecting, answering, and revising their final set of questions. The time allotted for completing the paper must be kept to a maximum. The remaining time needs to be properly managed so that it may be used for selecting questions, which should happen at the start of the examination and at most 15-20 minutes for review. The time allotted for selecting the questions should not exceed ten minutes. Candidates should dedicate a maximum of five minutes to each question. They should skip the question and go on to the next if it requires more time.
4.) Boost Self-Belief and Keep Calm: Despite the fact that the NEET exam format has changed, students still need to prepare for the exam as they always have. As a result, the parts and curriculum are the same. It’s time to have complete confidence in your preparedness and engage in regular practice sessions to ensure it. It’s not the time to be nervous or stressed; instead, keep your cool so you can ace the test.
Hope this article has helped you in knowing the NEET Exam Pattern.
