The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) conducted the NEET SS 2025 exam on December 26 and 27, 2025, in two shifts per day as a computer-based test across designated centres in India. The exam serves as the gateway for admission to DM and MCh super speciality courses offered by government and private medical colleges nationwide.
The NEET SS 2025 exam was of a moderate difficulty level and had concept-based questions. The paper was lengthy and time-consuming.
Key Summary
- NEET SS 2025 followed the expected exam pattern, with no major deviations reported.
- The paper placed strong emphasis on clinical scenario-based and application-oriented questions.
- Candidates with solid conceptual clarity and familiarity with recent guidelines found the paper manageable.
- Accuracy emerged as a crucial factor due to the negative marking system.
NEET SS 2025: Shift-Wise Overview
The NEET SS 2025 exam was conducted over two days, with different super speciality groups scheduled on each day. The day-wise group coverage is given below.
| Exam Date | Groups Covered | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| 26 December 2025 | ENT, Respiratory Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Medical Oncology, Orthopedics, Critical Care Medicine | Moderate |
| 27 December 2025 | Medical, Radio Diagnosis, Microbiology, Pathology, Psychiatry, Surgical, Pediatric, Anesthesiology, Pharmacology | Moderate |
NEET SS 2025: Speciality-Wise Analysis
- Medicine Group: The paper was of moderate difficulty and included a higher proportion of clinical scenario-based questions, focusing on the interpretation, diagnosis, and management of investigations.
- Surgery Group: The difficulty level was moderate, with questions largely based on core concepts and a noticeable presence of image-based items related to surgical principles.
- Other Groups (ENT, Respiratory Medicine, OBGYN, Medical Oncology): The paper ranged from easy to moderate and had a mix of direct theory questions and guideline-based applications.
NEET SS 2025: Topic-Wise Weightage
The paper maintained a strong clinical focus, consistent with recent NBEMS trends. Most questions were drawn from core speciality areas, with a limited presence from emerging domains.
| Group | High‑weightage topics | Approx. no. of questions* |
|---|---|---|
| Medical | Cardiology | 18–22 |
| Medical | Gastroenterology / Gastro‑Hepatology | 15–20 |
| Medical | Neurology & Neuro‑medicine | 12–15 |
| Medical | Nephrology (AKI/CKD, electrolytes, dialysis) | 10–12 |
| Medical | Endocrinology (diabetes, thyroid, adrenal) | 8–10 |
| Anaesthesia | Critical Care / ICU‑based Medicine | 12–14 |
| Respiratory | Pulmonary Medicine (COPD, asthma, ILD, CA lung) | 10–13 |
| Surgical | GI Surgery & Surgical Oncology | 12–16 |
| Surgical | General Surgery (trauma, acute abdomen, breast) | 10–12 |
| OBGYN | High‑risk pregnancy, labour & gynae oncology | 10–12 |
| Oncology | Solid malignancies, chemo‑protocols, staging | 8–10 |
NEET SS 2025 Paper Analysis – Overall
The table below summarizes the key aspects of the NEET SS 2025 question paper based on candidate feedback and observed exam trends.
| Aspect | Observation |
|---|---|
| Exam Mode | Computer-Based Test |
| Question Type | Clinical and Application-Based MCQs |
| Difficulty Trend | Moderate |
| Time Management | Demanding due to sectional locks |
| Focus Areas | Clinical scenario-solving, protocols, and case-based reasoning |
NEET SS 2025: Sectional Timing Impact
The revised sectional timing pattern impacted candidate performance in NEET SS 2025.
- New Pattern: The paper was divided into 3 sections of 50 questions each, with 50 minutes per section. Once a section ended, candidates could not return to it.
- Time Pressure: With an average of approximately 40 seconds per question, clinical case-based questions increased the overall time demand.
- Impact: Candidates who managed speed and accuracy effectively in the early sections were better positioned to handle the final section under time constraints.
NEET SS 2025 Question Type Analysis
Candidates reported that the paper was balanced, with a mix of conceptual understanding and clinical judgement.
- Clinical case-based MCQs (40–50%)
- Image-based and interpretation questions
- Guideline-driven and management-update questions
- Conceptual and applied reasoning questions
Overall: The paper tested logic and judgement more than factual recall.
NEET SS 2025: Good Attempts Table
Accuracy played a key role due to the negative marking scheme (+4 for a correct answer and −1 for an incorrect answer).
| Speciality Group | Expected Good Attempts | Accuracy Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine | 125–140 | Prioritize multi-step case scenarios |
| Surgery | 120–135 | Focus on image and principle-based questions |
| ENT / Respiratory | 120–140 | Practice guideline-linked MCQs |
| OBGYN / Oncology | 115–130 | Emphasis on decision-making and protocols |
NEET SS 2025: Student Reactions
Candidates exiting exam centres described the paper as:
- Concept-oriented and clinical
- Lengthy but fair
- Comparable to previous years in pattern, but with more focus on application
Most candidates shared that previous year papers and standard textbooks like Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine and Bailey & Love Surgery proved most beneficial.
Ques: Was NEET SS 2025 tougher than last year?
Ans: No major increase in difficulty was reported. The paper was comparable to NEET SS 2024, continuing the focus on clinical reasoning.
Ques: Were there many direct theory questions?
Ans: Few, the majority required interpretation and practical application of knowledge.
Ques: Did recent medical guidelines appear in the exam?
Ans: Yes, especially in Respiratory Medicine and Medical Oncology, aligning with updated protocols.
NEET SS 2025: Expected Cut-off Trends
The official cut-offs will be declared with the NBEMS results in January 2026. Based on current feedback and moderate difficulty:
| Group | NEET SS Expected Cutoff 2025 (50th Percentile) |
|---|---|
| Medical Group | 300 - 310 |
| Pharmacology Group | 315 - 325 |
| Anaesthesiology Group | 280 - 290 |
| Critical Care Medicine Group | 285 - 295 |
| ENT Group | 345 - 355 |
| Medical Oncology Group | 279 - 289 |
| Microbiology Group | 340 - 350 |
| Obstetrics and Gynaecology Group | 350 - 360 |
| Orthopaedics Group | 255 - 265 |
| Paediatric Group | 290 - 300 |
| Pathology Group | 260 - 270 |
| Psychiatry Group | 310 - 320 |
| Radioiagnosis Group | 315 - 325 |
| Respiratory Medicine Group | 365 - 375 |
| Surgical Group | 285 - 295 |
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