NEET is 720 marks — 180 questions worth 4 marks each, over 200 minutes. Marking is +4 for correct, −1 for incorrect, 0 for unattempted. Biology carries 360 of those marks (90 questions), with Physics and Chemistry taking 180 each (45 questions apiece). The negative marking is what makes NEET a test of restraint as much as knowledge: every wrong answer costs you the equivalent of a quarter of a right one, plus the mark you did not gain.
The mark scheme #
| Total questions | 180 |
| Total marks | 720 |
| Duration | 200 minutes |
| Correct answer | +4 |
| Incorrect answer | −1 |
| Unattempted | 0 |
| More than one answer marked | Treated as incorrect (−1) |
Subject split #
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Biology (Botany 45 + Zoology 45) | 90 | 360 |
| Physics | 45 | 180 |
| Chemistry | 45 | 180 |
What negative marking really costs #
The swing between a right and a wrong answer is 5 marks, not 1. Get a question right: +4. Get it wrong: −1. That gap is why blind guessing loses marks on average.
| Your guess accuracy | Expected value per guess |
|---|---|
| 1 in 4 (pure guess) | −0.25 — loses marks |
| 1 in 3 (one option eliminated) | +0.33 — marginal gain |
| 1 in 2 (two eliminated) | +1.50 — clearly worth it |
- Eliminate two options and guessing becomes clearly profitable. Eliminate none and it is a slow leak.
- Leaving 10 genuinely unknown questions blank costs 0. Guessing all 10 at random costs about 2.5 marks on average — and more in variance.
- A 650+ score is roughly 165 correct with very few wrong. At that level, accuracy matters more than coverage.
- Double-marking an OMR bubble is scored as incorrect. Erase completely.
Score to outcome #
| Score (of 720) | Typical position |
|---|---|
| 700+ | Top ranks; AIIMS Delhi range |
| 650–700 | Government MBBS comfortably in most states |
| 600–650 | Government MBBS in many states, depends on category and quota |
| 550–600 | Borderline government; private and AYUSH open |
| ~165 (General) | Around the qualifying percentile in recent years |
The qualifying cut-off (50th percentile for General) has recently hovered near the mid-160s but moves every year.
NEET total marks — frequently asked questions
What is the total marks in NEET?
How much is negative marking in NEET?
Should I guess in NEET?
How many questions are there in NEET?
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Disclaimer: Score-to-outcome bands are indicative from recent cycles and vary by state, category and quota.
