Health Ministry announces major reforms for NEET PG 2026

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has introduced a series of significant reforms for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2026, aimed at enhancing candidate convenience, improving exam security, and streamlining the testing process.

The announcements were made after Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda reviewed the exam preparedness of the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), which will conduct the exam on August 30.

For the first time, NEET PG 2026 will be held in a single shift at over 1,300 exam centres across nearly 340 cities nationwide. The move is expected to ensure greater uniformity and fairness in the assessment process.

In a major relief for aspirants, candidates will now be allowed to select up to three preferred test states, along with their corresponding cities, in order of preference during the application process. Additionally, the test-city intimation slip will be made available on the official website approximately three weeks before the exam, enabling candidates to make travel and accommodation arrangements well in advance.

The ministry has also revised the examination pattern by reducing the number of questions from 200 to 180 while retaining the overall duration of three hours and 30 minutes (210 minutes). The change is intended to provide candidates with more time to attempt each question without altering the total exam time.

To further strengthen the integrity of the exam, Aadhaar-based authentication will be implemented during both the application process and on the exam day. In cases where fingerprint verification is unsuccessful, candidates will undergo iris-based biometric authentication at the test centres. 

According to data released by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), 2,73,183 candidates have registered for NEET PG 2026, marking an increase of over 12.5 per cent compared with the previous year, reflecting the growing demand for postgraduate medical education in India.