NEET UG 2025: NTA says exam pattern to return to pre-COVID format; rules out ’optional questions’. Check what changes

Informing medical aspirants about the revised paper format for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2025, the National Testing Agency (NTA) released a notification on Saturday stating the new paper format will not have any Section B, reported the Hindustan Times.

According to the notification, published in the Hindustan Times, the question paper pattern and the examination duration would revert to the pre-COVID format. The pre-COVID format didn’t have Section B. Also, the total duration of the exam will be 180 minutes.

Detailing more, the NTA said that there will be a total of 180 mandatory questions, among which 45 questions each will be asked from Physics and Chemistry, while 90 questions will be from the Biology section.

An official notification by the NTA reads, as HT quoted, “All NEET (UG)-2025 aspirants are hereby informed that the question paper pattern and examination duration will revert to the pre-Covid format where there will not be any Section B anymore. Hence, there will be a total of 180 compulsory questions (45 questions each in Physics and Chemistry and 90 in Biology) which will be attempted by the candidates in 180 minutes thereby removing any optional questions and extra time introduced due to Covid.”

Question Paper pattern explained:

1) There will be a total of 180 compulsory questions

2) 45 questions each in Physics and Chemistry

3) 90 questions to be asked from Biology

4) The provision for optional questions, introduced temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic, will no longer be available.

5) The total duration of the examination will be 180 minutes (3 hours)

‘Pen and Paper mode’:

Earlier, the NTA notified that the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test 2025 (NEET UG) 2025 will be held in pen and paper mode ((OMR-based) in a single day and single shift. The NTA also mentioned that APAAR ID was not mandatory for NEET UG 2025 registrations.