NEW DELHI: The registration process for NEET UG 2025 concludes today, March 7. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has also released the schedule for form corrections, which will be open from March 9 to March 11. During this window, candidates can rectify errors related to educational qualifications, eligibility state, category, signature, exam city selection, and address details.
Drop in NEET UG 2025 Registrations
As of Thursday evening, 22 lakh candidates had registered for NEET UG 2025, but only 20 lakh had successfully submitted their fees. Since registration is complete only after fee payment, the final number of applicants will be confirmed after today’s deadline. In contrast, NEET UG 2024 saw a record-breaking 24.06 lakh registrations, marking the highest participation in the exam’s history.
Return to Pre-COVID Exam Conditions
The 2025 NEET exam sees the reinstatement of pre-COVID conditions and rules. Over the past five days, NTA has issued two public notices urging candidates not to delay their registration. An additional advisory was released on March 5, reinforcing the importance of early registration.
NEET Registration Trends
| Year | Total NEET Registrations |
| 2018 | 13.26 Lakh |
| 2019 | 15.19 Lakh |
| 2020 | 15.97 Lakh |
| 2021 | 16.14 Lakh |
| 2022 | 18.72 Lakh |
| 2023 | 20.87 Lakh |
| 2024 | 24.06 Lakh (Highest) |
Last year, out of 24.06 lakh registered candidates, 23.33 lakh appeared for the exam, and 13.16 lakh qualified. However, NEET UG 2024 faced significant controversy regarding irregularities, prompting the Union Education Ministry to form a high-level committee to implement exam reforms.
Increase in MBBS and Medical Seats In an effort to meet growing medical education demands, the government aims to add 75,000 medical seats over the next five years. Currently, MBBS seats have increased to 1,15,812 for the 2024-25 academic year. The Union Budget has also announced the addition of 10,000 more medical seats in the coming year. Over the past decade, the government has increased medical education seats by 130%, bringing the total to over 1.1 lakh across undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
NEET UG 2025 Exam Pattern Changes and Difficulty Level
This year’s NEET UG exam pattern has been revised:
- Duration: Reduced from 3 hours 20 minutes to 3 hours.
- Number of Questions: 180 mandatory questions instead of 180 out of 200.
- Challenge: Candidates must answer one question per minute.
- Question Type: MCQ-based with no optional questions.
Experts predict a tougher paper compared to last year’s relatively easier exam. With the test scheduled for May 4, candidates should focus on time management and practice previous years’ question papers to improve accuracy and efficiency.
As NEET UG 2025 approaches, students should stay updated with official announcements and prepare diligently for the changing exam pattern and increased difficulty level.
