NEET or National Eligibility cum Entrance Test is a popular medical entrance exam for students seeking admission to MBBS, BDS, and other medical programs. However, significant changes over the last few years in the number of attempts allowed for NEET have caused confusion among aspirants. There is no official limit on the number of attempts till the aspirants satisfy all the age and eligibility requirements prescribed in the official notification. Moreover, candidates must be at least 17 years old to be eligible for NEET UG 2025, However, they must also adhere to all the specified guidelines, and age restrictions, and strategise their planning for multiple attempts to succeed in the exam.
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How Many Attempts Can You Give in NEET in India?
NEET or National Eligibility cum Entrance Test is conducted by National Testing Agency at the national level every year for the students seeking admission in MBBS, BUMS, BAMS, BSMS, BDS, BHMS and other medical programmes in India. The NEET UG 2025 exam shall be conducted in paper-pencil-based test (PBT) mode for 3 hours, carrying 180 questions from Physics, Chemistry and Biology. The removal of the NEET attempt limit empowers aspirants to pursue their medical aspirants without any sort of limitations. However, they must remember that success in NEET is not determined by the number of attempts but by the right mindset and rigorous preparation. In this article, we have discussed the number of attempts allowed, NEET Attempt age limit & eligibility criteria, and guidelines for NEET aspirants.
How Many Attempts for NEET Age Limit?
Even though there is no restriction on the NEET attempt, candidates must fulfil all the age limits and other eligibility requirements to participate in this medical entrance exam. Let’s discuss the minimum and maximum NEET Attempt age limit shared below for the reference of the candidates.
Minimum Age Limit for NEET
Candidates must be at least 17 years old at the date of admission or must turn by 31 December to secure admission to the first year of the UG Medical Course.
Maximum Age Limit for NEET
Previously, there was a maximum age limit of 25 years with age relaxation for reserved categories imposed on NEET aspirants. Presently, there is no upper age limit for the candidates. It implies that any 17-year-old candidate can appear in the NEET exam without any limitation on the number of attempts.
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NEET Attempt Limit Previous Years Trends
The number of attempts a candidate can make in the NEET has been changed a few times over the years based on the official guidelines. Earlier, there were restrictions on the number of attempts, NTA has now removed such limitations and allows aspirants to take NEET multiple times, provided they fulfill other eligibility requirements. Thus, aspirants must review previous trends to understand the fluctuations in NEET attempt limits and competition trends over the years.
Previous Year Trends – NEET Attempt Limit
| Exam Year | Number of Attempts | Details |
| 2017 | 3 | In 2017, CBSE implemented a rule limiting NEET attempts to three with age relaxation for reserved categories. |
| 2018 | No Limit | The restriction on the number of NEET attempts was eliminated in 2018. However, the age limit was used to determine the attempts. |
| 2019 | No Limit | Initially in 2019, students from the NIOS or open schools were not permitted to appear for NEET. However, this guideline was changed later that year. |
| 2020 | No Limit | There was no restriction on number of attempts in NEET 2020 |
| 2021 | No Limit | No Limit There was no age limit restriction on the NEET 2021. |
| 2022 & 2023 | No Limit | There was no restriction on the number of attempts in NEET 2022 & 2023 |
| 2024 | No Limit | There was no restriction on a number of attempts in NEET 2024. |
How Many Attempts in NEET for General category?
As per the latest guidelines by NTA, there is no limit on the number of attempts in NEET for the general category. Any 17-year-old candidate who has completed 12th standard or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as core subjects with at least 50% marks can apply.
How Many Attempts for NEET after 12th?
There are no restrictions on the number of attempts for NEET after the 12th standard. A candidate who will appear in the 12th exam, whose result is awaited, can apply and appear in the exam. However, they will be eligible for admission only if they are 17 years old and have passed 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as core subjects with at least 50% marks (40% marks for SC, ST, or OBC (NCL)).
How Many Attempts in NEET for OBC?
For the OBC (Other Backward Classes) category, there are no restrictions on the number of attempts for the NEET exam. They must be at least 17 years old as of December 31 of the year of admission and must have completed 12th standard or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as core subjects with at least 40% marks.
How Many Attempts in NEET for SC?
There shall be no NEET attempt limit for the SC category. Any 17-year-old candidate (As of December 31) who has passed 12th standard with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as core subjects with a minimum of 40% marks can appear in the NEET UG 2025 exam.
FAQs
Ans. You can attempt the NEET exam as long as you are fulfilling the age limit and eligibility requirements.
Ans. Yes. You can give NEET 4th time as there are no restrictions on the number of attempts.
Ans. No. NTA conducts the NEET UG exam once a year for all the eligible candidates.
Ans. The minimum age limit is 17 years as of December 31 with no maximum age limit to appear in the NEET UG exam.
Ans. Yes. You can take the NEET exam at the age of 25 as there is no upper age limit and the minimum age to apply for this exam is 17 years.