NEET PG 2026 Concludes: Candidates Report Moderate to Difficult Paper Under New Exam Format

The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) successfully conducted the NEET PG 2026 examination on August 30. More than 2.7 lakh candidates appeared for the postgraduate medical entrance test, which took place across 1,111 centres located in 338 cities throughout the country. The examination was held in a single shift, running from 9 am to 12:30 pm.

This year’s edition of the exam marked a significant departure from previous formats, introducing structural changes to the paper. The total number of questions was reduced from 200 to 180, and the maximum marks available were adjusted from 800 to 720. Despite these changes, the overall duration of the examination remained fixed at 3.5 hours. A notable feature of this year's test was the implementation of five time-bound sections, each containing 36 questions. Candidates were required to complete each section within a 42-minute window, after which the section was locked, preventing any return to previous questions.

Exam Analysis and Student Feedback

Following the conclusion of the exam, initial feedback from participants suggests that the paper ranged from moderate to difficult. Many candidates noted that the examination placed a heavy emphasis on clinical case-based questions, which were described as lengthy and demanding. Several students reported that the paper required a high level of conceptual application, as many questions were presented as three-to-four-line clinical scenarios that necessitated careful reading and analysis.

Student reactions to the difficulty level were varied. While some candidates found the paper manageable, others felt it was more challenging than in previous years. The shift toward a time-bound, section-locked format also influenced the overall testing experience for many participants. As the examination has now concluded, candidates are awaiting the official results, which will also include the announcement of the qualifying cutoffs for admission into MD and MS programmes. The NBEMS is expected to release further details regarding the results and the final answer keys in due course.