INICET 2026 Exam Pattern
INICET (INI-CET) uses a different structure from NEET PG in several important ways — including a 200-mark scale (not 800), a +1/−⅓ marking scheme, and the presence of multiple correct choice (MCC) questions that are unique to INICET. Understanding the pattern before you sit down to prepare is not optional — it changes how you approach time management and guessing strategy on exam day.
| Total Questions | 200 |
| Total Marks | 200 (not 800 like NEET PG) |
| Correct Answer | +1 mark |
| Wrong Answer | −1/3 mark (one-third negative) |
| Unattempted | 0 marks |
| Number of Sections | 4 sections × 50 questions |
| Time per Section | 45 minutes |
| Total Duration | 180 minutes (3 hours) |
| Section Navigation | LOCKED — cannot revisit previous sections |
| Exam Mode | Computer Based Test (CBT) |
| Question Types | Single correct + Multiple correct choice (MCC) |
AIIMS does not officially publish section-wise subject allocation. Based on PYQ analysis from 2021–2025, this is the approximate distribution:
| Section | Questions | Time | Subjects (approximate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section 1 | 50 | 45 min | Medicine, Pharmacology, Biochemistry |
| Section 2 | 50 | 45 min | Surgery, Anaesthesia, Radiology, Orthopaedics |
| Section 3 | 50 | 45 min | OBG, Paediatrics, Psychiatry, FMT |
| Section 4 | 50 | 45 min | Pathology, Microbiology, Physiology, Anatomy, PSM, ENT, Ophthalmology, Dermatology |
Unlike NEET PG (which has only single-best-answer questions), INICET includes a proportion of Multiple Correct Choice questions where more than one option can be correct. You must select all correct options to receive full marks — partial marking is not given for partially correct selections.
How many MCC questions? Approximately 10–25% of the paper (20–50 questions) in recent years, though AIIMS does not publish this officially. The proportion has been increasing in recent sessions.
Strategy for MCC: These are harder to guess on. Only attempt MCC questions when you are confident about at least 3 of the 4 options. A completely random guess on a 4-option MCC question has a very low chance of full marks and a high probability of negative marking.
| Parameter | INICET | NEET PG |
|---|---|---|
| Total Marks | 200 | 800 |
| Marking (Correct) | +1 | +4 |
| Marking (Wrong) | −1/3 | −1 |
| Sections | 4 × 50 Qs × 45 min | 5 × 40 Qs × 42 min |
| MCC Questions | Yes (~10–25%) | No |
| Conducted by | AIIMS New Delhi | NBEMS |
| Seats | ~815 | ~52,000+ |
| Difficulty | Higher | Moderate-Hard |
- · 54 seconds per question on average. At 50 questions in 45 minutes, you have less than a minute per question. Single-best questions should take 30–45 seconds; MCC questions may need 60–90 seconds.
- · Sections are locked. Once you move to the next section, you cannot go back. If you are unsure about a question, mark it and return within the same section.
- · Do not leave MCC questions blank impulsively. If you can eliminate two options confidently, the remaining two-option guess is worth attempting in a single-correct format — but for MCC, be careful.
- · Target 75–80% accuracy rather than 100% attempt rate. At +1/−1/3, leaving 20–25 questions unattempted and getting 175 right nets you ~167 marks — enough for top ranks in most sessions.