NEET UG 2026: How did NEET UG begin? How was admission to MBBS courses granted in India before NEET?
NEET UG 2026: The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is mandatory for pursuing a career in the medical sector in India. In other words, if you want to pursue medical courses like MBBS, BDS, or BAMS after 12th, you must pass NEET UG. However, the question often arises: since when has NEET been made mandatory for medical admission in India? Before NEET, what exam was used for admission to MBBS and other medical courses in India?
Let's discuss this in detail. Let's find out when NEET UG was introduced in India. What entrance exam was used for medical admission before that? We'll also learn how many candidates appear for NEET UG.
When and how did NEET UG begin?
The Medical Council of India (MCI) proposed the NEET exam in 2012 for admission to postgraduate medical courses, including MBBS. However, due to various reasons, the exam was delayed by a year. In 2013, the Supreme Court struck down the NEET in a decision. Consequently, the NEET UG exam could not be held in 2014 and 2015. Following this, the NEET UG exam was held in 2016. Since 2019, the NTA has been conducting the exam. During this period, the CBSE conducted the NEET UG exam.
How it was started:
In which languages is NEET conducted, and how many candidates participate?
NEET UG is conducted in Hindi, English, and several regional languages across India, including Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, Assamese, Gujarati, Kannada, and Oriya. NEET UG is conducted in a total of 13 languages. In terms of the number of candidates who appeared for NEET UG, last year, over 2 million candidates appeared for NEET UG.
State Entrance Exams, including AIPMT and CPMT, precede NEET UG.
AIPMT: Before NEET UG, the All India Para Medical Test (AIPMT) was conducted for admission to MBBS and other medical courses in India. This was a national-level medical entrance exam. In 2012, NEET UG was introduced in its place. In 2016, AIMPT was conducted as NEET UG. From 1988 to 2012, AIPMT was used for admission to MBBS and other medical courses in the country.
CPMT and other state entrance exams: In addition to AIPMT, medical entrance exams were also conducted by states. The Uttar Pradesh government conducted the Combined Pre-Medical Test (CPMT). Based on its scores, admission was granted to medical courses such as MBBS, BDS, BAMS, and BHMS. Other state governments also conducted medical entrance tests, and many medical colleges also conducted entrance tests for admission.Social media