NEET Preparation — A Complete Guide for Parents

Your child dreams of becoming a doctor — here is everything you need to know about NEET preparation as a parent. Costs, timelines, and honest guidance.

The NEET Timeline

• Class 11 — Foundation year. Biology, Physics, Chemistry basics.
• Class 12 — Board exams + NEET prep simultaneously.
• May — NEET exam (held once a year).
• June-October — Results, then MCC and state counselling rounds and admissions.

What changed recently: NEET 2026 was held on 3 May, cancelled by NTA on 12 May after a paper leak, and re-held on 21 June; results came on 16 July and counselling ran from August into October. NEET 2027 is expected in May 2027 (NTA has not announced the date), and the Centre has announced it will be computer-based for the first time. The paper itself (in the 2026 pattern) is 180 compulsory questions — 45 Physics, 45 Chemistry, 90 Biology — in 3 hours, marked +4 for a correct answer and −1 for a wrong one.

Cost of NEET Preparation

• NEET application fee — ₹1,700 General, ₹1,600 EWS/OBC-NCL, ₹1,000 SC/ST/PwBD/third gender (2026).
• Coaching — roughly ₹40,000 to ₹2,50,000 per year, depending on the institute and city.
• Books — roughly ₹5,000 to ₹12,000.
• Mock tests — roughly ₹2,000 to ₹8,000.
• MBBS fees — low at AIIMS and most government colleges, and far higher at private and deemed universities, where the full course can cost tens of lakhs. Fees vary by state and college, so check the latest fee list in the counselling brochure.

Supporting Your Child

• NEET is held only once a year — one exam day carries a lot of weight, and the pressure is real (there is no limit on attempts, which is worth reminding your child).
• Encourage regular breaks and physical activity.
• Diet and sleep are critical during preparation.
• Discuss backup options openly — BDS, BAMS, BHMS, nursing are valid paths.

Guide for parents of NEET aspirants. Official dates, fees and rules are on neet.nta.nic.in and mcc.nic.in.