Is there Negative Marking in NEET?

This is a very common concern of most students who are preparing for NEET entrance exam.  Becoming a doctor is a big responsibility, and one need to have a certain level of aptitude and inkling towards the disciple to tread on that career path.

To ensure that only the best and deserving candidates make it to the top medical colleges in the country, CBSE, the body that conducts NEET UG (Under Graduate) follows a very stringent evaluation process. Therefore, negative marking is an integral component of the assessment.

However, negative marking should by no means scare you. Instead, you should be well prepared and take all precautions to minimize mistakes in the main examination. To begin with, you should have a clear understanding of the exam pattern. Here is a quick glimpse of the NEET examination pattern and assessment details -

So, now that it’s clear that there is negative marking in NEET let’s begin our discussion on how to avoid it.  Negative marking can adversely affect your All India Ranking, and you may miss your chance to secure admission in the desired medical college. The key is to identify and understand why we make mistakes in the first place. Upon our discussion with several students, we narrowed down on the following 5 reasons that lead to negative marking - 

1. Over Complacence – Sometimes being over complacent or confident can lead to mistakes. So, while it’s important to feel relaxed students are advised not to answer the question unless 100% sure of the answer.

2. Hurry to Finish – Every student agenda is to attempt maximum questions. However, in a hurry to finish or attempt the question, students end up making silly errors and mistakes.

3. Inaccurate Reading – This refers to the incomplete reading of the question. Due to incorrect reading, students mark the wrong answer. This scenario is particularly common for trick or indirect questions.

4.Guesswork - Sometimes students test their luck by indiscriminately marking the answers. Guesswork is not a good strategy, and you can end up losing a lot of marks.

5. Incorrect Marking – Questions that are incorrectly marked, or not shaded or attempted properly can cause students to lose marks.

Keeping in view the above points, you must be attentive and should adopt a smart approach when attempting the questions. Here’s what you need to do –

1.  Instead of focusing on answering more number of questions, pay attention to get maximum right answers.

2. Do not attempt those questions for which you are not sure of the answer.

3. Attempt those question or section first in which you are most confident. This will boost your confidence and will stop you from blindly marking the answers.

4. Never be in a hurry to complete the paper and read the question carefully before attempting the answer.

5. Refrain from erasing or changing the answer. Therefore, do not mark the question unless you are very sure.

Last Words

For a reliable assessment and scoring process, negative marking is an important part of any entrance examination. NEET is no exception to that rule. NEET is one of the most competitive medical entrance examinations in the country and those who successfully crack it are eligible to take admission for MBBS and BDS courses in both government and private medical colleges.  To secure your chances to secure the coveted seat answer the question responsibly and strategically.