Medical Entrance Exams: 2025: Complete Guide, Dates, Eligibility

Are you fascinated by the intricacies of the human body and eager to pursue a career in medicine? Securing admission to a medical program like MBBS, BDS, or allied health sciences requires navigating a challenging yet rewarding path. Medical entrance exams serve as the gateway to these prestigious courses, testing your knowledge and aptitude.

While many institutions have their own medical entrance exam to screen candidates, there are a few that are accepted across the country. Through this blog, we are bringing you some of the prominent medical entrance exams conducted in India and abroad, providing updated schedules, eligibility details, and preparation tips to help you succeed.

What Are Medical Entrance Exams?

Medical entrance exams are standardized assessments designed to evaluate the academic readiness and problem-solving skills of students aspiring to enter medical or healthcare-related fields. These tests ensure that only the most qualified candidates gain admission to top institutions, maintaining high standards in medical education.

These exams are conducted at national, state, or institutional levels and typically cover core subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and sometimes English or logical reasoning. They play a crucial role in admissions for undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) programs, helping institutions select candidates based on merit.

Also Reads: Minimum Marks in JEE Mains to Qualify for JEE Advanced

Key Medical Entrance Exams in India

India hosts several prominent medical entrance exams that cater to UG, PG, and super-specialty levels. These exams have evolved, with many now centralized under NEET for fairness and accessibility.

In the following table, explore the list of top medical entrance exams in India and abroad, their eligibility, exam pattern, and significance for aspiring doctors and healthcare professionals.

Exam	Full Form
AFMC	Armed Forces Medical College
AIIMS	All India Institute of Medical Science
AIMS CET	Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences Common Entrance Test
AIPMT	All India Pre-Medical Test
AIPVT	All India Pre-Veterinary Test
AMU CAT	Aligarh Muslim University Common Admission Test
AMUPMDC	Association of Management of Unaided Private Medical and Dental Colleges
AU MEE	Annamalai University Medical Entrance Exam
BHU PMT	Banaras Hindu University Pre-Medical Test
BVU CET	Bharati Vidyapeeth University Common Entrance Test
CEE Kerala	Combined Entrance Examination Kerala
CET Karnataka	Common Entrance Test Karnataka
CET Punjab	Common Entrance Test Punjab
CMC Vellore	Christian Medical College Vellore
COMEDK	A consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka
DMER	Directorate of Medical Education and Research, Maharashtra
DUMET	Delhi University Medical-Dental Entrance Test
EAMCET	Engineering, Agriculture & Medical Common Entrance Test
GGSIPU CET	Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University Common Entrance Test
GUJ CET	Gujarat Common Entrance Test
HPCPMT	Himachal Pradesh Combined Pre-Medical Test
JIPMER	Jawaharlal Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry
MAHER	Meenakshi Academy Of Higher Education And Research
MGIMS CEE	Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences Competitive Entrance Examination
MH SSET	Maharashtra Super Speciality Entrance Test
MHT CET	Maharashtra Health Science & Technical Common Entrance Test
MMST	Master’s in Medical Sciences Technology
NEET	National Eligibility cum Entrance Exam
NEET PG	National Eligibility cum Entrance Exam Post-Graduate
PGIMER	Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh
PGMAT	Post Graduate Medical Admission Test, Bihar
PGMET J&K	Post Graduate Medical Entrance Test Jammu & Kashmir
PIMS	Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences
PMET Punjab	Punjab Medical Entrance Test Punjab
PMT Haryana	Pre-Medical Test Haryana
PMT Madhya Pradesh	Pre-Medical Test Madhya Pradesh
PMT Rajasthan	Pre-Medical Test Rajasthan
SRMC	Sri Ramachandra Medical College
UG AWT	Undergraduate Admission Written Test
UPCAT Dental	Uttar Pradesh Common Admission Test Dental
UPCPMT	Uttar Pradesh Combined Pre-Medical Test
UPMT	Uttaranchal Pre-Medical Test
UPPGMEE	UP Post Graduate Medical Entrance Examination
VCI	Veterinary Council of India

Schedules for Medical Entrance Exams in 2025-26

Get detailed information on the annual schedules of major medical entrance exams, including application dates, exam dates, and result timelines, to help students plan their preparation effectively. Here are the medical entrance exams with their scheduled times and dates:

Exam Name	Exam Type	Exam Date
NEET(National Entrance Cum Eligibility Test)	National Level	Last week of June
AIIMS	National Level	Basis of NEET scores
JIPMER	National Level	1st week of June
MGIMS – Wardha	National Level	Basis of NEET scores
MU-OET, Manipal	National Level	4th week of April
CMC Ludhiana	National Level	Oct-25
CMC Vellore	National Level	2nd week of May
GGSIPU-CET, Delhi	National Level	Basis of NEET scores
Assam CEE (MBBS)	State Level	Last week of April
EAMCET – A. P. (MBBS)	State Level	1st week of May
Goa-CET	State Level	4th & 5th May
Gujarat -(ACPMEC)	State Level	2nd week of May
JKCET- J & K (MBBS)	State Level	Last week of April
Karnataka (MBBS)	State Level	Through NEET
KEAM-Kerala (MBBS)	State Level	4th week of April
MH-CET, Maharashtra	State Level	2nd week of May
UP-CPMT	State Level	After NEET Score
WB-JEE (MBBS)	State Level	1st week of April
U-PMT, Uttarakhand	State Level	13-May-25
Chhattisgarh-PMT	State Level	2nd Week May

List of Medical Entrance Exam Conducting Bodies

Understanding who conducts these medical entrance exams ensures you access reliable information, application processes, fairness, and nationwide accessibility for aspiring medical students. Here are some of the medical entrance exams and conducting bodies:

International Exams

Exam Name	Conducting Body
IMAT (International Medical Admissions Test)	Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR)
MCAT(Medical Colleges Admission Test)	The Association of American Medical Colleges
OMET(Overseas Medical Entrance Test)	Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment Trust (CBLA)
USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination)	Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States

National Level Exams

Exam Name	Conducting Body
NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test)	National Testing Agency (NTA)
AIIMS-MBBS (All India Institute of Medical Science)	National Board of Examinations (NBE)
JIPMER (Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research)	National Board of Examinations (NBE)
FMGE(Foreign Medical Graduate Examination)	National Board of Examinations (NBE)
NEET PG(National Eligibility cum Entrance PG Test)	National Board of Examinations (NBE)
NEET SS(National Eligibility cum Entrance Super Speciality Test)	National Board of Examinations (NBE)
NEET MDS(National Eligibility cum Entrance MDS Test)	National Board of Examinations (NBE)
FET (Fellowship Entrance Test)	National Board of Examinations (NBE)
AIAPGET (All India AYUSH Postgraduate Entrance Test)	National Testing Agency (NTA)
DNB PDCET(Diplomate of National Board Post Diploma Centralized Entrance Test)	National Board of Examinations (NBE)
CMSE(Combined Medical Services Examination)	UPSC

Institute Level Exam

Exam Name	Conducting Body
AIIMS PG (All India Institute for Medical Sciences PG Exam)	All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi
INICET(Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test)	All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi
JIPMET PG(Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research)	Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry
AIIMS SS	All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi
AIIMS Nursing Entrance Exam	All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi

Most Popular Medical Entrance Exams with Details

Now that you know the list of top medical entrance exams, let’s take a closer look at each one. Below, you’ll find complete information on eligibility, exam pattern, courses offered, and admission opportunities. This will help aspiring medical professionals make informed decisions and plan their career path with confidence. Here are the most popular ones with their key details:

NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test)

Annually, the National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts a national-level medical entrance exam referred to as the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test. It is amongst the widely accepted entrance exams in India, and through NEET scores, one can apply for a varied number of programs such as MBBS, BDS, Siddha Unani, Ayurveda, and Homoeopathy, amongst others.

Generally, the NEET entrance exam consists of 180 multiple-choice questions from Physics, Chemistry, and Biology with a maximum duration of 3 hours. It is also conducted in multiple languages of instruction, including Marathi, Bengali, Telugu, etc., to cater to students from all across India. It is organised into two categories, i.e., UG corresponding to those who have completed their higher secondary education and PG for those pursuing a bachelor’s degree or have concluded their graduation.

NEET 2025 Events	Dates (Announced)
Application form available	February 7, 2025
Final date to submit the Application form	March 7, 2025 (till 11:50 PM IST)
The fee submit on the last date	Same as final application submission: March 7, 2025, by 11:50 PM
Application form correction	March 9–11, 2025
NEET (UG) Admit Card	April 30, 2025
NEET 2025 Exam Date	May 4, 2025 (2:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
Result Declaration	June 14, 2025
Beginning of the counselling	July 21, 2025

Also Read: Gap Certificate for NEET – Application Form, Counselling and Gap Certificate Format

USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) 

The United States Medical Licensing Examination is held in three parts, clearing which you can get the golden ticket to attaining overseas education in the domain of medicine. Collectively sponsored by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME), this is one of those medical entrance exams that are considered among the toughest exams in the world.

 Aspirants must qualify for all three levels of the exam, which aims to test their clinical skills, knowledge related to the medical domain, and English proficiency. 

MCAT (Medical College Admission Test )

Another popular medical entrance exam for applying for a degree abroad, the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a crucial one for those wanting to study a medical course in the US, Canada, Australia, or the Caribbean Islands.

Organised by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the MCAT medical entrance exam is held 25 times a year, and its registration process is divided into three zones, i.e., Gold, Silver, and Bronze. It is a computer-based test consisting of 221 questions comprising 4 sections, which students have to solve in a duration of 7.5 hours.

MCAT 2025 Application Start Date	Jan-June 2024
MCAT 2025 Application End Date	Jab 2025
Slot Booking Start Date	Feb 2025
MCAT 2025 Exam	Jan 13, Jan 14, Jan 19, and Jan 27, 2025
MCAT 2025 Result Declaration	Feb 14, Feb 21, and Mar 3, 2025

FPMT (Foreign Pre-Medical Entrance Test)

Foreign Pre-Medical Entrance Test is a two-in-one scheme through which aspirants can avail themselves of the chance to get a scholarship to study in prestigious universities abroad. Organised by the MBBS Gurukul Abroad Education and Services, this medical entrance exam is valid in 20 countries and for over 400 medical institutions that are recognised by MCI and WHO.

It constitutes a total of 4 sections encompassing 120 questions. To make it more convenient for students from across the country, the test is conducted with English and Hindi as the mediums of instruction.   

JIPMER (Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research)

Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research is one of the oldest institutes in India, providing quality education in the domain of European medicine. Situated in Puducherry, the institute organises its own medical entrance exam every year to select potential candidates for its multiple programs.

JIPMER test consists of a total of 200 questions from subjects like Physics, Biology, Chemistry, English Language and Comprehension, and Logical and Quantitative Reasoning.

Application form available	January 2025
Final date to submit the Application form	Last week of January 2025
Fee submitted on the last date	February 2025
Application form correction	3rd week to 4th week of February 2025
NEET (UG) Admit Card	4th week of March 2025
NEET 2023 Exam Date	7th May 2025
Result Declaration	1st week of June 2025
Beginning of the counseling	2nd week of June 2025

AIIMS-MBBS (All India Institute of Medical Science)

Conducted as a national-level exam by AIIMS, this exam aims to screen aspirants wanting to pursue MBBS in the country. Giving students a chance to avail themselves of the entry ticket to one of the toughest courses in the world, AIIMS offers only 50 seats, which makes the competition even more rigorous.

The AIIMS-MBBS exam is held separately for both UG and PG levels, and its syllabus spans the disciplines of Chemistry, Physics, Biology, General Knowledge, Aptitude, and Logical Thinking.

OJEE Exam

Odisha Joint Entrance Examination or OJEE is a state-level entrance exam that is managed and run by the Government of Odisha. It is considered to be the most prominent exam for those who aspire to take admission to various private and governmental Medical, Engineering & Management institutions in Odisha for graduate and postgraduate degree programs. 

Online application form availability	12th February 2025
Last date for applying online	15 March 2025
Release of OJEE admit card	2 April 2025
Date of entrance test	7 May 2025
Declaration of OJEE result	26 September 2025
Counselling will start from	15 October 2025

Combined Medical Services Examination (CMSE)

The combined Medical Services Examination (CMSE) is conducted by the UPSC every year with an aim of hiring medical graduates into various organisations and services that come under the government of India.

This is a national-level exam that is conducted as per the rules published by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in the Gazette of India. It is one of the most prestigious examinations conducted in India, where doctors across the country are recruited for various government departments.

CMSE Notification	May 2025
Application	May 2025
Last date	May 2025
CMSE admit card	July 2025
Exam date	August 2025
interview	September 2025
result	November 2025
Final Result	December 2025

FMGE

The FMGE (Foreign Medical Graduates Examination) is conducted with the intention of maintaining a certain standard among medical students. The purpose of the test is to enable an Overseas Indian Student or an Indian Citizen to pursue a medical career in India.

If you possess a primary medical qualification from a recognised medical college abroad and are looking for provisional or permanent registration with the State or the Medical Council of India, then you will have to appear for this test. 

Start of the application form	16th April 2025
Last date to submit the application	6th May 2025
Correction facility	9th – 11th May 2025
Final Edit Window to rectify Deficient/Incorrect Images	21st – 23rd May 2025
Issue with the admit card	11th June 2025
Exam Date	18th June 2025
Declaration of result

NEET SS

Conducted by the National Board of Examination, National Eligibility Entrance Test- Super Speciality (NEET SS) is a national-level examination through which candidates can get admission into programs like DM/MCh degrees across top medical colleges in India in order to attain quality education.

Being the only designated exam in the country to pursue the aforementioned courses as per the Medical Council of India, every year, a colossal number of students appear for the NEET SS exam in order to achieve their career aspirations. 

Availability of NEET SS information brochure 2021	August 2025
NEET SS 2021 application form	First Week of August 2025
Last date to submit the application form	Last Week of August 2025
NEET SS admit card	September 2025
Exam date	Mid-September 2025
NEET SS result date 2021	End of September 2025

NEET PG

NEET PG is a widely accepted entrance exam for MD/MS and PG Diploma courses across the country. It is held annually by the NBE (National Board of Examinations). The ranking you get in this exam is also considered in post-MBBS DNB courses. It is conducted in an online mode. Every year, ten thousand aspirants apply for this exam. 

Availability of Information Bulletin	From 23rd February 2025
Application Form	From 23rd February 2025
Last date to fill out the application form	15 March 2025
Correction Window	19th March 2025 to 21st March 2025
Final Edit Window to rectify the Incorrect Images	2nd April 2025 to 4th April 2025
NEET PG 2021 admit card	12th April 2025
Exam Date	18 April 2025
Announcement of Result	31st May 2025

AIAPGET

Ayurveda and Homoeopathy are considered some of the most popular sources of alternative medicine. All India Ayush Post Graduate Entrance Test, commonly known as AIAPGET, is an entrance examination used to grant admissions for postgraduate courses in Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, etc., and is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). 

Mode of Examination	Online
Registration Date	March 2025 (Tentatively)
Downloading of Admit Card	July 2025
Exam	July 2025
Result	August 2025

Medical Entrance Exam Abroad 

Many Indian students also pursue medicine abroad due to limited seats and high competition in India. Here are some of the key medical entrance exams abroad.

• MCAT (Medical College Admission Test): USA, Canada
• UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test): UK, Australia, New Zealand
• BMAT (Biomedical Admissions Test): UK, Singapore, Netherlands
• GAMSAT (Graduate Medical School Admissions Test): Australia, UK, Ireland
• NEET (For Abroad MBBS): Required for Indian students before applying abroad.

Study MBBS Abroad

Other than the medical entrance exams, if you are aiming to pursue your MBBS abroad, take a look at the following table elucidating some related blogs you must check out: 

MBBS in USA	MBBS in Canada	MBBS in Australia	MBBS in Ireland	MBBS in Japan
MBBS in Germany	MBBS in China	MBBS in New Zealand	MBBS in Europe	MBBS in Poland
MBBS in Malaysia	MBBS in Georgia	MBBS in Italy	MBBS in Poland	MBBS in Hungary
MBBS in Mauritius	MBBS in Kyrgyzstan	MBBS in Kazakhstan	MBBS in the Philippines	MBBS in Ukraine
MBBS in Belarus	MBBS in Romania	MBBS in Bangladesh	MBBS in the Caribbean	MBBS in Nepal

Also Read: JEE Physics Syllabus: Section-wise Weightage, Important Topics

Medical entrance exams are the stepping stones to fulfilling the dream of becoming a healthcare professional. With proper preparation, strategic planning, and consistent practice, students can crack these competitive exams and secure a place in top medical institutions.

If you are serious about a medical career, start early, stick to a disciplined schedule, and keep yourself motivated. Success in medical entrance exams opens the door to one of the most respected and rewarding professions in the world.

FAQs

Related Reads 

Self-Study Time Table for NEET Preparation: Schedule and Tips	MindMaps for NEET: Tips & Sample Mind Map
Career Options If NEET Is Not Cleared	NEET Chemistry Syllabus (Updated): Topics and Weightage
Why is NEET Important for MBBS?	How to Prepare for NEET at Home Without Coaching?

Thus, we hope that this blog has helped you comprehend the top medical entrance exams in India as well as around the world. If you are aspiring to apply for MBBS and don’t know where to begin, sign up for a 30-minute career counselling session with our Leverage Edu experts, and we’ll guide you in choosing a suitable institution as well as throughout the admission process to ensure that you get successfully shortlisted.