NEET 2026 Application Form — Dates, Eligibility, Fees & Step-by-Step Process

The NEET application form is the gateway to ~1 lakh MBBS/BDS/AYUSH seats across India. Getting the form wrong costs you exam eligibility or, worse, rejection at document verification. This guide covers eligibility, dates, fees, photo specs, step-by-step form filling, the correction window, and the common mistakes that cause applications to fail.

NEET 2026 Application Dates (Expected)

Dates based on 2024-2025 patterns. Exact dates will be announced on neet.nta.nic.in.

Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

• Passed Class 12 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, Biology (or Biotechnology), English
• Aggregate: 50% in PCB combined for General; 45% for General-PwD; 40% for SC/ST/OBC
• Candidates appearing in Class 12 in 2026 are eligible (provisionally); final selection contingent on passing with required aggregate

Age Criteria

• Lower limit: 17 years completed as of December 31, 2026
• Upper limit: Currently no upper limit (Supreme Court stay on 25-year cap pending). Check NTA notification for latest status before applying.

Nationality

Indian nationals, OCI, PIO, NRIs and Foreign Nationals are all eligible. OCI/PIO/Foreign nationals apply through dedicated quota/process.

NEET 2026 Application Fee

Payment modes: net banking, credit card, debit card, UPI. NO cash or cheque. Transaction charges vary by payment mode.

Documents Required (Keep Ready Before Starting)

• Digital passport-size photograph — JPG, 10–200 KB
• Postcard-size photograph — JPG, 50–300 KB (larger photo for admit card attachment)
• Scanned signature — JPG, 4–30 KB
• Left-hand thumb impression — JPG, 10–50 KB
• Class 10 marksheet (for DOB verification)
• Class 12 marksheet or admit card
• Category certificate (if applicable) — SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS
• Domicile certificate (for state quota later — not needed at form-fill time)
• Aadhaar card / passport / PAN / voter ID — for identity proof
• Active email + mobile number

Photo & Signature Specifications

Passport-Size Photo

• Size: 10–200 KB
• Dimensions: 3.5 × 4.5 cm
• Background: White
• Colour: Colour photo (NOT black-and-white)
• Recency: Taken within last 6 months
• Name & date: Printed at bottom (recommended)

Postcard-Size Photo

• Size: 50–300 KB
• Dimensions: 4 × 6 inches (postcard standard)
• Same person as passport-size photo (just larger format)

Signature

• Size: 4–30 KB
• Dimensions: 3.5 × 1.5 cm
• Ink: Black ink on plain white paper

Left-Hand Thumb Impression

• Size: 10–50 KB
• Clear thumbprint on white paper with black ink

Step-by-Step Application Process

1. Visit neet.nta.nic.in when the application window opens.
2. Click “New Registration”. Note down your generated Application Number — you need it for every future step.
3. Fill personal details. Name, DOB, gender, parents' names, identification details, nationality. All must match Class 10 certificate EXACTLY.
4. Fill educational details. Class 10 and 12 board, year of passing, roll numbers, subjects, marks (if declared).
5. Select exam language. 13 regional languages + English + Hindi. Choose carefully — cannot change later.
6. Choose exam cities. Select up to 3 preferred cities (NTA allots based on availability and preference order).
7. Enter state of eligibility for counselling preferences.
8. Upload documents. All 4 files (2 photos + signature + thumb impression) + category certificate if applicable.
9. Preview application. Review every field carefully before submission.
10. Pay fee online. Save payment receipt separately.
11. Download and print confirmation page PDF. Keep 3 printed copies with passport-size photo pasted on each.

Correction Window (Important!)

NTA provides a 3-5 day correction window after form closure. You can correct:

• Name, parent names (minor corrections only, per ID proof)
• Date of Birth
• Gender, category, PwD status
• Class 10/12 board, year, roll number
• Exam city preferences
• Photo/signature/thumb impression (if rejected)

Cannot change: exam language, state of eligibility (in most years), registered email.

Common Application Mistakes

• Name mismatch with Class 10 certificate. Use EXACT same name as on certificate — letter for letter.
• Incorrect category. Once selected and paid for, changing to higher reservation tier is complicated. Double-check certificate.
• Wrong state of eligibility. State selected impacts state-quota counselling later. Pick your actual domicile state carefully.
• Photo with cap, sunglasses or dark background. NTA rejects. Use plain white background, full face visible.
• Leaving browser open mid-payment. If system times out, you lose progress. Keep transaction ID safe.
• Entering wrong Class 12 subjects. NTA cross-verifies at later stages. Physics + Chemistry + Biology/Biotechnology required.

After Application Submission

1. Save confirmation PDF and payment receipt. You'll need these for admit card download and for reference during corrections window.
2. Wait for admit card release (late April). See our NEET Admit Card Download Guide.
3. Focus on preparation. Use our NEET Preparation Hub for a structured roadmap.
4. Practice chapter-wise Biology PYQs. 5,000+ NCERT-linked PYQs.
5. Weekly full-length NEET mocks. Free mock tests.