Quick Summary:
Worried about losing marks due to negative marking in NEET 2026? This blog offers practical tips to help you minimize those deductions. Learn how to stay calm, focus on questions you're confident about, and avoid rushing through the exam. By understanding the marking scheme and adopting smart strategies, you can boost your score and approach the exam with greater confidence.
NEET Negative Marking:- NEET (National Eligibility Cum Entrance Exam) is a most competitive medical entrance exam that guarantees that you got your dream as a doctor. The NTA (National Test Agency) holds the exam for admission to medical courses all over the country. It is the entrance to MBBS, BDS, and other medical courses. The NEET 2026 exam will be held in May 2026, and the NEET 2026 admit card is expected to be released in April 2026. The NEET 2026 result is likely to be announced in June 2026.
Read More: Check NEET Exam Updates Here
How to Minimise Negative Marking in NEET 2026
The negative marking has a significant impact on the overall score since one mark will be deducted for each wrong answer. One important factor that students need to keep in mind while preparing for NEET is the NEET exam negative marking. Every wrong answer incurs a minus marking in NEET, affecting the overall score because NEET has a negative marking. Even minor careless mistakes can make a significant difference in a student’s rank. To get the highest possible score, aspirants need a well-thought-out strategy, and they must avoid taking risks and keep NEET negative marks in mind to optimise their performance.
This article primarily focuses on a few pointers that will help you mitigate the effects of negative marking in NEET 2026 preparation and secure a good rank.
NEET Answer Key 2025 with Solution Download Here
NEET Negative Marking 2026
NEET UG 2026 is the qualifying exam for granting admission to students in MBBS, BDS, and other medical courses at different institutes across the country and is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The NEET UG exam consists of three subjects, i.e., Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (Botany & Zoology). The NEET question paper consists of 180 questions for 720 marks. According to the current NEET marking scheme, 4 is the marking for each question. But the exam has a NEET negative marking scheme as well if candidates mark anything wrong. For every wrong answer, 1 mark is deducted. NEET negative marking, marking scheme, the number of steps to calculate, and also important tips are available on this page.
Read More:
- Check out the last 15 days’ NEET preparation study plan
- 5 common mistakes to avoid that bring the score down in NEET 2026
Negative Marking in NEET 2026 Highlights
Candidates preparing for the upcoming entrance exam should know about NEET negative marking. The following are key highlights of negative marking for the NEET 2026 exam shared below on a reference basis:
NEET 2026 Negative Marking Highlights
| Particular | Details |
| Exam Name | National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) |
| Exam Date | May, 2026 |
| Question Type | MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions) |
| Subjects | Physics, Chemistry, Biology (Botany & Zoology) |
| Total Questions | 180 |
| Maximum Marks | 720 |
| Exam Duration | 180 minutes |
| NEET Marking Scheme | +4 mark for each correct answer -1 mark for each wrong answer |
NEET Marking Scheme 2026
The NEET 2026 exam paper would have a total of 200 questions, and candidates have to answer 180 questions. It is a marking pattern where +4 marks are awarded for the correct response and 1 mark is deducted for the wrong response. No marks are deducted for unanswered questions. The maximum number of marks in NEET is 720 (180 × 4). With negative marking, candidates should be careful while answering the question so as not to get unnecessary negative marking.
| Type of Response | Marks Awarded |
| Correct Answer | +4 marks |
| Incorrect Answer | -1 mark |
| Unattempted Question | 0 marks |
| Multiple Answers Marked | -1 mark |
Read More: Check out the NEET Exam Pattern, NEET Chapter Wise Weightage
NEET Negative Marking 2026- Section Wise
The NEET UG 2026 exam will consist of multiple-choice questions containing four answer choices. Thus, the test-takers should be very cautious while selecting the particular option to shield themselves from the NEET negative marking 2026. They need to devise a section-wise approach to attempt the questions with precision. For the correct guidance of the aspirants, below we have provided the NEET negative marking scheme subject-wise.
NEET Negative Marking Subject-Wise
| Subject Name | Total number of Questions | Total Marks | Marks for right Answers | Marks for wrong Answers | Marks for Unattempted Questions |
| Biology (Zoology & Botany) | 90 | 360 | +4 mark | -1 mark | 0 mark |
| Chemistry | 45 | 180 | +4 mark | -1 mark | 0 mark |
| Physics | 45 | 180 | +4 mark | -1 mark | 0 mark |
How to Calculate Negative Marking in NEET 2026?
NEET Negative marking for candidates needs to be checked before strategizing. According to the NEET exam pattern, a total of 180 compulsory questions will be asked for 720 marks. NEET physics & chemistry carries 180 marks while NEET Biology carries 360 Marks. To calculate negative marking in NEET 2026, follow these simple steps:
- Multiply the correct answers by 4
- Keep track of how many questions you get wrong.
- Finally, sum up the correct answers and subtract from the total incorrect answers for tentative scores.
| Formula to compute NEET scores: (Correct answers X 4) – (Incorrect answers X 1) |
Read More: Check your expected rank using the NEET Rank Predictor 2026
How to Avoid Negative Markings in the NEET 2026 Exam?
The NEET Exam Negative marking system can considerably affect your overall score. NEET has a negative marking system, so each time (race against time phrase meaning) you answer a question incorrectly, you will be penalized with a minus marking in NEET, i.e., for each wrong answer, 1 mark gets reduced. Avoiding mistakes in advance is essential to achieving a desirable score. Here are some key tips to avoid loss of marks in the modern NEET minus marking system:
Tip #1: Read the Question Paper Thoroughly
One of the major blunders that students make is to read the questions in a rush. They sometimes do not get the question right and mark the wrong answer. To mitigate this, read the entire question carefully and make sure you understand before finding your answer. Reading fast but with precision will help you handle time.
Tip #2: Avoid Doubtful or Complex Questions
If a question appears to be confusing or too difficult, it is better to leave it unanswered than mark something wrong. Due to negative marking in NEET, selecting the wrong option will lower your score. At first, go for the questions you are sure of.
Tip #3: Never Be Overconfident
Such overconfidence can result in missed or careless mistakes. Many students have such a strong sense of what the question is that they don’t bother to read it fully. This applies to your answers as well. Check always before answering. Read through all the papers thoroughly without being hasty.
Tip #4: Avoid making mistakes while filling the OMR sheet
Some candidates mark the incorrect option on the OMR sheet; however, this error is correctable. They bungle the question order, and everything they worked for is wasted. When filling OMR, ensure to align the question number properly, put a figure on the number, confirm twice, and then carefully fill the bubble.
Tip #5: Don’t Spend Too Much Time on Tough Questions
Time management is crucial. If you spend too long on one hard question, you may end up without enough time to answer the easier ones. If not, skip ahead and return if you have time.
Tip #6: Avoid Last-Minute Answering
Most students commit the error of marking the answers hastily during the last minutes. This causes miscalculations, for which NEET can penalize. Instead, you want to finish writing the paper with some time to spare to read over it.
Tip #7: Stay Calm and Focused
Mistakes can happen under stress and anxiety. Just visualize things positively; relax, and go for the exam with surety. This is how a calm mind will give your NEET preparation the perfect grip without committing blunders in the NEET negative marking process.
Read More: Access Free NEET 2026 Mock Test Papers & Sample Papers
Preparation tips: How to Prepare for NEET 2026 to Avoid Negative Marking?
In order to qualify for NEET 2026, one must have sound knowledge of the concepts, but also a good exam strategy to avoid negative marking. Read How to prepare for NEET 2026 without negative marking:-
1. Strengthen Your Basics
To minimize the chances of negative marking in NEET, one must have a thorough comprehension of all subjects. Most of these questions are covered in NCERT textbooks, so make sure that you keep your primary focus on them. You just (just in case definition) need to learn all three subjects, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, and revise the difficult parts repeatedly.
2. Manage Time Effectively
The NEET exam is all about time management. With 180 questions to complete in 200 minutes for the exam, you have to develop the skill of answering questions with speed and accuracy. Giving too much time to any single question could lead to hasty answers and mistakes, resulting in more minus marking in the NEET exam.
3. Solve Previous Year Papers & Mock Tests
One of the right ways to prepare is to solve NEET previous year papers and attempt mock tests regularly. These assist in the knowledge of the exam design, speeding it up, and knowing the weak sections. These tests will go a long way towards helping you identify your mistakes, which will ultimately help you avoid them in the exam.
Read More: Access NEET Previous Year Question Papers
4. Read Questions Carefully
Oftentimes, students make mistakes on problems simply because they misread the question. Under the pressure of the exam, they either read past or misinterpret important details. Spend a few more seconds per question and read them carefully before answering. This one step can help you avoid getting unnecessary negative marks in NEET.
5. Revise Key Formulas & Concepts
Physics and Chemistry have to be formula-based, and that requires you to have a good memory. Create a note on the informative body on paper. It will also help to prevent errors in the calculation and enhance precision in the numerical questions.
6. Avoid Guesswork
Because NEET contains negative markings, making random guesses for each answer could be a dangerous decision. When in doubt, the answer will be more towards waiting than explaining it wrongly and losing unnecessary marks. Employ the process of elimination to eliminate wrong answers to increase accuracy.
7. Focus on High-Weightage Topics
Some of the topics in NEET are more important than others. Focusing on these in your revision can help you earn easy marks. The following topics scored high:
- Biology: Genetics & Evolution, Ecology, Human Physiology
- Chemistry: Chemical Bonding, Coordination Compounds, Organic Chemistry
- Physics: Modern Physics, Mechanics, Electrodynamics
8. Stay Confident & Calm
Stress and anxiety can cause mental lapses. Just keep calm and focus on your exam. Meditating, or doing some breathing exercises, keeps you focused and panic-free.
FAQs: NEET Negative Marking 2026
Q1. Does NEET have negative marking?
Yes, there is negative marking for NEET. One mark is deducted for each incorrect answer, while a correct answer fetches four marks.
Q2. How does the NEET minus marking system work?
According to the NEET negative marking criteria, there is a deduction of 1 mark for every incorrect response. Unanswered questions do not attract negative marking.
Q3. When will the NEET 2026 admit card be released?
The NEET 2026 admit card is expected to be issued in April 2026, a few days before the exam.
Q4. How many questions were asked in NEET 2026?
NEET UG 2026 will consist of a total of 180 compulsory questions.
Q5. How to Avoid NEET Negative Marking 2026?
Staying calm, attempting what you know, and not rushing will help you avoid NEET 2026 negative marking.
Q6. How to calculate negative marks in NEET?
It is very simple to know how many negative marks in NEET. This covers how many questions you got correct. Discover the right and wrong answers. Mark each correct answer 4 marks and each wrong answer 1 mark deduction. Summing up the full set provides the score achieved.
