AIPMT vs. NEET: The Great Indian Chaos of Pre-Med and Dental Entrance Tests

It’s been quite a year for young students that are aspiring to enter MBBS and BDS courses in the country. Should they give the AIMPT or the NEET? Or wait; are both those tests the same? But what about the state held exams? All this confusion began with the Supreme Court ruling of 28th of April to have singular nationwide test for all MBBS and BDS courses.

AIPMT or All India Pre-Medical/Dental Test has been the entrance test to MMBS or BDS colleges till date. Every year it is conducted by the CBSE board. 6 lakh students attempted this test on 1st May, 2016.

AIPMT accounts for the national quota, i.e. 15% of the seats in both private and government colleges that offer MBBS or BDS courses. The rest of the seats are state quota seats, and each state has its own standard for allotting these seats. Some states like Tamil Nadu and Punducherry look at the academic results of 12 th standard exams, while others give preference to the AIPMT result itself.

This implies that each state has a different standard of eligibility, creating an inconsistency in the country’s MMBS and BDS programs. To create uniformity in India’s education system, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the NEET or National Eligibility cum Entrance Test. The introduction of NEET would mean that none of the tests, private or state, have any validity for entrance to the said programs.

While this is a good move for India’s educational standards in the long run, discrediting AIPMT and other tests just two days before the exam created confusion and consequent stress among students. And after a month of upheaval, it was finally decided that for 2016 – 2017 the states were exempted from using NEET for the 100% of the seats. NEET will be the standard test for the 15% in national quota seats.

As for AIMPT, the exam that was held on the 1 st of May, 2016 will be considered as NEET Phase – I. Another exam, NEET Phase – II, is to be held on the 24 th of July. Any student may sit for this exam, even the students that appeared in phase – I on the condition that they give up their results of the first exam. The result for both the phases will be announced on 30 th August, 2016. From next year onwards only the NEET will be considered throughout the country and will be held annually.

The good news is that AIPMT and NEET are basically the same since the entire country’s 12th standard syllabus has been aligned. So the study material for AIPMT or NEET would also be the same. Both the exams are objective with multiple choice questions divided in three sections: physics, chemistry, and biology with botany and zoology. So only the name is now different, and there is a bonus phase – II this year, for those who might want it. To feel more confident on your attempt at a quality education and a quality life, try out our AIPMT online courses and tests.