NEET-UG gauges candidates’ analytical thinking, speed

Ahmedabad: Of the over 23 lakh aspirants across India, over 85,000 from Gujarat on Sunday took the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (undergraduate), or NEET-UG 2026, organized by the National Testing Agency. Nearly 12,000 candidates appeared from Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar alone for the test that serves as the gateway to undergraduate medical and dental courses. Authorities implemented strict security protocols, including frisking and document verification, to maintain fairness and prevent malpractice. No major untoward incidents were reported from any centre. The 720-mark paper consisted of 180 questions covering physics, chemistry and biology.Candidates, in their feedback, said the paper was moderately to slightly tough, though some experts termed it easier compared with previous years'. Biology questions were based on NCERT textbooks, some aspirants said. Others said the chemistry section was where one could score the most. Physics, on the other hand, was lengthy and calculation-intensive.Pankaj Baldi, a teacher, said, "Physics was easy to moderately tough. Most questions were straightforward, some required lengthy calculations and others were ambiguously worded to confuse candidates. The questions on biology were easy and based on NCERT syllabus. Most were direct, giving well-prepared candidates the chance to score high." Baldi added, "Nearly70% of the chemistry section was easy. Overall, the paper was easier than last year's, largely NCERT-driven and direct. However, accuracy and time management were crucial, as minor errors can impact scores."Govind Tiwari, another teacher, said, "Biology questions were moderately tough to easy, and largely based on NCERT books. The section did have some tricky statement-based questions though. The chemistry section was a balanced mix of physical numericals, organic reactions and inorganic concepts from NCERT. Physics questions needed lengthy answers and were calculation-heavy." Tiwari said scoring 320-340 marks in biology, 130-150 in chemistry and 110-140 in physics could be termed as a "good attempt". Experts observed a continued shift towards concept-based and statement-oriented questions, testing students' analytical skills. The results are expected around June 14.