India · 2026 Edition · Updated 2026-05-30

🇮🇳

INI CET (AIIMS PG) 2026: Exam Pattern, Eligibility & Study Plan

The Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test (INI CET) is a national-level entrance examination for admission to postgraduate medical programmes (MD, MS, DM, M.Ch., MDS) in top medical institutions of India including AIIMS (New Delhi and other campuses), JIPMER Puducherry, NIMHANS Bengaluru, PGIMER Chandigarh, and SCTIMST Trivandrum. Previously, AIIMS PG and JIPMER PG were separate exams, but they have been merged into INI CET under the National Medical Commission framework to streamline admissions to these prestigious institutions.

Year: 2026
Subjects: 5
Topics: 50
Cost: Free

Tracked daily from https://www.aiimsexams.ac.in/. See 2026 calendar →

dates eligibility syllabus pattern strategy

Generate Free Roadmap → Browse Study Notes →

📋 Exam Pattern

The INI CET examination consists of 200 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) to be completed in 3 hours (180 minutes). The question paper covers all subjects taught during the MBBS programme: Pre-clinical subjects (Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry), Para-clinical subjects (Pathology, Pharmacology, Microbiology, Forensic Medicine, Community Medicine), and Clinical subjects (Medicine and its specialties, Surgery and its specialties, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics). Each question carries 1 mark, with 1/3 mark deducted for each incorrect answer. The exam is conducted in online (computer-based) mode at designated test centres. The medium of the exam is English.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must have completed their MBBS degree from an institution recognized by the National Medical Commission (NMC) and must have completed their compulsory rotating internship on or before the date of counselling. For MD/MS programmes, candidates must have scored a minimum of 55% aggregate marks in the MBBS professional examinations (50% for SC/ST/OBC candidates with disability). For DM/M.Ch. programmes, candidates must have completed the respective postgraduate degree (MD/MS) and meet the specialty-specific requirements. Candidates from reserved categories, physically disabled candidates, and foreign nationals are eligible as per NMC guidelines.

Subjects & Topics Covered — 50 topics across 5 subjects

Anatomy

→

10 topics · Cell Biology & Tissues· Upper Limb & Thorax· Lower Limb & Back + more

Physiology

→

10 topics · General Physiology & Cell· Blood· Nerve & Muscle + more

Biochemistry

→

10 topics · Biomolecules and Enzymes· Carbohydrate Metabolism· Protein Chemistry + more

Pharmacology

→

10 topics · General Pharmacology & Pharmacokinetics· Autonomic Pharmacology· CNS Pharmacology + more

Pathology

→

10 topics · Cell Injury and Adaptation· Inflammation and Repair· Neoplasia + more

Generate your personalised INI CET (AIIMS PG) roadmap →

Build Your INI CET (AIIMS PG) Study Plan in Minutes

Free, instant, no signup. Choose your duration and get a prioritised roadmap.

1h 2h 3h 5h 12h 1d All Durations →

More Exams in 🇮🇳 India

🇮🇳

NEET UG

NEET UG is India's single-window entrance exam for admission to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other medical c

🇮🇳

JEE Main

JEE Main is the first-stage entrance exam for admission to NITs, IIITs, and other Centrally Funded T

🇮🇳

JEE Advanced

JEE Advanced is the second-stage entrance exam for admission to the 23 Indian Institutes of Technolo

🇮🇳

CUET UG

The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) is India's central exam for undergraduate admission to 20

❓

Frequently Asked Questions — INI CET (AIIMS PG)

Everything you need to know about INI CET (AIIMS PG). Scroll down for the complete study guide.

How many questions does INI-CET 2026 carry per subject, and which subjects have the highest weightage in the CBT syllabus?

INI-CET 2026 comprises 200 MCQs in a single CBT paper of 3 hours (180 minutes). The question distribution draws from the NMC-prescribed MBBS curriculum: Medicine (including Dermatology), Surgery (including Orthopaedics), Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics, Pharmacology, Pathology, Microbiology, and Biochemistry each contribute distinct sections. Clinical subjects like Medicine and Surgery collectively account for roughly 35–40% of the paper. Your syllabus audit should prioritize these high-yield areas first, then allocate remaining study time to pre-clinical and para-clinical subjects based on recent topic trends. Source: aiimsexams.ac.in

What is the exact negative marking scheme in INI-CET 2026, and how should aspirants strategize to avoid score deduction?

The INI-CET 2026 marking scheme awards +1 mark per correct answer and deducts 1/3 mark (approximately 0.33) for each incorrect response. With 200 questions, the maximum raw score is 200, but unattempted questions cost nothing. To maximize your net score, attempt only questions where your confidence exceeds 70%; leave borderline guesses blank. During your syllabus audit, identify high-frequency, low-ambiguity topics where you can achieve this confidence level, and mark those sections as "attempt" zones in your study plan. Source: aiimsexams.ac.in

Can a candidate with a pending internship in July 2026 appear for INI-CET 2026, and what is the eligibility deadline?

AIIMS New Delhi requires all candidates to have completed their mandatory rotating internship on or before the prescribed date as published in the official INI-CET 2026 notification. Candidates whose internship completion date falls after the examination date are ineligible to apply. During your syllabus audit, cross-reference your internship completion date with the expected INI-CET 2026 exam date (typically May/June) — if your internship ends in July or later, you must wait for the next cycle rather than allocate full preparation resources to the current attempt. Source: aiimsexams.ac.in

Which books and resources are recommended for INI-CET 2026 syllabus audit, and how should you prioritize them?

The INI-CET 2026 syllabus is anchored to the NMC MBBS curriculum, so standard clinical textbooks (Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, Bailey & Love for Surgery, DC Dutta for Obstetrics) form the foundation. Supplement with previous year question banks from AIIMS to identify recurring topics. For your syllabus audit, compile a topic-wise checklist from past INI-CET papers — topics appearing in 3+ recent years should be marked "high priority," while one-time appearances can be marked "moderate." Allocate 60% of your revision time to high-priority topics. Source: aiimsexams.ac.in

What is the qualifying percentile for INI-CET 2026, and does the syllabus audit scope differ for UR vs. reserved category candidates?

INI-CET 2026 does not publish a fixed qualifying percentage — selection is based purely on rank and seat allocation across participating INIs (AIIMS, JIPMER, NIMHANS, PGIMER, etc.). However, category-wise reservation applies during counseling and seat allocation. For your syllabus audit, understand that all candidates — regardless of category — appear for the same CBT paper of 200 MCQs covering identical NMC topics; no separate syllabus exists for reserved categories. Prepare uniformly, but during counseling, verify which INIs offer reserved quota seats relevant to your category. Source: aiimsexams.ac.in

Generating roadmap for INI CET (AIIMS PG)? Get your free personalised study plan →

How to Prepare for INI CET (AIIMS PG)

Generate Your Roadmap

Select your exam, choose available time — get an instant AI prioritised study plan.

Study Topic by Topic

Open free notes for each topic, chosen by your roadmap. Three depth tiers: Quick, Standard, Deep.

Track & Revise

Mark topics complete as you go. Your roadmap adapts to your pace and keeps high-weightage topics first.

Exam Name	INI CET (AIIMS PG)
Country	🇮🇳 India
Subjects	Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Pathology
Total Topics	50
Official Source	https://www.aiimsexams.ac.in/
Last Updated	2026-05-30