NEET UG 2025 or AIIMS? Both these exams are gateway to medical colleges in India, however, they both have certain differences. Through NEET, a candidate can take admission in any medical college, while AIIMS is meant for only AIIMS insitutes.
Both NEET and AIIMS exams are conducted to give admission to medical colleges. However, both the medical entrance exams have certain differences. Such as, NEET UG 2025 is administered for admission to undergraduate medical programs across various colleges, while AIIMS is specifically for admission to the renowned All India Institute of Medical Sciences.
Both exams, NEET-UG 2025 and AIIMS give a strong emphasis on concepts from physics, chemistry, and biology. As a result, leading medical colleges that accept NEET scores often have varying cut-offs. The difficulty level is however similar, but the AIIMS exam 2024 is on the higher difficult level because of limited seats and advanced concept application.
The article below gives a comprehensive overview of NEET vs AIIMS, so students can decide which one they should focus more on.
Overview of NEET UG 2025 and AIIMS Admission
The table below helps students understand the key differences between the NEET UG exam and the AIIMS admission exam to make a clear choice about which one they should opt for:
Parameter |
NEET UG 2025 |
AIIMS Admission |
Purpose |
Entrance exam for admission to undergraduate medical programs in India. |
Admission test for undergraduate programs at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). |
Eligibility |
Candidates must be 17 years old and have completed Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. |
Similar eligibility criteria; candidates must meet age and educational requirements. |
Exam Date |
Scheduled for May 2025 (exact date to be announced). |
Typically held in May or June (exact date to be confirmed). |
Exam Format |
Pen-and-paper format; consists of 180 multiple-choice questions from Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. |
Also in pen-and-paper format; includes 200 multiple-choice questions, including reasoning and comprehension. |
Duration |
3 hours |
3.5 hours |
Total Marks |
720 marks |
200 marks |
Number of Seats |
Admission to various government and private medical colleges across India. |
Limited seats at prestigious AIIMS institutions (around 1,000 for undergraduate programs). |
Application Process |
Online registration through the National Testing Agency (NTA) portal. |
Online application through the AIIMS website. |
Competition Level |
Highly competitive due to the large number of candidates. |
Competitive, but with a smaller pool of applicants compared to NEET. |
Career Opportunities |
Access to a wide range of medical colleges, leading to MBBS and other allied health courses. |
Admission to top-tier institutions known for advanced medical training and research. |
NEET UG Exam Pattern
Listed below is the NEET UG exam pattern 2025:
Parameter |
Details |
Mode of Exam |
Pen and Paper (Offline) |
Duration |
3 hours 20 minutes |
Total Questions |
200 (Physics: 50, Chemistry: 50, Biology: 100) |
Type of Questions |
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
Marking Scheme |
+4 for each correct answer |
-1 for each incorrect answer |
|
0 for an unattempted answer |
|
Syllabus |
Based on the NCERT Class 11 & 12 curriculum |
Language Options |
English, Hindi, and various regional languages |
Total Marks |
720 |
Read More: What is a Good Rank in NEET UG 2025?
AIIMS Exam Pattern
Listed below is the AIIMS exam pattern 2024:
Parameter |
Details |
Exam Mode |
NEET is conducted in Offline Pen-paper mode (PBT). |
Subjects |
Chemistry, Physics, Biology/Biotechnology, and English. |
Exam Duration |
3 hours to complete the paper. |
Question Type |
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs). |
Total Marks |
720 marks in total. |
Language Options |
English, Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Marathi, Assamese, Telugu, Odia, Bengali, Urdu, Kannada. |
Marking Scheme |
+4 for each correct answer; -1 for every incorrect response |
NEET UG Syllabus vs AIIMS Syllabus
Although there are many similarities between the NEET UG and AIIMS exam curricula, some differences correspond to the objectives and format of each test. Both syllabi follow the NCERT syllabus for classes 11 and 12, covering the fundamental topics of physics, chemistry, and biology including botany and zoology.
Listed below is the comprehensive overview of NEET UG and AIIMS syllabus:
NEET UG Syllabus 2025
The NEET UG syllabus emphasizes foundational concepts that form the basis of medical and biological sciences. Students must grasp the fundamental ideas in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology to solve standard problems and questions.
Listed below in the table are NEET subject wise syllabus PDF 2025:
Subject |
PDF Link |
Physics |
|
Chemistry |
|
Biology |
|
Official NEET Syllabus 2024 |
AIIMS Exam Syllabus 2025
AIIMS exam syllabus includes complex problem-solving, analytical thinking, and application-based questions from advanced biochemistry, molecular biology, etc., that challenge students to integrate knowledge across disciplines.
Listed below are detailed AIIMS syllabus links:
Topic |
Syllabus |
AIIMS MBBS Exam Syllabus 2024 |
|
AIIMS PG Exam Syllabus 2024 |
|
AIIMS B.Sc. Nursing Exam Syllabus 2024 |
NEET UG vs AIIMS Exam Competition Level
AIIMS exam is considered tougher than the NEET exam due to factors like the number of candidates, exam difficulty, scoring systems, number of seats, etc. Listed below in the table is a comprehensive overview of the competition level of both exams based on different parameters:
Parameter |
NEET UG |
AIIMS |
Candidate Volume |
Attracts over 18 lakh candidates |
Around 2-3 lakh candidates |
Exam Difficulty |
Straightforward question format |
More analytical and application-based questions |
Scoring and Cut-offs |
Higher cut-offs due to a large number of candidates |
Generally higher cut-offs with limited seats |
Preparation Approach |
Focus on NCERT syllabus and previous years' papers |
Higher-order thinking questions |
Admission Seats |
Access to a larger number of medical colleges |
Limited to prestigious AIIMS institutions |
NEET UG 2025 vs AIIMS: Which One Should Students Focus On?
The decision between AIIMS and NEET UG 2025 ultimately depends on individual goals, study plans, career routes, and more. Students who want to get admission to AIIMS universities should concentrate on understanding the advanced concepts and analytical skills required for the AIIMS exam, and students who want to have the option of a wider variety of medical colleges may give priority to NEET UG.
Students should carefully assess their skills, weaknesses, and goals to make an informed decision about how best to allocate their preparation time.