mcat vs neet

Competition for admission in best medical schools across the nation and globe are neck to neck. The two top qualifying exams are MCAT and NEET. Learn the complete difference of syllabus, eligibility and exam pattern here.

NEET and MCAT are the exams that are the passkeys. Both these exam scores are widely accepted and acknowledged. Therefore, it is essential to know the difference between MCAT vs NEET. MCAT opens doors to medical education from international universities; whereas, NEET scores are used for admission into top medical colleges around the nation.

Difference Between MCAT and NEET

MCAT stands for Medical College Admission Test, and National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test is the full form of NEET. Nevertheless, both are highly valued entrance examinations, and the ranks are mandatory for admission into top medical colleges.

The basic difference between MCAT vs NEET is the level of examination. While the former is international, the latter is national-level. Further, the conducting authority varies. The complete analysis of between the exams are displayed in the table below:

MCAT vs NEET Particulars
Particulars	MCAT	NEET
Full Form	Medical College Admission Test	National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test
Conducting Authority	Association of American Medical College (AMMC)	National Testing Agency (NTA)
Level of Examination	International	National-Level
Mode of Examination	Computer-Based - Online	Pen-paper Based - Offline
Duration of Exam	7 hours 30 minutes	3 Hours
Type of Questions	MCQs	MCQs
Frequency	Twice	Thrice

Eligibility Criteria for MCAT vs NEET

The eligibility for MCAT and NEET, of course, varies. While MCAT is attempted by candidates who want admission to international colleges, NEET is for admissions into top universities/ colleges in India. The elaborated eligibility details for MCAT vs NEET is mentioned in the table below:

Eligibility Criteria - MCAT vs NEET
MCAT	NEET
Candidates hailing from U.S and Canada should produce an Undergraduate degree to be eligible for the exam.	All aspiring candidates should have passed their 10+2 or equivalent examination with a minimum of 50% aggregate of marks with Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and English as compulsory subjects.
The rest of the international candidates should be pursuing or may have completed their MBBS course to be eligible for appearing in MCAT.	Candidates should compulsorily obtain a MBBS degree from a recognized institution.
However, candidates seeking MCAT for purposes other than a career in medicine must get special permission from the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC).	Further, they should register themselves with the MCI/SMC.
Further, candidates eager to pursue a career in the various medical fields such as Allopathic, Osteopathic, Podiatric, and veterinary can appear for the MCAT exam.	Additionally, candidates must have mandatorily completed their internship period of 1 year as per the specified date.

Syllabus of MCAT vs NEET

The MCAT syllabus demands compulsory knowledge over subjects such as Science, Psychology, and Sociology. However, critical reasoning and analytical skills are also assessed in the test. The detailed syllabus description is as mentioned below:

Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills

Ethics
Philosophy,
Social science
Population Health
Humanities Disciplines and studies of Diverse Culture

Biological and Biochemical of Foundations of Living system

Natural Science: Research, Reasoning, and Statistics basic Biochemistry concepts, Statistics concepts, and Introductory Research Methods
Chemistry: Organic and Inorganic
Biology: Cellular and Molecular, Biochemistry

Psychological, Social, Biological Foundations of Behaviour

Introductory Statistics Concepts and Research Method of Introductory science
Social and Behavioural Sciences: Scientific Inquiry, Reasoning research
Concepts Psychological
Sociology and Biology about the Behavioural and Socio-Cultural Health Determinants, Mental Process and Behaviour
Concepts of Psychology and Sociology

Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biology Systems

Introductory Biochemistry and Biology concepts
Introductory Molecular Biology, Introductory, and Statistics concepts
Chemistry: Organic and Inorganic, concepts of Physics
Scientific Inquiry and Reasoning, Research method and Natural Science

While for NEET, the syllabus for UG and PG varies exponentially. The detailed syllabus for NEET-UG is as mentioned below:

NEET UG Syllabus 2024
Physics
Syllabus for Class XI	Syllabus for Class XII
Physical-world and measurement	Electromagnetic Induction andAlternating Currents
Work, Energy and Power	Magnetic Effects of Current andMagnetism
Thermodynamics	Optics
Motion of System of Particles and RigidBody	Electrostatics
Kinematics	Electromagnetic Waves
Properties of Bulk Matter	Dual Nature of Matter and Radiation
Laws of Motion	Atoms and Nuclei
Gravitation	Electronic Devices
Behaviour of Perfect Gas and KineticTheory	Current Electricity
Oscillations and Waves	Current Electricity
Chemistry
Syllabus for Class XI	Syllabus for Class XII
Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry	Solutions
Structure of Atom	Solid State
States of Matter: Gases and Liquids	Chemical Kinetics
Thermodynamics	Electrochemistry
Classification of Elements and Periodicity inProperties	Surface Chemistry
Redox Reactions	Coordination Compounds
Organic Chemistry- Some Basic Principlesand Techniques	Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers
Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure	Haloalkanes and Haloarenes
Hydrogen	Organic Compounds ContainingNitrogen
Equilibrium	Chemistry in Everyday Life
Environmental Chemistry	Aldehydes, Ketones and CarboxylicAcids
Hydrocarbons	General Principles and Processes ofIsolation of Elements
s-Block Element (Alkali and Alkaline earthmetals)	d and f Block Elements
Some p-Block Elements	p- Block Elements
	Biomolecules
	Polymers
Biology
Syllabus for Class XI	Syllabus for Class XII
Structural Organisation in Animals andPlants	Ecology and environment
Human physiology	Reproduction
Diversity in Living World	Biology and Human Welfare
Plant Physiology	Biotechnology and Its Applications
Cell Structure and Function	Genetics and Evolution

NEET PG syllabus is as follows:

NEET PG Syllabus 2024
Pre-Clinical	Para-Clinical	Pre-Clinical
Physiology	Pharmacology	Medicine, Dermatology, and Venereology
Biochemistry	Microbiology	Surgery, Orthopaedics, and Anaesthesia
Anatomy	Pathology	Radiodiagnosis
	Forensic Medicine	Obstetrics and Gynaecology
	Social and Preventive Medicine	Paediatrics
		Ophthalmology
		ENT

Is MCAT Tougher than NEET?

There is the unsettling debate whether MCAT is tougher than NEET or MCAT easier than NEET? The answer is inevitable. As we have discussed above, both are medical entrance exams. While NEET is attempted as a UG and PG entrance test, MCAT only admits PG candidates. Further, MCAT is an international-level examination and students from around the globe can appear for the exam. However, satisfying the eligibility standards are mandatory.

Additionally, candidates must achieve the minimum marks required for appearing in the respective examinations. Furthermore, the NEET and MCAT scores enhance the candidates' prospects and help them attain a seat in top colleges/ universities.