Medical Entrance Examinations 2026

In India, admissions to medical, nursing, pharmacy, paramedical, and allied health science courses after Class 12 are governed through a layered entrance examination framework involving national-level tests, state-level Common Entrance Tests (CETs), and centralized counselling mechanisms administered by statutory and governmental authorities.

BODMAS Education provides expert guidance and counseling for all medical entrance examinations, helping students navigate the complex admission process successfully.

For undergraduate medical and AYUSH programmes, NEET-UG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) is the only legally valid entrance examination across India.

No government, private, deemed, or autonomous institution is permitted to admit students to these courses without a valid NEET-UG qualification.

Seat allotment is conducted exclusively through centralized counselling processes at the national and state levels, based on:

• NEET-UG rank
• Eligibility criteria
• Reservation policies
• Seat matrices issued by regulatory authorities

Admissions to nursing programmes follow a more decentralized structure, varying by course type and state jurisdiction.

Admissions to pharmacy and allied health programmes operate through both national-level and state-level entrance examinations.

Admissions to paramedical and allied health science programmes in India are conducted through a combination of national-level entrance tests, state-level paramedical examinations, and centralized merit-based counselling systems, depending on the state, institution, and programme category.

Across all disciplines, final admissions are completed through centralized online counselling platforms, where seat allotment is determined by:

• Entrance examination rank
• Course-specific eligibility
• Reservation norms
• Institutional preferences
• Availability of seats

The Indian admission system emphasizes regulatory compliance, merit-based selection, national standardization for core medical courses, and state-level autonomy for nursing, pharmacy, and allied health programmes.

In India, admission to Postgraduate (PG) and Super-Specialty (SS) medical programmes is governed through a strictly regulated national entrance examination framework, overseen by statutory medical authorities.

PG and SS admissions are standardized across government, private, deemed, and autonomous medical institutions, with no institution permitted to admit candidates outside the prescribed national examination routes.

Admission is finalized through centralized counselling mechanisms, conducted by Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for All India Quota and central institutions, and State counselling authorities for State Quota seats.

Admission to Super-Specialty programmes is conducted exclusively through NEET-SS (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - Super-Specialty).

NEET-SS is mandatory for all DM and MCh programmes across all government, private, and deemed universities offering SS courses.

Candidates must hold a recognized MD or MS qualification in the relevant feeder specialty to be eligible for NEET-SS.

Admission to PG and SS medical programmes in India is governed by centralized examination systems, statutory eligibility rules, and transparent rank-based counselling procedures.

Seat Allocation Based On:

• Entrance examination rank
• Eligibility and feeder qualification
• Reservation policies
• Institutional seat matrices

No parallel, institutional, or university-level entrance examinations are permitted outside the NEET-PG, INI-CET, and NEET-SS framework.

The admission framework for Indian students seeking entry into medical and allied health programmes in Russia operates without a centralized national entrance examination for foreign applicants. 

Russian medical universities function under institutional autonomy, meaning that admission procedures, eligibility checks, and assessment methods are determined individually by each university, within the broader regulatory environment of the Russian Federation.

NEET-UG Required To:

• Establish eligibility under the National Medical Commission (NMC) regulations
• Ensure graduates are eligible to appear for licensure and screening examinations in India after completing their medical degree abroad

Italy follows a clearly differentiated and centrally regulated admission framework for medical and allied health programmes, with distinct procedures depending on the type of programme, language of instruction, and whether the institution is public or private. Admission pathways are governed by national regulations issued by the Italian Ministry of University and Research.

For Medicine and Surgery programmes taught in English at public Italian universities, admission is conducted exclusively through the IMAT (International Medical Admissions Test).

IMAT is a mandatory national-level entrance examination administered under the authority of the Italian Ministry of University and Research.

Important: No alternative entrance examination, institutional test, or interview is accepted in place of IMAT for public universities offering Medicine and Surgery in English.

Private medical universities in Italy offering Medicine and Surgery programmes do not use IMAT as an admission criterion.

Private University Admissions Through:

• University-specific entrance examinations
• Academic assessments
• Interviews
• Combination of the above, as defined by the institution

Bangladesh follows a centrally regulated admission framework for medical education, with oversight exercised by government health authorities. Admission procedures for Indian students are shaped by both Bangladesh government regulations and Indian regulatory requirements.

Admissions to government medical colleges in Bangladesh for Indian students are conducted under the SAARC quota.

Private medical colleges in Bangladesh admit Indian students through institution-level selection processes, academic eligibility assessment, and document verification procedures.

While private institutions conduct admissions independently, they must operate under the regulatory supervision of DGHS and in compliance with guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Bangladesh.

All admissions of Indian students to medical programmes in Bangladesh are regulated by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Bangladesh.

Indian Students Must Ensure:

• The medical college is recognized under applicable Indian regulations
• The programme structure meets Indian regulatory requirements
• NEET-UG qualification is secured prior to admission

The Bangladesh admission framework is characterized by absence of a dedicated foreign entrance examination, centralized government oversight, merit-based allocation in government institutions, and regulated institutional admissions in the private sector.

Navigating the complex landscape of medical entrance examinations and admissions can be overwhelming. BODMAS Education provides comprehensive guidance and support to help you succeed in your medical education journey, whether you're aiming for NEET-UG, state-level exams, PG medical courses, or studying MBBS abroad.

Start Your Medical Career Journey Today!

Whether you're preparing for NEET-UG, planning for PG admissions, or considering studying MBBS abroad, BODMAS Education is here to guide you every step of the way.