The anticipation is high among lakhs of medical aspirants across the country as the National Testing Agency (NTA) is set to release the official answer key for NEET UG 2025. Held on May 4 this year, the medical entrance exam saw participation from over 22.7 lakh students at more than 5,400 centres across 500 cities—each candidate carrying hopes, months of preparation, and the dream of securing a place in India’s top medical colleges.
As students and families anxiously await the next step, the NTA is preparing to publish not only the answer keys but also the candidates’ OMR response sheets. This is a crucial moment for aspirants who are eager to assess their performance and estimate their chances before the final results are announced on June 14. The official website—neet.nta.nic.in—will host the documents once they are released. While no exact date has been confirmed, previous years give some indication: in 2024, the answer key came out 24 days after the exam, and in 2023, after a 28-day gap.
The pressure on students this year has been especially intense. According to many who appeared for the test, the 2025 NEET UG paper was tougher than in previous years. The physics section, in particular, posed a stiff challenge, while chemistry demanded conceptual clarity. Biology, often considered the scoring section, remained relatively balanced. Experts have noted that the exam followed a pre-Covid pattern, demanding both speed and precision, which made time management difficult.
This year’s question paper consisted of 180 compulsory questions from physics, chemistry, and biology (botany and zoology). As per the marking scheme, each correct answer earns four marks, while a wrong one results in a deduction of one mark. No marks are awarded or deducted for unanswered questions. In cases where a question has multiple correct answers or is dropped altogether, the NTA ensures fairness by awarding marks to all candidates.
For students, the coming days are filled with both hope and nervousness. The cut-off expectations are broadly in line with past trends. According to estimates from reputed academic institutions like Vidyamandir Classes, the qualifying cut-off for the General category could range between 720 and 162 marks. For OBC, SC, and ST categories, the range may fall between 161 and 127 marks. These numbers, however, are not set in stone and will depend on the overall difficulty of the exam and candidates’ collective performance.
NEET UG is more than just an exam—it’s a turning point for countless students and their families. Behind every roll number is a story of sacrifice, late-night study sessions, and aspirations for a better future. As the NTA prepares to unveil the answer key, the emotions running through households across India are deeply human: anxious yet hopeful, tired yet resilient. The wait may be long, but the dream of wearing that white coat keeps them going.
