India
Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test
Combined entrance for AIIMS, JIPMER, PGI Chandigarh and NIMHANS PG programmes - India's most competitive medical exam.
- Exam body
- AIIMS / JIPMER / PGI / NIMHANS
- Frequency
- Twice yearly (May & Nov)
- Eligibility
- MBBS with internship completion
- Format
- 200 MCQs in 3 hours
INI-CET: overview
Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test is administered by AIIMS / JIPMER / PGI / NIMHANS. Combined entrance for AIIMS, JIPMER, PGI Chandigarh and NIMHANS PG programmes - India's most competitive medical exam.
INI-CET is the combined entrance for the Institutes of National Importance - AIIMS, JIPMER, PGIMER Chandigarh and NIMHANS - and is widely regarded as the toughest postgraduate medical entrance in India. It carries 200 MCQs with +1 for a correct answer and -1/3 (a one-third-mark deduction) for a wrong one, so the negative-marking arithmetic is different from NEET-PG and rewards a more conservative attempt strategy. Question style leans towards image-based, mechanism-based and reasoning items rather than pure recall.
In practical terms the assessment is delivered as 200 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours, and candidates are measured against a institute-specific cutoff. It is scheduled twice yearly (may & nov), so building a realistic timeline back from the sitting you intend to take is the first planning step.
Exam pattern at a glance
- Exam format
- 200 MCQs in 3 hours
- Pass / selection standard
- Institute-specific cutoff
- Frequency
- Twice yearly (May & Nov)
- Eligibility
- MBBS with internship completion
Syllabus by stage
Phase 1 - Pre-Clinical (Year 1)
- Human Anatomy
- Physiology
- Biochemistry
Phase 2 - Para-Clinical (Year 2)
- Pharmacology
- Pathology
- Microbiology
- Forensic Medicine & Toxicology
- Community Medicine
Phase 3 Part 1 - Clinical (Year 3)
- General Medicine
- General Surgery
- Obstetrics & Gynaecology
- Pediatrics
- Ophthalmology
- Otorhinolaryngology (ENT)
- Orthopedics
Phase 3 Part 2 - Clinical (Final Year)
- General Medicine (Advanced)
- General Surgery (Advanced)
- Obstetrics & Gynaecology (Advanced)
- Pediatrics (Advanced)
- Psychiatry
- Dermatology, Venereology & Leprosy
- Respiratory Medicine
- Anesthesiology
Additional - INI-CET Specific
- Research Methodology
- Biostatistics
- Bioethics
- Evidence-Based Medicine
Subject focus and weightage
Candidates who score well tend to protect time for the highest-yield areas rather than reading everything evenly. For INI-CET, the topics that repeatedly carry weight include general medicine - image-based clinical scenarios, recent landmark trials (higher difficulty than neet pg), pharmacology - mechanism-based questions, recent drug approvals, pharmacogenomics, pathology - histopathology images, molecular pathology, haematological malignancies, research methodology - study design, biostatistics, evidence-based medicine, bioethics scenarios. Working these to mastery first, then broadening outward, is a more reliable use of limited revision time than a single linear pass through the syllabus.
The syllabus spans the full spread of core subjects including Human Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Pathology, Microbiology, Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Community Medicine and more. A blueprint-led plan - allocating study hours in proportion to how heavily each subject is examined - usually beats spending equal time on every subject.
High-yield areas
Study priorities
- General Medicine - Image-based clinical scenarios, recent landmark trials (higher difficulty than NEET PG)
- Pharmacology - Mechanism-based questions, recent drug approvals, pharmacogenomics
- Pathology - Histopathology images, molecular pathology, haematological malignancies
- Research Methodology - Study design, biostatistics, evidence-based medicine, bioethics scenarios
- Community Medicine - Epidemiological calculations, National Health Programmes, recent policy changes
How to prepare
A dependable preparation cycle for INI-CET moves through three repeating phases. Learn: build the core concept for each topic once, from structured notes, so the framework is solid before you test it. Recall: convert that understanding into durable memory with active recall and spaced repetition rather than re-reading. Practise: apply it under exam conditions with question banks, reviewing every wrong answer until you understand why the correct option wins - which for Indian entrance exams is where marks are actually won or lost.
Timed, full-length practice in the exam's own format is what converts knowledge into a score: it trains pacing, attempt-selection under negative marking, and the stamina a long paper demands. Analyse each mock not just for the total but for which subjects and question-types are dragging the score, then feed that back into the next study block.
Frequently asked questions
What is the INI-CET exam and who conducts it?
Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test is conducted by AIIMS / JIPMER / PGI / NIMHANS. Combined entrance for AIIMS, JIPMER, PGI Chandigarh and NIMHANS PG programmes - India's most competitive medical exam.
What is the INI-CET exam pattern?
The stated format is 200 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours. The pass or selection standard is Institute-specific cutoff. Because pattern and marking can be revised between cycles, confirm the current structure on the official notification before you sit.
Who is eligible for the INI-CET?
Broadly, eligibility is: MBBS with internship completion. This is a summary only - the definitive eligibility criteria, documentation and any registration or attempt limits are published by AIIMS / JIPMER / PGI / NIMHANS for each sitting.
Sources and currency
Sources: official examination-body notifications and information bulletins (NBEMS, NMC, GMC, the relevant UK Royal College, USMLE/NBME, AMC, MCC and the Gulf health authorities as applicable). Exam patterns and eligibility change between cycles - always confirm the current sitting's rules, dates and fees on the official body's own notification before you apply. Last verified July 2026.
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