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NEET PG and INI-CET are the two main postgraduate medical entrance exams in India. NEET PG (conducted by NBE) opens MD/MS seats across all medical colleges. INI-CET (conducted by AIIMS) opens PG seats at AIIMS, PGIMER, JIPMER, NIMHANS, and SCTIMST. Here is a detailed comparison to help you decide which exam to prioritise.
| Parameter | NEET PG | INI-CET |
|---|---|---|
| Conducting body | NBE (National Board of Examinations) | AIIMS New Delhi (on behalf of INIs) |
| Frequency | Once a year (typically June) | Twice a year (January + July) |
| Questions | 200 MCQs, single paper | 200 MCQs, single paper |
| Duration | 3.5 hours (210 min) | 3 hours (180 min) |
| Negative marking | No | Yes (-1/3 per wrong answer) |
| Total marks | 800 | 200 |
| Mode | CBT | CBT |
| Institutes | All medical colleges in India (including private) | AIIMS, PGIMER, JIPMER, NIMHANS, SCTIMST only |
| Seats | ~10,000+ MD/MS seats | ~1,000-1,500 PG seats |
| Difficulty | Hard (breadth across 19 subjects) | Harder (depth + image-based + -1/3 neg marking) |
| Stipend (residency) | ₹70k-₹1L/month | ₹90k-₹1.1L/month |
| Career after PG | MD/MS from any college → private practice / faculty / superspecialty | MD/MS from AIIMS/PGI → academic + research + private track |
NEET PG is held once a year, so you get one shot annually. INI-CET gives you two chances (January and July sessions), which is a significant advantage — if you miss one session, you can try again in six months.
Both exams cover the same 19-subject syllabus, but INI-CET questions are more conceptual and image-based (radiology, pathology slides, dermatology images). NEET PG has a higher proportion of direct, memory-based MCQs. If you are good at visual reasoning, INI-CET may suit you better.
INI-CET has -1/3 negative marking, which penalises guessing more than NEET PG (which has no negative marking). This changes your exam strategy — in INI-CET, you should attempt only when reasonably sure. In NEET PG, educated guessing is safer.
AIIMS, PGI, and JIPMER carry a global brand that opens doors to international fellowships, research positions, and academic careers. NEET PG seats in smaller colleges may not carry the same brand value, but the clinical exposure in peripheral colleges can be excellent.
Since the syllabus is ~80% overlapping, most serious candidates prepare for both simultaneously. The recommended approach: use NEET PG prep as your base (standard textbooks + QBank), then add INI-CET-specific image-based practice and conceptual deep-dives 4-6 weeks before the INI-CET session.
INI-CET is generally considered slightly tougher due to deeper clinical reasoning, image-based questions, and -1/3 negative marking. NEET PG is broader but has more memory-based questions and no negative marking, making it slightly more forgiving for average candidates.
Yes — both cover the same 19 pre-clinical, para-clinical and clinical subjects. INI-CET questions tend to be more conceptual and image-based, while NEET PG has a higher proportion of direct recall questions.
Yes — NEET PG is conducted by NBE (once yearly, typically June), while INI-CET is conducted by AIIMS (twice yearly: January and July). Many serious candidates attempt both to maximise their PG seat options across all institutes.
INI-CET is the common entrance exam for: AIIMS (all campuses), PGIMER Chandigarh, JIPMER Puducherry, NIMHANS Bangalore, and SCTIMST Trivandrum. These are Institutes of National Importance with central government funding and high global recognition.
It depends on your target institute. If you want a PG seat at AIIMS/PGI/JIPMER specifically, INI-CET is your only gateway. If you want the broadest options across all medical colleges in India (including private and state colleges), NEET PG is better. Many top rankers hold both INI-CET and NEET PG ranks and choose based on branch and institute.