NEET 2018: Exam time, dress code, things banned—your final checklist

National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) will be held on May 6, Sunday

PTI5_7_2017_000129A It's ideal to avoid all jewellery items on the exam day | File

For more than 13 lakh students in India, Sunday, May 6, will be the day to look forward to. NEET 2018, the common entrance test conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to find eligible candidates for admission to MBBS/BDS courses in India, will be conducted on Sunday, May 6. 

This year, more than 13 lakh students have enrolled for NEET 2018 across India. There are 7,46, 076 females and 5,80,648 males appearing for NEET 2018, in addition to one transgender candidate. NEET 2018 will be conducted at 2,255 exam centres spread across 136 cities in the country. The NEET 2018 results are expected by June 5.

With less than 24 hours to go for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) 2018, students are in the final lap of their preparations. However, medical aspirants should also keep in mind exam guidelines and other CBSE mandates to write NEET 2018 without any last-minute hassles. Adhering to the guidelines and taking note of important time and instructions are as important as impeccable preparation to appear for any exam. 

So, here's your eleventh hour checklist for NEET 2018:

1. Exam time and duration

NEET 2018 will be conducted on Sunday, May 6, from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm. The exam duration will be three hours. Reporting time for candidates will start from 7:30 am. No candidate will be allowed entry to the exam hall after 9:30 am. The test booklet distribution will begin by 9:45 am. 

Also, no candidate will be allowed to leave the hall before the exam is over. However, candidates are allowed to attend to nature's call. 

It is important to note that, Sikh MBBS aspirants who carry a 'kirpan' or wear a 'kara', will have to report an hour earlier for the entrance test for screening.

2. Carry these to the exam hall

Remember to carry your: 

  • Admit card as downloaded from the NEET website with a passport size photograph affixed on it with your name and date. 
  • Additional passport size photographs. These must be same as that on the admit card.
  • ID proof: Students should carry any ID card issued by the government of India. As per the latest directions from the Supreme Court, Aadhaar cannot be made mandatory for any exams in India. NRIs, PIOs, foreign nationals and OCIs should carry their passports as well. 

3. You can't carry these to the exam hall

  • No stationery items, including pens, pencil box, plastic bag or pouch, scale, calculators, pencils, erasers, etc, will be allowed inside the NEET exam hall. Candidates will be provided with ball-point pens at the exam centres. 
  • Watch, camera, electronic items, metallic items, wallets, belts, shades and handbags are banned inside exam halls.
  • Food or any eatables are also not allowed inside the hall. 
  • Students should take off accesories and jewellery items, including nose pins, rings, earrings, badges, necklaces, etc. It's ideal to avoid all such jewellery items on the exam day.

4. Dress code

Wear light clothes with half sleeves. Big buttons and other embellishments are a strict no-no. Also, no candidates should wear shoes to the examination centre. Instead, wear slippers and sandals with low heels. 

About NEET

The NEET 2018 shall consist of one paper containing 180 objective-type questions (four options with single correct answer) from Physics, Chemistry and Biology (Botany & Zoology) to be answered on the specially designed machine-gradable sheet. NEET 2018 will be conducted in Hindi, English, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi, Oriya, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.