Has NEET Exam Become Too Difficult? Comparing NEET 2025 with Previous Years

Has NEET Exam Become Too Difficult? The NEET UG exam opens the door for admission to MBBS, BDS, and other medical programs. It attracts more than 20 lakh applicants every year. However, the total seats at medical colleges are limited. The increasing number of applicants and evolving question trends make the NEET exam more challenging. It is reported that NEET 2025 was the toughest compared to past years. So, has the NEET exam become too difficult is one of the common queries among the students. To answer this, we have compiled the real-time data that highlights the past trends and difficulty level of the NEET exam over the years. 

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Has NEET Exam Become Too Difficult?

The answer is Yes. The NEET exam has become too difficult due to many factors. Syllabus is not one of them. The real reason behind this is the revised exam pattern and the nature of questions. The NEET exam has also become tougher due to the increasing number of applicants. There is an upward trend in the number of applicants from around 13-14 lakh students in 2020 to over 22 lakh students in NEET 2025. This big jump reflects the immense competition in the exam. The increased competition implies that even a small error can result in lower ranks. This can elevate the stress of students and make the exam feel more difficult. Read on to learn more about “Has NEET Exam Become Too Difficult?” on this page.

Was NEET 2025 Exam Tough?

Acing the NEET exam can be challenging. However, aspirants can still ace the exam with smart planning, conceptual clarity, and consistent practice. As per the feedback of experts, the NEET 2025 exam was more challenging than in past years. It is reported that Physics was very tough, and Chemistry was lengthy and confusing. Moreover, the questions asked in Botany and Zoology were easy but time-consuming. In short, it is observed that securing high scores in NEET will be more difficult in the coming years. The NEET 2025 exam analysis for all subjects is discussed below for reference purposes:

NEET 2025 Exam Analysis for Physics

Physics was the trickiest and most difficult among all the NEET sections. It comprises majorily numerical-based questions, and several questions were asked from chapters like Gravitation, Optics, Modern Physics, Mechanics, Electrostatics, etc. The physics question paper has fewer theory-based questions. This section was more focused on the 11th standard syllabus.

NEET 2025 Exam Analysis for Chemistry

The chemistry section in NEET 2025 was moderately difficult in nature. Most of the questions in this section were NCERT-based, and it also many theory-based questions. Organic Chemistry and Physical Chemistry had more questions than Inorganic Chemistry. This section was more focused on the 12th standard syllabus. Compared to last year, this year the Chemistry section was lengthy.

NEET 2025 Exam Analysis for Biology

Questions asked in the Biology section were easy compared to other sections. A few questions were unpredictable and challenging. Some questions were also asked from the NCERT textbooks. As per the experts, the section was well-balanced with a stronger focus on the 12th standard syllabus.

Comparison of NEET 2025 with Previous Years

Let’s compare NEET 2025 with previous years to help students understand the overall difficulty level and competition over the years. This will allow aspirants to make necessary adjustments in their study plan and make it more exam-oriented.

Year	Number of Students Appeared	Difficulty Level	Key Challenges
2025	2209318	Difficult	Physics was the toughest, Chemistry was lengthy, and Biology was the easiest and time-consuming.
2024	2333297	Moderate to Difficult	Physics was mainly about numerical problems, Chemistry questions were simple & direct, and Biology was directly from the NCERTs.
2023	2038596	Easy to Moderate	Chemistry was the most difficult, Biology was moderately difficult, and Physics was the easiest. Questions were mostly direct.
2022	1764571	Moderately Difficult	Physics was the most time-consuming and lengthy. Chemistry was mainly about NCERT-based questions, and Biology was the easiest among all.

These past trends indicate that the Physics section has become more difficult and Biology is more time-consuming now. It highlights the changing nature of questions which makes the exam more difficult and competitive.

Are the NEET Cut-Offs Also Getting Higher?

Candidates should also check the past NEET cutoff trends to get a rough idea of the outcome of the enhanced competition and the difficulty level of the exam. It will also guide them in setting achievable goals for their NEET exam preparation. Let’s discuss the NEET previous year cutoff to understand the fluctuation in trends over the years.

NEET Cutoff Trends

Category	Qualifying Percentile Criteria	NEET (UG) – 2023		NEET (UG) – 2024		NEET (UG) – 2025
		Marks Range	Total Candidates	Marks Range	Total Candidates	Marks Range	Total Candidates
UR/EWS	≥50th percentile	720–137	10,14,372	720–162	11,65,334	686–144	11,01,151
OBC	≥40th but <50th percentile	136–107	88,592	161–127	1,00,876	143–113	88,692
SC	≥40th but <50th percentile	136–107	29,918	161–127	34,420	143–113	31,995
ST	≥40th but <50th percentile	136–107	12,437	161–127	14,414	143–113	13,940
UR/EWS & PwBD	≥45th but <50th percentile	136–121	405	161–144	473	143–127	472
OBC & PwBD	≥40th but <45th percentile	120–107	179	143–127	269	126–113	216
SC & PwBD	≥40th but <45th percentile	120–107	50	143–127	54	126–113	48
ST & PwBD	≥40th but <45th percentile	120–108	23	142–127	13	126–113	17
Total		11,45,976		13,15,853		12,36,531

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