In this guide
Most NEET aspirants know the syllabus is "NCERT 11 and 12". That is broadly true, and also slightly misleading. The official syllabus is a separate document, notified by the National Medical Commission (NMC). It matches the current NCERT books closely, but not perfectly. The gaps are where students lose marks.
This guide covers who sets the syllabus, what each subject contains, what changed in the 2024 revision, and how to turn the syllabus into a practical study map.
Who sets it, and where to find it
The NMC notifies the NEET UG syllabus. NTA reproduces it in the Information Bulletin and on neet.nta.nic.in. The syllabus was substantially revised for NEET 2024. The NEET 2026 bulletin states that the 2026 syllabus is unchanged from the previous year.
The shape of the syllabus
| Subject | Units in the NMC syllabus | Broad sources |
|---|---|---|
| Physics | 20 | NCERT Class 11 and 12 Physics, plus practice |
| Chemistry | 20, in physical, inorganic and organic groups | NCERT Class 11 and 12 Chemistry, plus a few topics beyond current NCERT |
| Biology | 10 broad units | NCERT Class 11 and 12 Biology |
The unit count is not a guide to weight. Biology has only 10 units, but each is broad, and biology is half the paper.
Physics
The 20 units are: physics and measurement · kinematics · laws of motion · work, energy and power · rotational motion · gravitation · properties of solids and liquids · thermodynamics · kinetic theory of gases · oscillations and waves · electrostatics · current electricity · magnetic effects of current and magnetism · electromagnetic induction and alternating currents · electromagnetic waves · optics · dual nature of matter and radiation · atoms and nuclei · electronic devices · experimental skills.
The last unit is easy to overlook. Experimental skills covers the standard school practicals: how instruments such as the vernier callipers and screw gauge are read, and what classic experiments measure and how. Questions here are usually short and conceptual. Revise your practical file along with the theory.
Chemistry
- Physical chemistry: some basic concepts (mole concept) · atomic structure · chemical bonding and molecular structure · chemical thermodynamics · solutions · equilibrium · redox reactions and electrochemistry · chemical kinetics.
- Inorganic chemistry: classification of elements and periodicity · p-block elements · d- and f-block elements · coordination compounds.
- Organic chemistry: purification and characterisation of organic compounds · some basic principles of organic chemistry · hydrocarbons · organic compounds containing halogens · containing oxygen · containing nitrogen · biomolecules · principles related to practical chemistry.
Biology
The 10 units are: diversity in the living world · structural organisation in animals and plants · cell structure and function · plant physiology · human physiology · reproduction · genetics and evolution · biology and human welfare · biotechnology and its applications · ecology and environment.
Inside each unit, the syllabus names the chapters and sub-topics. For example, "structural organisation in animals" covers the morphology and anatomy of an insect and a frog. The 2026 bulletin's FAQ corrects a typing error here: the line printed "of an insect (Frog)" should read "of an insect and a frog".
What the 2024 revision did
The 2024 revision brought the NEET syllabus closer to the rationalised NCERT books that schools adopted from 2023. In practice:
- Several chapters that NCERT dropped are no longer in the NEET syllabus. Physics no longer includes communication systems. Chemistry no longer includes polymers or chemistry in everyday life.
- Some topics that NCERT dropped were kept in NEET. The p-block is the main one.
- Practical-based units were added: experimental skills in physics and principles related to practical chemistry.
Why NCERT is still the backbone
- Biology questions are very often built directly on NCERT sentences, diagrams, tables and examples. The exact wording matters.
- Inorganic chemistry facts (trends, exceptions, properties of compounds) come largely from NCERT.
- Organic chemistry reactions, and the named reactions in particular, are best learnt from NCERT first.
- Physics and physical chemistry need NCERT concepts, then a lot of practice beyond NCERT's exercises.
For the method, see reading NCERT for NEET.
Turning the syllabus into a study map
A syllabus is only useful if you use it to track your work. Here is a simple method.
Worked example: mapping one unit. Take the biology unit "human physiology".
- List the chapters the syllabus names under it: breathing and exchange of gases, body fluids and circulation, excretory products and their elimination, locomotion and movement, neural control and coordination, chemical coordination and integration.
- Match each chapter to its NCERT chapter (all are in Class 11 Biology).
- Note the sub-topics the syllabus names, such as disorders listed under each system. These are easy marks if you learn them and costly if you skip them.
- Rate yourself on each chapter: 1 (not started), 2 (read once), 3 (read and practised), 4 (revised and tested).
- Record previous-year questions from each chapter as you practise, so you can see which kinds of lines get tested.
| Chapter | NCERT | Status (1–4) | PYQs done | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breathing and exchange of gases | Class 11 | 3 | Yes | Revise volumes and capacities |
| Body fluids and circulation | Class 11 | 2 | No | ECG, cardiac cycle |
| Excretory products | Class 11 | 1 | No | Start this week |
Do this for every unit in every subject. The result is a one-page map of your whole preparation, and it shows at a glance where your time should go.
Practice: syllabus self-check
- Which body notifies the NEET UG syllabus?
- Did the syllabus change between NEET 2025 and NEET 2026?
- Your new NCERT chemistry textbook has no p-block chapter. Should you skip p-block for NEET?
- Name the practical-based units in the physics and chemistry syllabi.
- Should you study communication systems for NEET?
Answers
- The National Medical Commission (NMC). NTA publishes it in the bulletin.
- No. The 2026 bulletin says it is unchanged from the previous year.
- No. p-block is in the NEET syllabus. Use the older NCERT edition or a supplement.
- Experimental skills in physics and principles related to practical chemistry in chemistry.
- No. It was removed in the 2024 revision. Confirm against the syllabus for your year.
What to do next
- Download the NMC syllabus for your exam year and print it.
- Build the chapter map above for all three subjects, one table per subject.
- Mark every topic that is in the syllabus but not in your current NCERT, and find a source for each.
- Choose one question bank per subject and check that it follows the revised syllabus.
- Plan your year with a one-year NEET plan with Class 12.
A note on dates and numbers. Exam patterns, vacancies and schedules change from year to year. Always confirm the current details in the latest notification on the National Testing Agency website .
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