Country edition: India
Student Journey Blueprint

How to become a Doctor / Physician — your road, class by class

Class 8 to working life ·Last checked 25 Oct 2026

The one-line route: Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English → NEET (UG) → MBBS seat through MCC (All India Quota) or your state's counselling → rotating internship of at least 12 months → registration with your State Medical Council and the National Medical Register. [1] [2] [3]

Pick your class and the road below starts where you stand.

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01 Your road, stage by stage

What to do from your class onward

  1. You are here Class 8 · Class 9

    Biology is half the NEET paper

    • NEET (UG) has Physics 45, Chemistry 45 and Biology 90 questions — 180 in all, 720 marks. Biology alone carries 360 marks. [1]
    • Read your Science textbook properly now: Class 11–12 Biology and Chemistry build directly on Class 8–10 chapters.
  2. You are here Class 10

    Choose Science with Biology for Class 11

    • NMC allows NEET (UG) only after 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology / Biotechnology and English. [4]
    • Took Mathematics instead of Biology? Since NMC's November 2023 notice, Biology passed later as an additional subject from a recognised board also counts. [1]
  3. You are here Class 11 · Class 12

    NEET year — and the qualifying percentile

    • Minimum age 17 on or before 31 December of the exam year. There is no upper age limit and no cap on attempts. [1]
    • To be eligible for admission you need the 50th percentile (General / EWS), 40th (SC, ST, OBC) or 45th (PwBD General) in NEET. [1]
    • You can sit NEET while your Class 12 result is awaited, but you must have passed by the first counselling round. [1]
  4. You are here In college · Graduated

    After MBBS: internship, then registration

    • At most 4 attempts at the first-year MBBS exam, and the course must be finished within 9 years of admission. [4]
    • You are not a graduate until you finish a rotating internship of at least 12 months after the final MBBS exam. Interns are paid a stipend set by the institution's authority. [2]
    • Your State Medical Council registers you provisionally for the internship. The 2023 Registration Regulations then link National Medical Register entry to the National Exit Test (NExT); the licence is valid for 5 years and is renewed through the State Medical Council. [3]

Your school board

NEET (UG) is offered in 13 languages, including Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi, Odia, Tamil and Telugu. State-quota seats follow your own state's domicile rule. [1]

CBSE, CISCE and state-board certificates count the same for every national exam on this page. Notes for particular state boards are under State rules below.

02 Exam anatomy

The exam, stage by stage

NEET (UG) 2026 → MCC / state counselling · National Testing Agency (NTA) · Medical Counselling Committee · state authorities

Paper
180 questions · 720 marks · 3 hours, pen and paper [1]
Marking
+4 correct · −1 wrong · 0 unanswered [1]
Fee (India centre)
₹1,700 General · ₹1,600 EWS / OBC-NCL · ₹1,000 SC / ST / PwBD / third gender [1]
2026 cycle
Re-held 21 June 2026 · result 16 July 2026 [5] [6]
NEET (UG) 2026 → MCC / state counselling stages
StageWhat it isMarkingRule
NEET (UG)Physics 45, Chemistry 45, Biology 90 questions — all compulsory MCQs+4 / −1Qualify at the 50th percentile (General / EWS), 40th (SC, ST, OBC), 45th (PwBD General)
MCC counselling15% All India Quota in state government colleges, AIIMS, JIPMER, central universities, ESIC and deemed universities—Central reservation: SC 15%, ST 7.5%, OBC-NCL 27%, EWS 10%, PwBD 5%
State counsellingACPUGMEC (Gujarat), DGME (UP), State CET Cell (Maharashtra), DME (West Bengal)—Each state's own domicile and reservation rules — see the State rules section of this career's blueprint
MBBS + internshipUniversity exams, then a rotating internship of at least 12 months—Max 4 attempts at first-year MBBS; finish within 9 years of admission

Stage table source [1] [4] [2]

  • The NEET fee does not change with gender, and no fee was charged for the 21 June 2026 re-examination. [1] [5]
  • Government doctors through UPSC CMS 2026 start at Pay Matrix Level 10 (₹56,100 – ₹1,77,500) plus non-practising allowance. [7]
  • These are the 2026 rules. NTA publishes the NEET (UG) 2027 bulletin on neet.nta.nic.in — check dates, fees and pattern there the day it is out.
Open the full exam guide
03 State rules

Rules for all of India — and your state

  • MCC fills the 15% All India Quota, AIIMS, JIPMER, central-university, ESIC and deemed-university seats; state authorities fill the state-quota seats under their own rules. [1] [6]

State notes we have checked (4 states / UTs)

Gujarat3 notes
  • ACPUGMEC registration costs a ₹1,000 PIN plus a ₹10,000 refundable security deposit. One application covers Government seats and the management seats of unaided medical and dental colleges. [8] [9]
  • GSEB — Gujarat State Board: ACPUGMEC's Gujarat state-quota process is for students who passed SSC and HSC (Science B / AB group) from Gujarat and are domiciled in or born in Gujarat. The merit list is built on your NEET-UG All India Rank. [8] [9]
  • CBSE — studying in Gujarat: ACPUGMEC accepts Gujarat Board, CBSE, ICSE, Cambridge and NIOS students — as long as SSC and HSC were passed from Gujarat and you are domiciled in or born in Gujarat. [8]
Gujarat exam & career cockpit
Maharashtra2 notes
  • In 2026, Round 1 of Maharashtra's MBBS / BDS CAP ran from registration on 6 August to college joining by 28 August, on NEET (UG) 2026 merit. [11]
  • MSBSHSE — Maharashtra State Board: The State CET Cell fills MBBS and BDS seats in Maharashtra's government, aided, municipal and private colleges on NEET (UG) merit. You must register with it separately even if you registered for All India Quota counselling. [11]
Maharashtra exam & career cockpit
Uttar Pradesh2 notes
  • UP NEET UG 2026 counselling: ₹2,000 registration fee; security money ₹30,000 for government colleges and ₹2,00,000 for private medical colleges (₹2,00,000 covers both). Government MBBS / BDS students sign a 2-year, ₹10 lakh service bond; leaving a government seat after the last round bars you from the next year's admission. [10]
  • UPMSP — Uttar Pradesh Board: UP government medical and dental colleges need a UP domicile; if you passed both High School and Intermediate in UP, no domicile certificate is needed. Private colleges in UP are open to candidates from other states too. [10]
Uttar Pradesh exam & career cockpit
West Bengal2 notes
  • Only a domicile certificate signed by an officer listed in the DME notice counts. Certificates from councillors, panchayat members, MLAs or MPs are not accepted. [12]
  • WBBSE / WBCHSE — West Bengal boards: West Bengal state-quota seats need a domicile certificate: 10 years' residence as on 31 Dec 2025 with Class 10 and 12 passed in West Bengal — or a parent who is a permanent resident living there for those 10 years. [12]
West Bengal exam & career cockpit

Not in this list? The national route above applies — we found nothing in this career's official rules that changes in your state.

04 Career multiverse

Where this path can take you next

MBBS

The degree route to becoming a doctor.

Explore →

BDS

Dentistry through the same NEET rank.

Explore →

AYUSH (BAMS and more)

Ayurveda and other AYUSH degrees, also on NEET.

Explore →

Government doctor

UPSC CMS for central health service posts after MBBS.

Explore →

Nursing

A clinical career with its own entrance tests.

Explore →

Coaching

NEET coaching centres near you.

Explore →
05 Money help

Scholarships, stipends and fee help

Government schemes, professional-body scholarships and paid training on this path. Pick your class above and schemes you have already passed are hidden.

Scholarship Open to you now From Class 8

National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMSS)

Ministry of Education, through your state

₹1,000 a month, Class 9 to 12 [13]

Who
Class 8 students of government schools who passed Class 7 with 55% (50% SC/ST, as in Nagaland's notice) and clear the state's NMMSS test. Family income limit: see the scheme rules on the National Scholarship Portal.
How
Your state's SCERT announces the test in Class 8; renewals are on scholarships.gov.in.
Fee help Open to you now From Class 11

Lower NEET (UG) fee

National Testing Agency

₹1,000 instead of ₹1,700 (₹1,600 for EWS / OBC-NCL) [1]

Who
SC, ST, PwBD / PwD and third-gender candidates, for an exam centre in India.
How
Choose your category in the NEET (UG) form on neet.nta.nic.in.
Scholarship Open to you now From Class 11

Central Sector Scheme of Scholarships (PM-USP CSSS)

Ministry of Education

₹12,000 a year for the first 3 years of a degree; ₹20,000 a year in years 4–5 of a 5-year integrated course (and in PG) [14]

Who
Above the 80th percentile of your board's Class 12 pass-outs in your stream, in a regular degree course (not diploma or distance), family income up to ₹4.5 lakh, and not taking any other scholarship — including state schemes.
How
On the National Scholarship Portal after Class 12; renewal needs 50% marks and 75% attendance each year.
Scholarship Open to you now From Class 11

Post-Matric Scholarship for SC students

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, through your state

Compulsory non-refundable fees (tuition included) plus a yearly academic allowance — the college cannot ask you to pay the fee first [15]

Who
SC students after Class 10 (ITI, diploma, degree and CA/CMA/CS courses count), family income up to ₹2.5 lakh. Separate post-matric schemes exist for ST, OBC and minority students on the same portal.
How
Your state scholarship portal or scholarships.gov.in. The printed guidelines cover 2020-21 to 2025-26; check the 2026-27 rules on the portal.
State scheme Open to you now From Class 10Gujarat only

Mukhyamantri Yuva Swavalamban Yojana (MYSY)

Government of Gujarat

Who
Gujarat students joining a diploma or degree course on merit: it pays part of the tuition fee and, in some cases, a hostel grant for students who must study away from home. [16]
How
mysy.guj.nic.in. We could not open the official portal on 24 Oct 2026, so we print no amounts or cut-offs — read them in the current year's resolution on the portal.
State scheme Open to you now From Class 10West Bengal only

West Bengal Student Credit Card (WBSCC)

Government of West Bengal

Loan up to ₹10 lakh at 4% simple interest a year; 1% interest concession if the interest is fully serviced during the study period [17] [18]

Who
Students from West Bengal aged 40 or under when applying — school (Class X onward), UG, PG, professional degree courses in India or abroad, and coaching for competitive exams such as Engineering, Medical, Law, IAS, IPS and WBCS. The state's scheme page asks for 10 years' residence in West Bengal and a co-borrower (usually a parent).
How
On wbscc.wb.gov.in. Repayment runs up to 15 years, including the moratorium (course duration + 1 year); no margin money up to ₹4 lakh.
Stipend Open to you now From In college

MBBS internship stipend

Your medical college / state, under NMC's internship regulations

Who
Every MBBS intern, for the 12-month internship. It is not paid during extensions, except approved medical, maternity or paternity leave. The rate is fixed by the authority that runs your college, so it differs between states and colleges. [2]
How
Nothing to apply for — ask your college for the current rate.
06 Official sources & verification

Where these facts come from

Every number on this page comes from the official files below. Lines with no number are Margdarshan guidance. Rules change every year — open the current notice before you apply.

  1. NTA — NEET (UG) 2026 Information Bulletin (opens in a new tab) pattern, marking, age, subjects, additional-subject rule, qualifying percentiles, reservation, fees, 13 languages, MCC seats; chapter on BAMS / BSMS / BUMS / BHMS (eligibility, AACCC, AIQ reservation, percentiles); VCI 15% B.V.Sc quota · Last checked 14 Oct 2026
  2. National Medical Commission — Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship Regulations, 2021 (18 Nov 2021) (opens in a new tab) internship of at least 12 months after final MBBS, stipend fixed by the appropriate authority for 52 weeks, NExT whenever in force · Last checked 25 Oct 2026
  3. National Medical Commission — Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine Regulations, 2023 (10 May 2023) (opens in a new tab) provisional registration for internship by the State Medical Council, National Medical Register after NExT, 5-year licence and renewal · Last checked 25 Oct 2026
  4. National Medical Commission — Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023 (2 June 2023) (opens in a new tab) NEET-UG subject rule, common counselling, 4 first-year attempts, 9-year limit, internship before graduation · Last checked 25 Oct 2026
  5. NTA — Public notice: re-examination for NEET (UG) 2026 (15 May 2026) (opens in a new tab) 21 June 2026 re-exam, no fee · Last checked 14 Oct 2026
  6. NTA — Press release: Result of NEET (UG) 2026 (16 July 2026) (opens in a new tab) result date, counselling bodies, B.Sc (Hons) Nursing through NEET · Last checked 14 Oct 2026
  7. UPSC — Combined Medical Services Examination 2026, Notice No. 9/2026-CMS (opens in a new tab) Level 10 pay for government doctors · Last checked 14 Oct 2026
  8. ACPUGMEC Gujarat — Procedure for Online Registration, UG medical 2026-27 (opens in a new tab) SSC + HSC (Science B/AB) from Gujarat and Gujarat domicile / birth, boards accepted, ₹1,000 PIN + ₹10,000 refundable deposit · Last checked 25 Oct 2026
  9. ACPUGMEC Gujarat — Instructions for Online Application and Registration (UG 2026 folder) (opens in a new tab) merit on NEET-UG All India Rank, Government and management seats on one application · Last checked 25 Oct 2026
  10. DGME Uttar Pradesh — NEET UG-2026 Counselling Brochure (MBBS & BDS, Hindi) (opens in a new tab) UP domicile for government colleges, private colleges open to other states, ₹2,000 registration, ₹30,000 / ₹2,00,000 security money, 2-year ₹10 lakh service bond, debarment rule · Last checked 25 Oct 2026
  11. State CET Cell Maharashtra — Notice No. 03, NEET-UG-2026 MBBS / BDS CAP registration schedule (5 Aug 2026) (opens in a new tab) admission on NEET (UG) 2026 merit to government, aided, municipal and private colleges, separate state registration, Round 1 dates · Last checked 25 Oct 2026
  12. Directorate of Medical Education, West Bengal — Notice cum information bulletin, NEET UG 2026 counselling (11 Aug 2026) (opens in a new tab) state-quota domicile proformas a1 / a2 / b, 10 years as on 31 Dec 2025, signing authorities, certificates not accepted · Last checked 25 Oct 2026
  13. SCERT Nagaland — NMMSS Examination 2027 advertisement (27 Jul 2026) (opens in a new tab) Class 8 eligibility, 55% / 50% Class 7 marks, ₹1,000 a month from Class 9 to 12 (one state's notice of the central scheme) · Last checked 24 Oct 2026
  14. Ministry of Education — PM-USP Central Sector Scheme of Scholarships guidelines (2022-23 onwards), copy hosted by NIT Kurukshetra (opens in a new tab) 80th percentile, ₹4.5 lakh income, regular degree only, no other scholarship, ₹12,000 / ₹20,000 rates, renewal rules · Last checked 24 Oct 2026
  15. Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment — Post Matric Scholarship for SC students, guidelines 2020-21 to 2025-26 (copy hosted by Goa Social Welfare) (opens in a new tab) ₹2.5 lakh income limit, fees + academic allowance, no pre-payment of fees, CA/ICWA/CS students covered · Last checked 24 Oct 2026
  16. Government of Gujarat — MYSY scholarship portal (opens in a new tab) scheme portal; could not be opened on 24 Oct 2026, so no amounts are printed here
  17. Government of West Bengal — West Bengal Student Credit Card portal (About) (opens in a new tab) ₹10 lakh at 4% simple interest, 1% concession, age 40, courses and competitive-exam coaching covered, 15-year repayment · Last checked 25 Oct 2026
  18. Government of West Bengal — Information Centre: West Bengal Student Credit Card Scheme (opens in a new tab) 10 years' residence, co-borrower, moratorium course + 1 year, no margin money up to ₹4 lakh · Last checked 25 Oct 2026

Spotted something out of date? Email margdarshan07support10@gmail.com with the official link and we will update it.