As of January 25, 2026, the National Testing Agency (NTA) is preparing to release the NEET UG 2026 notification. Official registration for the medical entrance exam is anticipated to begin in the first week of February. Candidates are advised to keep their updated Aadhaar cards and category certificates ready for the process. The application window will remain active for approximately 30 days on the official NTA website.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) is expected to activate the online registration portal for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET UG) 2026 in early February. As of today, January 25, 2026, the medical aspirant community is on high alert following a recent document advisory issued by the testing agency. This advisory emphasizes the need for candidates to update their identity proofs and certificates well before the application forms are released to ensure a seamless submission process.

Anticipated Application Timeline and Notification

The official notification, which acts as the comprehensive rulebook for the exam, is expected to be published on the NTA website within the next few days. Historically, the registration window opens approximately three months prior to the exam date.

• February Commencement: Current trends and historical data from 2024 and 2025 suggest that the application link will likely go live between February 1 and February 7, 2026.
• Month-long Window: Once the portal is active, candidates will typically have 30 days to complete their registration and pay the requisite application fee.
• Correction Facility: A brief application correction window is expected to be provided in mid-March, allowing students to rectify minor errors in their submitted forms.
• Information Bulletin: The upcoming bulletin will provide final confirmation on the exam date, which is tentatively slated for the first Sunday of May, specifically May 3, 2026.

Eligibility Criteria and Document Readiness

The NTA has recently released a set of instructions for students to verify their eligibility before the formal registration begins. Adhering to these guidelines is crucial to avoid the rejection of the application form during the screening phase.

• Minimum Age Requirement: Candidates must have completed at least 17 years of age by December 31, 2026, to be eligible for admission to the 2026-27 academic session.
• Educational Qualifications: Applicants should have passed or be appearing in the Class 12 examination with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English as core subjects.
• Identity Verification: The NTA has specifically advised candidates to ensure their Aadhaar card details and UDID cards are updated, as these will be used for biometric verification.
• Photograph Specifications: New guidelines require photographs to be taken after January 1, 2026, with 80% face coverage and a white background.

Expected Registration Fee and Exam Pattern

The fee structure for NEET UG 2026 is expected to remain consistent with previous years, though final details will only be available once the notification is live.

• Offline Mode: The examination will continue to be conducted in a pen-and-paper (OMR-based) format across various centers in India and abroad.
• Subject Weightage: The paper will consist of 200 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), out of which 180 must be attempted, with Biology carrying 50% of the total marks.

Conclusion

The anticipation surrounding the NEET UG 2026 registration marks the beginning of the final preparation phase for over 24 lakh medical aspirants. While the official dates are yet to be finalized by the NTA, the current focus is on administrative readiness and document verification. The opening of the February application window will serve as the formal start to an admission cycle that determines the future of medical education in India for the coming year.