PMT Exam: Insights for Medical Aspirants

Are you interested in pursuing a career in medicine in India or abroad? If yes, you would have had to take the all-India PMT exam (pre-medical test) earlier. The PMT entrance exam has been replaced by the NEET (National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test). 

You will have to prepare for this test instead of PMT papers if you wish to gain admission into universities abroad or study at reputed institutions in India.  

Purpose and Significance of PMT Exam

The PMT exam is now called the NEET and you will now have to attempt this test instead of embarking on PMT preparation. The significance of the NEET lies in the fact that it is the benchmark test for admissions into undergraduate medicine courses in India. 

Candidates can get admitted into 313 dental and 542 medical colleges in the country based on their rank, along with 47 BVSc and AH colleges and 914 Ayush colleges. The NEET covers admissions into MBBS, BDS, and Ayush programs. The examination is also conducted in Hindi, English, Bengali, Gujarati, Assamese, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Telugu, and Urdu. 

Conversely, the NEET examination is also helpful for studying medicine or MBBS courses abroad. The scores have a three-year validity period, which helps those who wish to pursue undergraduate medical courses in foreign countries such as the UK, Kazakhstan, China, Nepal, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Georgia, and others. 

Subjects Covered in PMT Exam

The PMT exam covers the following subjects: 

• Physics
• Chemistry
• Biology (Zoology and Botany)

Exam Pattern and Format

The pattern and format of the examination is the following: 

Aspirants have to answer 180 out of 200 multiple-choice questions for 3 hours and 20 minutes (200 minutes). 

Eligibility Criteria 

The NEET eligibility criteria include the following: 

• Candidates should be 17 years old by the time of taking admission or will be 17 on/before the 31st December of the year (first year of the undergraduate medical program). 
• 50% marks in the qualifying examination (40% for SC/ST/Other Backward candidates), having passed Chemistry, Physics, Biology/Biotechnology, and English. 
• Those from the PWD (persons with disability) quota should have at least 45% marks in the qualifying examination.

Application Process and Important Dates

The important dates for NEET 2024 include the following: 

Here is a glimpse into the application process: 

• Applications have to be submitted online at neet.ntaonline.in.
• Candidates should click on the fill registration form or the invitation for the NEET UG 2024 Registration.
• Then click on New Registration and enter some details in the form. 
• The details include the candidate's name, mother and father’s name, birth date, gender, nationality, category, identification type and number, mobile number, password, email ID, persons with disability (if applicable), and security pin.
• The next step is logging in with the application number and password.
• The application will be pre-filled with the information provided during registration.
• The form will contain several sections, including personal information along with the question paper language, academic details (Class 10), place of birth, academic details (Class 11), academic details (Class 12), permanent address, details of parents, choice of exam center, correspondence address, security pin, dress code, etc. 
• After checking the pre-filled details, candidates can click Yes to submit the form. 
• The next step is to upload the documents (scanned photo, signature, thumb impression, Class 10 and 12 marks, Government ID proof, citizenship proof, etc.) before choosing Next. 
• You can then pay using debit/credit cards, UPI, net banking, etc.
• The last step is to print the NEET application form and keep the confirmation slip for future reference.

Preparation Strategies for the PMT Exam

Here are some strategies that candidates should keep in mind: 

Master the basic concepts- 

You should aim to understand all the key concepts of chemistry, physics, and biology. Make your revision notes containing details of each concept to help you later during the examination. 

Regular Practice- 

Keep practicing from NCERT sample problems and other sample resources. This will help you manage time better during the actual test. You can solve last year’s and other question papers while taking frequent mock tests to keep analyzing your strong and weak areas. 

Study Smartly- 

Create a smart and practical schedule for your studies, taking your board exam preparation and regular breaks into account. 

Filter Major Topics- 

Identify key areas such as organic chemistry and other topics that are less emphasized in board exams but are crucial for the exam. Allocate extra time to focus on these priority topics to enhance your preparation.

Find the Right Resources- 

From NCERT textbooks and sample papers to other books and study materials, gather the best resources before preparing. 

Take Care of Your Health- 

You will simultaneously prepare for your board examinations and the NEET. Ensure you avoid thinking about the result and focus only on smart preparation. Take care of your health by getting adequate sleep daily, eating nutritious and healthy meals, and taking time off for your hobbies and recreational activities. This will help you stay fresh for the examination. 

Recommended Study Materials and Resources

Here are some study materials that are recommended for the NEET examination. 

Biology- 

• Class 12 and 11 NCERT textbooks
• Objective Biology by Dinesh
• Biology by GR Bathla Publications
• Objective Biology by Ansari
• SC Verma Biology 
• Biology- Pradeep Publications 
• Trueman’s Biology- Volume 1 and 2

Physics- 

• Class 11 and 12 NCERT textbooks
• Concepts of Physics by H C Verma
• Problems in General Physics (IE Irodov)
• Fundamental Physics (Pradeep)
• Objective Physics (DC Pandey)

Chemistry- 

• Class 11 and 12 NCERT textbooks
• Organic Chemistry Objective (Arihant)
• Physical Chemistry (P Bahadur)
• Physical Chemistry (OP Tandon)
• Concise Inorganic Chemistry (JD Lee)

Results and Score Reporting Process

The exam comes with a total of 720 marks.  Four marks are given for every correct answer, while one mark is deducted for every incorrect question. Unanswered questions do not have any marks deductions. 

You can access your NEET scorecard on the official website and download the same. You can save the PDF for future reference. It contains your marks in every subject, total marks, percentile score, category rank, and All-India rank. 

More Recourses:

• NEET Study Material 2024
• NEET Preparation & Strategies