Ahmedabad: The NEET PG 2026 exam for admission to postgraduate medical courses will be conducted across the country on Sunday in a single shift. Around 2.73 lakh candidates have registered for the exam nationwide, including approximately 8,000 candidates from Gujarat.The exam will be conducted under stringent security and monitoring arrangements to ensure transparency.According to the exam schedule, the computer-based test will begin at 9am and conclude at 12.30pm. Entry to exam centres will start from 7am, while no candidate will be permitted to enter after 8.30am.The exam will be conducted at 1,111 centres across 338 cities in the country. In Gujarat, a total of 60 centres have been designated, including 16 centres in Ahmedabad. Each centre will accommodate a minimum of 100 and a maximum of 250 candidates. Gujarat has around 3,500 postgraduate medical seats.To strengthen monitoring, around 16 command and control rooms have been established across the country. One such centre has also been set up in Ahmedabad, from where exam centres in three to four states will be monitored.This year, a significant change has been introduced in the NEET PG examination pattern. The number of questions has been reduced from 200 to 180, while the exam duration has remained unchanged at 3 hours and 30 minutes. Candidates will receive four marks for every correct answer, while one mark will be deducted for an incorrect answer.The examination authority is preparing to declare the result within a month, by Sep 30.Candidates must carry their NEET PG 2026 colour admit card with barcode and QR code, registration certificate and a valid photo identity proof. PwD candidates must also carry their disability certificate, and candidates requiring medical assistance should carry relevant medical documents.Mobile phones, bluetooth devices, earphones, smartwatches, calculators, pens, notes, jewellery, food items and water bottles will not be permitted inside exam centres. Candidates will undergo metal detector screening, fingerprint verification, facial recognition and photographic biometric verification. They have also been advised to avoid applying mehndi or getting tattoos on their hands before the exam.
