INI CET Exam Pattern 2026: 200 Questions, 200 Marks, Marking Scheme and Question Types

INI CET 2026 is a computer-based test (CBT) of 3 hours, conducted by AIIMS New Delhi for postgraduate medical admissions at Institutes of National Importance including all AIIMS campuses, JIPMER, PGIMER Chandigarh, and NIMHANS. The exam has 200 questions for 200 marks, divided into four time-locked parts of 45 minutes each. INI CET runs twice a year — the May 2026 session concluded on May 16, 2026, and the November 2026 session is scheduled for November 1, 2026, with registration open until October 13, 2026.

• INI CET 2026 is a 180-minute computer-based test with 200 questions for 200 marks.
• The paper is split into 4 time-locked parts (Part A–D), each with 50 questions and a strict 45-minute timer — you cannot return to a completed part.
• Correct answer earns +1 mark; wrong answer deducts 1/3 mark; unattempted questions carry 0 marks.
• The exam includes MCQs, extended matching questions (EMQs), assertion-reason questions (ARQs), clinical vignettes, and image-based questions.
• Clinical subjects dominate the paper — over 60% of questions come from clinical topics based on past paper analysis.
• INI CET 2026 is held twice a year; the November 1, 2026 session (for January 2027 intake) is the next upcoming exam.
• The exam is held at designated CBT centres across India — no pen-and-paper or OMR mode is available.

INI CET Exam Pattern 2026: Overview

INI CET 2026 follows a uniform CBT format across both annual sessions. The exam pattern has not changed since the January 2024 revision — the same four-part, 200-question structure applies to both the May and November 2026 sessions.

The four parts are not subject-specific — questions from all medical disciplines are distributed across all parts. Once a part’s 45-minute timer expires, the system moves you to the next part and locks the previous part permanently.

INI CET 2026: Important Dates

INI CET 2026 has two sessions. The May 2026 session (July 2026 intake) is over. The November 2026 session (January 2027 intake) is the active cycle — registration is open and the exam is scheduled for November 1, 2026. The table below lists upcoming events first, followed by completed milestones.

Source: AIIMS Exams Official Website

INI CET 2026: Detailed Exam Pattern

The INI CET 2026 paper contains 200 questions split equally across four parts — Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D. Each part carries a strict 45-minute timer and covers questions from the full MBBS curriculum in a mixed, non-subject-specific arrangement.

INI CET 2026 is a 180-minute computer-based test with 200 questions for 200 marks, divided into four time-locked parts of 45 minutes each.

Note: Once a part’s 45-minute timer expires, the system automatically moves you to the next part. You cannot review or change answers from a completed part. Each part demands independent time management — plan your attempt within each 45-minute window.

INI CET Marking Scheme 2026

The INI CET 2026 marking scheme is uniform across all question types. Every question in the paper carries 1 mark for a correct answer, and a penalty of 1/3 mark applies to every incorrect answer. Questions left unattempted carry zero marks — no penalty for skipping.

Negative marking of 1/3 mark applies to all question types in INI CET 2026 — avoid random guessing.

Unlike some national exams with differential marking, INI CET applies the same –1/3 penalty across every question type. The decision rule is straightforward: attempt a question if you can eliminate at least two options — the expected value of guessing is positive. Skip only when you have no basis for elimination at all.

INI CET Subject-Wise Exam Pattern 2026

AIIMS does not publish an official subject-wise question distribution for INI CET. The approximate figures below come from analysis of previous years’ papers. Actual numbers vary across sessions. The broad split is pre-clinical (~12%), para-clinical (~23%), and clinical (~65%).

Pre-Clinical Subjects

Para-Clinical Subjects

Clinical Subjects

Note: These figures are approximate estimates based on past paper analysis. AIIMS does not officially publish subject-wise question distribution. Actual distribution varies across sessions.

INI CET Question Types 2026

INI CET 2026 uses a mixed-format CBT where all questions are objective with a single correct answer. The paper includes five distinct question types — each tests a different clinical competency, but all carry identical marking (+1/–1/3).

Recent INI CET sessions show a clear upward trend in clinical vignette and image-based questions — together accounting for over half the paper. These question types reward clinical reasoning and pattern recognition more than straightforward recall, which should shape how you distribute your preparation time.

INI CET Exam Pattern: Changes in 2026 vs 2025

No official structural changes have been announced for INI CET 2026. The exam continues with the same four-part CBT format introduced in January 2024. The table compares key parameters across the 2025 and 2026 cycles, including observed question-type shifts that reflect clear trends from paper analysis.

The INI CET exam pattern has not changed officially in 2026 — the same 200-question, 4-part, CBT structure applies across all 2026 sessions.

How to Prepare Based on INI CET Exam Pattern

The INI CET exam structure — four time-locked parts, rising image and vignette proportions, and uniform negative marking — demands preparation that goes beyond subject recall. Each element of the pattern drives a specific preparation action.

1. Drill the 45-minute per-part clock separately. Each part gives you exactly 54 seconds per question. Practise full-length mocks with the clock split into four locked 45-minute windows — not as one 3-hour block. You need the instinct to skip and move, not just the ability to answer.
2. Prioritise Medicine and Surgery above all else. These two subjects together account for roughly 50–60 questions out of 200. A strong performance here lifts your total score more reliably than spreading effort equally across all subjects.
3. Build image recognition as a dedicated skill. Up to 20–25% of the 2026 paper may be image-based. Regular review of X-rays, ECGs, histopathology slides, and clinical photographs — outside of MCQ practice — builds pattern recognition that lecture notes alone cannot develop.
4. Practise vignette reading speed. Clinical scenario questions (35–40% of the paper) require you to extract the key diagnostic clue from 5–7 lines of text in under a minute. Timed vignette drills are a distinct practice modality from subject revision.
5. Apply the negative-marking decision filter. With –1/3 per wrong answer, attempt a question when you can eliminate at least two of four options — the expected value is positive. Skip only when you have no basis for elimination at all.
6. Do not neglect Pathology and Pharmacology. These two para-clinical subjects contribute roughly 20–27 questions combined — marks that are more predictable to earn than competitive high-stakes clinical topics.
7. Simulate the full locked-parts experience before exam day. You cannot revisit Part A from Part D. Full mock exams with locked sections build the mental discipline the real exam requires and reveal how you manage time under irreversible conditions.