Will NTA Remove Optional Questions in NEET 2025 too Like JEE? Explained

Will NTA Remove Optional Questions in NEET 2025 too like JEE? It is suspected that the authorities will remove the optional questions from the NEET exam paper as it was only introduced for the pandemic. However, there is no official announcement regarding the removal of NEET optional questions from the exam paper. Students can refer to the NEET exam pattern 2025 for a detailed understanding of the paper format. There are discussions ongoing in the Supreme Court among the high-powered committee to review the NEET exam process and suggest required changes. It is advised that the students must stay updated regarding the NTA authority's update on the official webpage and continuously follow the news regarding the NEET exam.  

Why will NTA Remove Optional Questions in NEET 2025?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the NTA authorities introduced the NEET 2025 optional questions in the exam to reduce the pressure on students. Back then, due to the worldwide pandemic, there were limited resources and the schools were closed which made studies very difficult for NEET aspirants so the authorities introduced optional questions temporarily. In May 2023, WHO authorities declared an end to the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine all across the world. Since then, the exam authorities have been having discussions with the Supreme Court of India to remove optional questions in the NEET exam. If the optional questions are removed from the NEET paper, students will have to attempt all the questions in the NEET B section and will not have the option to choose based on their preferences. 

What will be the NEET 2025 Exam without Optional Questions?

NTA administers both NEET and JEE Main and has recently removed the optional questions from the exam format of JEE. Therefore, there are similar chances of optional questions being removed from the NEET 2025 exam paper as well. Yet, nothing can be assumed as there is no official notification or declaration by the exam authorities regarding the NEET 2025 exam paper.

Impact of NTA Removing Optional Questions in NEET 2025

There is going to be a serious impact on students if the NTA authorities change the NEET 2025 paper pattern. Listed below are some changes that students will experience if authorities remove optional questions in the NEET exam 2025.

• Increased Pressure on Students: There will be increased pressure on students to study all chapters and topics as there will be no optional questions. Further, students will have to try different approaches to prepare for the syllabus to get their desired scores. 
• Shift in Study Plan: Due to the removal of optional questions from the NEET exam paper, there will be a shift in the preparation strategy for better preparation. Candidates will have to study all the syllabus topics and strategies to prepare the NEET syllabus faster.
• Increased Exam Stress: During the NEET exam preparation, students already deal with a lot of stress and the removal of options in section B of the NEET paper will add to it. Therefore, they have to learn to manage time and prepare the syllabus more effectively.
• Results and Performance Variation: There will be a change in the results and performance of the examinees if the optional questions are removed. If they don’t answer all the questions, their scores will decrease.

Role of Optional Questions in NEET 2025 

In the year 2021, when there was a pandemic and students were facing challenges in preparing for the NEET exam then the authorities released the optional questions system temporarily. Thus, it was done to reduce the study stress of students as they already had the COVID-19 pandemic stress. The students were given the choice to manage their studies and personal life as they prepared for the NEET exam. The authorities did this to reduce the stress on students and to have choices to get good scores. 

For example: Students in the NEET paper were allowed to solve 5 questions instead of 10 questions in section B but still get the marks that would be for 10 questions in the exam paper. Further, students will be able to pick up the questions that they found easy during the examination.