AIIMS and NEET are both integral components of the medical education system in India, but they serve different purposes and have distinct functions. Below is a comprehensive explanation of both terms, highlighting the differences between them:
What is AIIMS?
AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) is a group of autonomous public medical institutions in India, established to provide high-quality education, advanced healthcare services, and cutting-edge research in the field of medicine. AIIMS institutes are among the most prestigious medical institutions in India and are directly governed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The most well-known campus of AIIMS is located in New Delhi, but there are now 22 AIIMS campuses across India, each offering undergraduate (MBBS), postgraduate (MD/MS), and super-specialty programs (DM/MCh).
What is NEET?
NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). It is the gateway to admission in various medical courses such as MBBS, BDS (Dental), and other undergraduate medical programs in government and private medical colleges across India. NEET is the common entrance exam for all medical aspirants, and it is one of the most competitive exams in India.
NEET replaced several state-level and institute-specific medical entrance exams (including AIIMS and JIPMER exams) in 2019, unifying the entrance process for most medical institutions under a single exam.
Key Differences Between AIIMS and NEET
| Aspect | AIIMS | NEET |
|---------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
| Definition | AIIMS is a group of prestigious medical institutions offering world-class medical education and healthcare services. | NEET is a national-level entrance exam for admission to undergraduate medical programs (MBBS, BDS) in India. |
| Purpose | AIIMS provides medical education, healthcare services, and research in multiple campuses across India. | NEET is the exam through which candidates are selected for MBBS and BDS programs in medical colleges across India. |
| Institutes/Colleges | Refers to the AIIMS Institutes spread across India (22 campuses as of 2025). | NEET is the entrance exam for all medical colleges in India (both government and private), including AIIMS (until 2019, AIIMS had its own separate entrance exam). |
| Admission Process | Admission to AIIMS institutes (such as AIIMS Delhi, AIIMS Bhopal, etc.) is through the AIIMS entrance exam (previously) and now under NEET. | Admission to medical colleges in India is through the NEET exam. After NEET, counseling determines the allocation of seats in different medical colleges. |
| Exam Mode | AIIMS had its own entrance exam for medical courses (until 2019). AIIMS institutes now admit students through NEET. | NEET is a centralized national exam that serves as the admission test for all medical and dental colleges in India. |
| Syllabus | AIIMS used to have a slightly different syllabus (especially in subjects like physics and chemistry) than NEET. | NEET’s syllabus is based on the NCERT curriculum for classes 11 and 12 in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. |
| Exam Pattern | The AIIMS entrance exam (before NEET replaced it in 2019) was known for its difficult level of questions and unique question types. | NEET features objective-type questions from Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, with a standardized pattern across all participating colleges. |
| Difficulty Level | AIIMS exams were generally considered more difficult due to a higher focus on concepts and complex problem-solving. | NEET is also highly competitive but generally considered less challenging in terms of depth of questions when compared to AIIMS’ previous exam. |
| Number of Questions | The AIIMS exam had more questions overall (around 200-250), with a wider range of topics covered. | NEET has a total of 180 questions, divided equally among Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (Botany and Zoology). |
| Duration of the Exam | AIIMS exams were typically 3.5 hours in duration. | NEET exam lasts for 3 hours. |
| Mode of Exam | AIIMS exams were conducted online and offline at different times. | NEET is conducted offline (pen and paper-based) in a single phase. |
| Number of Attempts | AIIMS allowed candidates to attempt the entrance exam up to a certain age limit (typically under 25 years for general category). | NEET allows candidates to attempt the exam a maximum of 3 times in a specific age limit (25 years for general category, 30 years for reserved categories). |
| Seats Available | AIIMS offers a limited number of seats for MBBS programs across its campuses. For example, AIIMS Delhi has around 100 MBBS seats. | NEET allows admission to thousands of MBBS seats in India, distributed among various government and private medical colleges across the country. |
| Eligibility | For AIIMS (before NEET was adopted), the eligibility criteria were slightly different, including age limits and a higher cutoff score in subjects like Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. | NEET has a unified eligibility criterion that applies to all medical colleges across India. Candidates must have passed their 12th grade with specific marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. |
Evolution of AIIMS and NEET:
Before 2019, AIIMS had its own entrance exam for MBBS admissions, which was considered one of the toughest medical entrance exams in India. The AIIMS entrance exam was separate from the NEET exam, and students aspiring to get into AIIMS had to appear for both exams (if they were applying to both institutions and other medical colleges that accepted NEET scores).
However, in 2019, the Indian government decided to standardize the medical admission process and merged the admission system. NEET became the sole entrance exam for all medical colleges, including AIIMS and JIPMER (Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research). This move was aimed at reducing the burden on students by eliminating multiple entrance exams and unifying the selection process for medical admissions across the country.
Conclusion:
In summary, the key difference between AIIMS and NEET lies in their respective roles within the Indian medical education system:
- AIIMS refers to the prestigious medical institutions that provide top-tier medical education and healthcare services. It has 22 campuses across India, and admission to AIIMS is now through NEET.
- NEET is a national-level entrance exam that serves as the common selection test for all medical and dental courses (MBBS/BDS) across India, including AIIMS. NEET determines eligibility for admission to numerous medical colleges, including the AIIMS institutes.
The unification of medical entrance exams through NEET has simplified the admission process for students, making it easier to apply to multiple institutions, including the top AIIMS campuses, with a single exam.