How to Prepare for NEET/AIIMS 2023 Exam?

Since 2020, AIIMS MBBS exam has been scrapped. AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) is accepting students through the NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) exam. Hence, preparation for AIIMS admissions focuses on preparing for the NEET exam.

Here are some of the most effective AIIMS preparation tips by askIITians experts that will help you fulfil your dream of studying to be a doctor in some of the best medical colleges of India:

NEET Syllabus

One of the first AIIMS entrance exam tips is to understand the syllabus and exam pattern of the NEET exam. You can get the NEET syllabus from the official NTA (National Testing Agency) website or your coaching institute. It is almost the same as the CBSE or NCERT syllabus for Classes 11th and 12th. So, if you have been following your Class 11th and 12th syllabus diligently, you already have an edge over others.

You also need to chalk out your study plan according to the number of topics you need to cover, the time you have in hand, etc. Make sure you give more time to the topics that are your weak areas.

NEET Exam Pattern

The NEET exam pattern has remained unchanged for a few years now. One of the tips to crack AIIMS our experts reiterate most often are that students must know the pattern of the exam by heart, since it helps them to fine-tune their exam taking strategy and score more marks.

NEET is a 3-hour long exam consisting of 180 multiple choice questions from Physics, Chemistry, and Biology - 45 from Physics, 45 from Chemistry, and 90 from Biology (45 each from Botany and Zoology).

Each question carries 4 marks and a negative mark of 1 mark for each wrong answer. So, you need to be very careful while attempting the questions.

Important Topics for the NEET 2023 Exam

Some of the important topics that you need to focus on while preparing for the NEET exam are:

Physics

Laws of Motion, Work, Energy and Power, Waves, and Thermodynamics

Chemistry

Organic Chemistry: Basic Principles and Techniques, Hydrocarbons, Haloalkanes and Haloarenes, Alcohols, Phenols, and Ethers

Inorganic Chemistry: General Principles and Processes of Isolation of Metals, Transition Elements (3d Series), s-Block Elements (Alkali and Alkaline Earth Metals), p-Block Elements, Coordination Compounds, and d and f-Block Elements

Physical Chemistry: Laws of Thermodynamics, Equilibrium, Solutions, Redox Reactions and Electrochemistry, and Chemical Kinetics

Biology

Botany: Cell Biology, Plant Physiology, Reproduction in Plants, Genetics and Evolution, and Ecology

Zoology: Diversity in Living World, Cell Biology, Human Physiology, Structural Organisation in Animals and Plants, Reproduction, Genetics, and Evolution

Best Books for NEET Preparation

Physics

NCERT Physics Class 11th and 12th
Concepts of Physics by HC Verma
Fundamentals of Physics by Halliday, Resnick, and Walker
IIT JEE Physics books by H.C. Verma

Chemistry

NCERT Chemistry Class 11th and 12th
Organic Chemistry by Paula Bruice Yurkanis
Inorganic Chemistry by J.D. Lee
Physical Chemistry by P. Bahadur
IIT JEE Chemistry books by O.P. Tandon

Botany

NCERT Biology Class 11th and 12th
Modern Botany by Verma and Agarwal
Plant Physiology by Taiz and Zeiger
IIT JEE Biology books by Trueman

Zoology

NCERT Biology Class 11th and 12th
Diversity of Life by Elson and Morgan
Genetics by Hartwell
IIT JEE Biology books by Trueman

You can choose to buy askIITians' exclusive NEET study material which covers the entire NEET syllabus and has been prepared by experienced faculty comprising IITians, AIIMS graduates, IISc graduates, and NITians. It includes a study planner, revision notes, and mind maps which will help you cover the entire syllabus effectively.

You can also take NEET online mock tests on askIITians to test your preparation level and identify your weak areas. These tests are based on the latest pattern of the NEET exam and will give you an insight into the actual exam.

AIIMS Preparation Tips

Physics

Many NEET aspirants find Physics difficult as it involves a lot of numerical questions. The trick to scoring well in Physics is to first understand the concepts clearly and then apply them to solve the numerical problems.

For solving numerical questions, you need to have a good hold on the formulas and be able to apply them correctly. You can make your own formula sheet by revising all the important formulas from NCERT and other Physics books.

If you have 2 years in hand, you should:

Start with the NCERT books and make sure you understand the concepts clearly.
Solve as many problems as possible from the HC Verma book and other physics books.
Take mock tests and solve previous years' papers to get an idea of the type of questions asked in the exam from the chapter or topic you are studying.
Revise regularly to ensure that the concepts are clear in your mind.

If you have 1 year in hand, you should:

Focus on solving previous years' papers and mock tests.
Physics topics like Waves and Thermodynamics can be studied from the NCERT books. For other topics, you can refer to the IIT JEE physics books.
Solve a lot of numerical problems to improve your problem-solving skills.
Revise what you have studied at the end of the day, and attempt tests at least once a week.

A month before the NEET exam, you should:

Revise all the topics thoroughly. If you are having doubts, talk to askIITians experts to get them clarified at the earliest.
Solve as many mock tests and previous year papers as possible to get a feel of the exam.
Solve full-length NEET sample papers, mock tests, or previous years' exams once in two days at least.
Focus on your weak areas and work on them.
You can boost your scores in Physics by trying to understand and derive the formulae, instead of trying to mug them up.
Make sure you are well-rested and have a positive attitude on the day of the exam.

Chemistry

Chemistry is one of the most important subjects in NEET, and you need to put in a lot of effort to score well in it. The best way to prepare for Chemistry is by starting with the NCERT books and then solving as many questions as possible from other reference books.

In NEET, most Chemistry questions are asked directly from the NCERT books. So, you must understand the concepts clearly and practice solved and unsolved questions given in the NCERT Chemistry books before moving on to other books.

If you have 2 years in hand, you should:

Start with the NCERT books and make sure you understand the concepts clearly.
Solve as many problems as possible from other Chemistry books like JEE Main Chemistry by OP Tandon, Modern's ABC of Chemistry Class 11th and 12th, etc. You can also take help from askIITians' exclusive NEET study material which comprises video lessons, concept maps, and revision notes.
Many NEET questions in the Chemistry section are asked from the Class 11th syllabus. So, you should focus on that syllabus first and then move on to the Class 12th syllabus.
You can also take online Chemistry mock tests on askIITians at the end of every chapter or topic to identify your weak areas.

If you have 1 year in hand, you should:

The chemistry syllabus for NEET is quite vast. It can be difficult to study it all in one year. So, you should focus on your weak areas and work on them.
Chemistry topics important for the NEET exam include Stoichiometry, Atomic Structure, Chemical Bonding, Thermodynamics, Solutions, Equilibrium, Redox Reactions, etc. You need to study these topics thoroughly.
Our Chemistry tutors suggest that if you have limited time in hand, you should focus on solving as many mock tests and previous year papers as possible to get a feel of the exam. Solved questions will help you understand the type of questions asked in the exam and unsolved questions will help you improve your problem-solving skills.
A one-year study plan for Chemistry must include time for making short notes, revising the topics you have studied, and solving mock tests. You can also join an online NEET coaching program to get access to quality study material and expert guidance.

A month before the NEET exam, you should:

Some students find Organic Chemistry difficult. They should focus on understanding the concepts and spend more time solving problems from that section. In the last month, you should focus on revising all the topics thoroughly. Do not try to mug up things at this stage. If you are having doubts, talk to askIITians experts to get them clarified at the earliest.
If you are struggling with solving Chemistry numerical, you might be lacking in practice. In the last month, you should solve as many mock tests and previous years' NEET papers as possible to get a feel of the exam.
Most NEET questions are direct but the tricky ones can take up a lot of time if you don't know how to attempt them. Check out solutions of NEET sample papersand previous years' question papers to understand how to solve such questions.

Botany

Do you ever wonder why an MBBS aspirant needs to study Botany? The answer is simple, to understand the human body, one must first know the basics of how cells function, what is metabolism, and how interconnected we are to other species on this planet.

For all medical aspirants, Botany is a subject that requires consistent effort throughout the year as the syllabus is vast.

If you have 2 years in hand, you should:

Learn from someone passionate about the subject.
Share your understanding of the subject with your peers and teachers in active forums.
Quiz yourself about plants as you walk through parks or gardens.
Memorize the Greek prefixes and suffixes and the Latin names of plants - and try to correlate their similarities and differences.
Explore how plants adapt to their environment, their roles in the ecological balance, how they propagate, how they find nourishment, how they protect themselves, etc.

If you have 1 year in hand, you should:

Start with the basics of plant morphology, including the study of external and internal features of plants, their classification, and identification.
Understand the plant cell - its structure and function - as it forms the basic unit of all plant life.
Study plant physiology, including topics like photosynthesis, respiration, transportation, excretion, etc. which are relevant to human physiology as well.
Learn about plant reproduction - asexual and sexual, including topics like pollination, fertilization, etc.
Study the economic importance of plants in our daily lives.
Don't forget to revise what you have studied throughout the year and solve as many mock tests and previous year papers as possible.

A month before the NEET exam, you should:

Focus on solving as many mock tests and previous year papers as possible. This will help you understand the type of questions asked in the exam and give you an idea of how to attempt them.
Check your revision notes and mind maps. You can also find ready-made ones for NEET on askIITians.
Do not try rote-learning at this stage. If you have doubts, ask an expert to clarify them.

Zoology

Zoology is the study of animal life and covers a wide range of topics, including animal anatomy and physiology, evolution, and ecology. It is an important subject for medical aspirants as it forms the foundation for understanding human physiology.

If you have 2 years in hand, you should:

Do comparisons. Animal cell vs plant cell, animal physiology vs plant physiology, animal metabolism vs plant metabolism, differences and similarities between genera and species, etc.
Make connections. How does an animal's anatomy help it in its locomotion? How does the physiology of an animal's digestive system help it in its digestion? What is the role of animals in the food chain and how do they help maintain the ecological balance?
Explore concepts. Evolution, natural selection, genetic drift, sexual selection, survival of the fittest, punctuated equilibrium, convergent and divergent evolution, etc.
Make your own revision notes, tables, and mind maps. It will help you remember concepts better.

If you have 1 year in hand, you should:

Start with the basics of animal morphology, including the study of external and internal features of animals, their classification, and identification.
Understand the cell - its structure and function - as it forms the basic unit of all animal life.
Study animal physiology, including topics like respiration, circulation, excretion, osmoregulation, etc. which are relevant to human physiology as well.
Learn about animal reproduction - asexual and sexual, including topics like fertilization, embryology, etc.
Study the economic importance of animals in our daily lives.
Don't forget to revise what you have studied throughout the year and solve as many mock tests and previous year papers as possible.

A month before the NEET exam, you should:

Focus on solving as many mock tests and previous year papers as possible. This will help you understand the type of questions asked in the exam and give you an idea of how to attempt them.
Check your revision notes and mind maps. You can also find ready-made ones for NEET on askIITians.
Do not try to memorize new things at this stage. If you have doubts, ask an expert to clarify them.
To boost your Zoology scores, pay special attention to labeled diagrams. Generally, 1-2 questions are asked on this topic. Practice as many labeled diagrams as you can.

Botany and Zoology are considered to be scoring subjects. With the right strategy and hard work, you can easily score above 50 marks in these subjects.

AIIMS Preparation Tips by Toppers You Must Read

Tanishka Yadav, AIR 1 in NEET 2022, shared, "I did six to seven hours self-study apart from attending school and coaching classes. Also, I never hesitated to ask questions until the concept became clear to me. I really wanted to learn what I was studying and that helped me a lot."
Rucha Pawashe, AIR 4 in NEET 2022, emphasizes, "Study the question paper and its pattern closely. Do not aim to study 24 hours a day. Proper time management, genuine interest in learning the subject, and facing the exam with confidence (not fear) are keys to score better in AIIMS."
Bhavik Bansal, AIR 1 in AIIMS 2019, said, "You should have a genuine interest in Biology. You should not rote learn Biology but actually understand and learn it. Revise it repeatedly. Also writing more than reading helped me remember concepts better."
Eliza Bansal, AIIMS topper in 2018, advises, "NEET exam preparation focuses on speed and accuracy. AIIMS preparation requires in-depth knowledge of subjects. A good coaching institute and a solid study plan can make it easier for you to crack the exam."

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ideal time to start preparing for the NEET exam?
While traditionally, students start preparing for the NEET exam in Class 11, these days, most students start preparing much earlier, sometimes even from Class 9. We have students from Class 6 who want to study from the best tutors to get their Science and Math concepts right from the beginning.
What is the syllabus for the NEET exam?
The NEET syllabus is based on the NCERT Class 11 and 12 Biology books. In addition to that, the AIPMT (now NEET) syllabus also includes some topics from Class 10 Biology.
What are the best books for NEET preparation?
Besides NCERT books, askIITians NEET study material, and askIITians Biology books are considered to be the best books for NEET preparation.
How can I score more than 90 percentile in NEET?
To score more than 90 percentile in NEET, you need to get at least 450 out of 720 marks, which is around 63%. To achieve this, you need to focus on your concepts, practice mock tests and previous year papers, and solve as many questions as possible.

How can I join askIITians?
You can join askIITians by subscribing to our website. We offer a variety of courses, including a 1-year NEET coaching program, a 2-year NEET coaching program, and modular online coaching packages starting at just INR 99.

Live courses Ask question