INI-CET January 2027: exam pattern, dates, eligibility and cutoff
The AIIMS-run entrance for MD, MS, MDS, DM and MCh seats at 23 Institutes of National Importance. The January 2027 session exam is on 1 November 2026, and registration closes on 13 October 2026.
INI-CET is the Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test. It is the single entrance for postgraduate medical and dental seats at AIIMS and the other Institutes of National Importance (INIs). The Examination Section of AIIMS New Delhi conducts it.
Everything on this page comes from the official INI-CET Prospectus Part-A for the January 2027 session, published by AIIMS on aiimsexams.ac.in.
Registration closes on 13 October 2026
If you want to sit the January 2027 session, the last date to register is 13 October 2026, 5:00 pm. The exam is on 1 November 2026. The full schedule is on the important dates page.
Which courses and institutes use INI-CET?
INI-CET is used for admission to:
- MD and MS
- DM (6 years) and MCh (6 years)
- MDS
- MD (Hospital Administration)
There are 23 participating institutes:
- 19 AIIMS: New Delhi, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Nagpur, Patna, Raipur, Rishikesh, Bibinagar, Bathinda, Deoghar, Mangalagiri, Raebareli, Kalyani, Bilaspur, Gorakhpur, Guwahati, Rajkot and Jammu
- JIPMER, Puducherry
- NIMHANS, Bengaluru
- PGIMER, Chandigarh
- SCTIMST, Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)
What does the INI-CET paper look like?
| Item | January 2027 session |
|---|---|
| Mode | Computer-based, at centres across India |
| Questions | 200 |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Structure | 4 parts of 50 questions, 45 minutes each |
| Question types | Single correct choice and multiple correct choice |
| Marking | +1 correct, −1/3 incorrect, 0 unanswered |
Each part is shown one at a time. When a part’s 45 minutes end, it locks and is submitted automatically, and you cannot go back to it. The exam pattern page explains how that changes your time management.
Who can take INI-CET?
For the January 2027 session, Indian nationals need:
- MBBS (for MD, MS, DM, MCh and MD Hospital Administration) or BDS (for MDS), from a university recognised by the NMC/MCI or DCI
- the 12-month compulsory rotating internship completed on or before 31 January 2027
- at least 55% aggregate in MBBS or BDS, or 50% for SC and ST candidates
Rules for sponsored candidates, foreign nationals and OCI cardholders are on the eligibility page.
What score do you need to qualify?
You must reach the qualifying percentile for your category:
| Category | Qualifying percentile |
|---|---|
| UR (including OCI), EWS, Sponsored, Foreign Nationals | 50th |
| OBC, SC, ST, PwBD | 45th |
Qualifying makes you eligible for seat allocation; it does not guarantee a seat. See the cutoff page.
What is the INI-CET syllabus?
The January 2027 prospectus does not publish a separate syllabus. See the syllabus page for what is known and how to plan.
How is INI-CET different from NEET PG?
They are separate exams, run by different bodies, with different patterns:
| INI-CET (Jan 2027 session) | NEET PG | |
|---|---|---|
| Conducted by | AIIMS New Delhi | NBEMS |
| Held | Twice a year | Once a year |
| Marking | +1 / −1/3 | +4 / −1 |
| Question types | Single and multiple correct | MCQs |
Many students prepare for both. The NEET PG guide covers that exam.
How should you prepare?
INI-CET’s marking makes accuracy matter: three wrong answers cancel one right one, and multiple-correct questions make you judge every option, not just pick the likeliest. The preparation strategy covers pacing across the four locked parts.
Are TestGuru INI-CET mock tests open?
Not yet. TestGuru’s mock tests are live for JEE Main only. INI-CET is on a waitlist.
When they open, each test will follow the current INI-CET pattern, and the report will name the idea behind each wrong answer and build a practice set from your own mistakes. More on the INI-CET mock tests page.
TestGuru is not affiliated with AIIMS or any participating institute. Always confirm dates and rules on aiimsexams.ac.in.
Everything about INI-CET
Exam pattern
INI-CET exam pattern, January 2027 session: 200 questions in 3 hours, four locked 45-minute parts, single and multiple correct questions, +1/−1/3 marking.
Read →Syllabus
INI-CET syllabus: no separate official syllabus in the January 2027 prospectus. What is commonly understood to be covered, and how to plan MBBS or BDS revision.
Read →Dates
INI-CET January 2027 session dates: registration closes 13 October 2026, admit card 26 October, exam on 1 November 2026, result expected 7 November.
Read →Eligibility
INI-CET January 2027 eligibility: MBBS or BDS, internship completed by 31 January 2027, 55% aggregate (50% SC/ST), sponsored candidate rules and fees.
Read →Cutoff
INI-CET cutoff for the January 2027 session: 50th percentile for UR, EWS, OCI and sponsored candidates, 45th for OBC, SC, ST and PwBD. How qualifying works.
Read →Preparation
INI-CET preparation strategy: revising the MBBS course, pacing four locked 45-minute parts, handling multiple-correct questions and −1/3 negative marking.
Read →