What's the last resort? NTA introduces new rule for NEET 2025 tie-breaking criteria
New Delhi: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has introduced a new tie-breaking rule for the National Eligibility-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2025. Introduced last year, ties between candidates with identical scores were resolved using a seven-step criterion. However, if a tie persists after applying these existing methods, the NTA will now consult an independent expert committee to determine the merit order through a random process.
The changes are particularly crucial given the increasing competition among medical aspirants, where even a fraction of a mark can determine college admission.
If two or more candidates obtain the same marks/percentile scores in NEET UG 2025, their inter-se merit will be determined in the following order:
Updated Tie-Breaking Rules
Biology Scores First: Candidates securing higher marks in Biology (Botany & Zoology) will be given preference.
Chemistry Next: If the tie remains, Chemistry scores will be considered.
Physics as a Decider: If a tie still exists, higher Physics scores will be used to rank candidates.
Accuracy Matters: Candidates with a lower proportion of incorrect to correct answers across all subjects will be ranked higher.
Subject-Wise Accuracy: If needed, accuracy in specific subjects will be assessed in the following order:
Lower incorrect answers in Biology
Lower incorrect answers in Chemistry
Lower incorrect answers in Physics
Final Resort – Random Selection: If all the above criteria fail to break the tie, a random selection process will be conducted under the guidance of an independent expert committee​.
The NEET 2025 bulletin stated:
"In case of two or more candidates obtain equal marks/percentile scores in the NEET (UG) - 2025, the inter-se-merit shall be determined as follows:
a. Candidate obtaining higher marks/percentile score in Biology (Botany & Zoology) in the Test, followed by,
b. Candidate obtaining higher marks/percentile score in Chemistry in the Test, followed by,
c. Candidate obtaining higher marks/percentile score in Physics in the Test, followed by,
d. Candidate with less proportion of the number of attempted incorrect answers and correct answers in all the subjects in the Test,
e. Candidate with less proportion of a number of attempted incorrect answers and correct answers in Biology (Botany & Zoology) in the Test, followed by
f. Candidate with less proportion of a number of attempted incorrect answers and correct answers in Chemistry in the Test, followed by
g. Candidate with less proportion of a number of attempted incorrect answers and correct answers in Physics in the Test, followed by
h. In case, a-g criteria are exhausted and tie still persists, it will be resolved through a random process with the guidance of an independent expert committee"
