NEET Negative Marking: How to Decide When to Attempt or Skip a Question

Attempt a NEET question when your honest chance of being right is above 20%. A correct answer gives +4 and a wrong one costs 1, so the break-even is one chance in five.

In practice: attempt when you are sure, guess when you can eliminate an option for a reason, and skip when you have no basis. Check the current NTA information bulletin for the marking scheme of your attempt year.

The one-line maths

Average marks per attempt = 5p minus 1, where p is your chance of being right.

How many questions can you safely guess?

There is no fixed number, because the risk depends on your odds, not the count. A wrong answer is a 5-mark swing against a right one.

So blind guesses are slightly positive on paper but swing wildly. Guesses backed by elimination are the safe ones.

The 20-second test

1. Can I recall or solve it? If yes, mark it.

2. Can I eliminate an option and say why? A reason counts: it contradicts NCERT, the unit is wrong, or the statement is extreme.

3. After elimination, is my honest chance above 20%? If yes, attempt.

4. Am I past my time budget? At 180 questions in 180 minutes you average one minute each. Park the question and return later.

Example: a statement question lists I, II and III with options like I and II only, II and III only, I and III only, and all three. If you are sure statement II is false, every option containing II goes. One option remains.

Calibrate your own 20%

Your honest chance is not what it feels like. After every mock, tag each answer Sure, Eliminated or Blind, then count the accuracy in each group.

• Eliminated accuracy above 33%: keep guessing.

• Blind accuracy below 20% across three mocks: skip blind questions.

• Sure accuracy below 90%: slow down, because you are overconfident.

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A three-pass plan

1. Pass one: answer what you are sure of.

2. Pass two: return to parked questions and apply the 20-second test.

3. Last ten minutes: verify your OMR sheet only. Do not bubble new random answers.

In the pen-and-paper exam, treat the OMR as final. Decide before you bubble.

Mistakes to avoid

• Revenge guessing after a hard Physics section

• Bubbling randomly in the last minutes

• Changing an answer on a hunch, without a fact

• Skipping out of fear when you could eliminate an option

• Choosing by pattern, such as “C is due”

Frequently asked questions

Is there negative marking in NEET?

Yes. NEET UG gives +4 for a correct answer, minus 1 for a wrong one and 0 for an unattempted question. Confirm this in the NTA bulletin for your year.

How many marks are deducted for a wrong answer?

One mark. But the real cost is 5 marks, since you also lose the 4 you could have scored.

Should I attempt all 180 questions?

Only where your honest chance is above 20%. Leaving a question blank is correct when you have no basis.

Is blind guessing worth it?

On paper it earns about +0.25 per question, but 20 blind guesses leave roughly a 1 in 4.5 chance of ending in the red.

What if I am torn between two options?

Attempt it. A 50% chance averages +1.5 marks per question.

Can I change the answer?

Change it only if you recall a specific fact. Anxiety is not a reason.

Build your own break-even

Bring your last two mock papers to our counsellors, and we will help you find your personal break-even. Explore our NEET course in Nashik, or call +91 7770018560 / 61 / 62.

No strategy guarantees a score. Results depend on preparation and practice.