NEET UG 2026: The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduate Admissions, commonly known as NEET UG, has emerged as the fifth-largest examination in the world by the number of applications, according to a recent SBI Research report. The medical entrance examination receives around 25 lakh applications annually, placing it among the world's biggest competitive examinations.
The report compared major examinations across countries based on the number of applications. China's Gaokao topped the list with around 1.29 crore applications, followed by Brazil's ENEM, China's Central Civil-Service Examination and China's National Master's Entrance Examination. NEET UG featured at fifth position with approximately 2.5 million applications.
NEET UG Ranked 5th Among World's Largest Exams
According to SBI Research, NEET UG receives approximately 2.5 million, or 25 lakh, applications. The exam ranked ahead of several other major international examinations, including Türkiye's YKS, Nigeria's UTME and the US SAT.
The report's ranking is based on application volume, and the figures should not be interpreted as the number of candidates who necessarily appeared for the examination.
World's Largest Exams: SBI Research Ranking
|
Rank |
Examination |
Country |
Applications |
|
1 |
Gaokao |
China |
12.9 million |
|
2 |
ENEM |
Brazil |
4.8 million |
|
3 |
Central Civil-Service Examination (Guokao) |
China |
3.7 million |
|
4 |
National Master's Entrance Examination |
China |
3.4 million |
|
5 |
NEET UG |
India |
2.5 million |
|
6 |
YKS |
Türkiye |
2.4 million |
|
7 |
UTME |
Nigeria |
2.2 million |
|
8 |
SAT |
US/International |
2.0 million |
|
9 |
SSC and equivalent examinations |
Bangladesh |
1.8 million |
|
10 |
ACT |
US |
1.4 million |
NEET UG 25 Lakh Applications: Why It Matters
NEET UG is India's common undergraduate medical entrance examination and is used for admission to MBBS, BDS and other medical and allied programmes. The examination is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
The scale of NEET UG makes its examination infrastructure particularly significant. With millions of students registering each year, ensuring secure question-paper handling, transparent evaluation and effective mechanisms to address examination-related disruptions remains a major challenge.
The SBI Research report comes amid discussions around strengthening India's examination system following concerns related to the conduct and security of national-level examinations. The report has drawn comparisons with China's Gaokao and suggested several measures that India could consider to improve examination security and accountability.
SBI Research Suggests Measures to Strengthen Exam System
The SBI report has highlighted several areas where India's examination framework could be strengthened. These include clearly defining responsibility for question-paper custody, establishing procedures for postponements and re-examinations, and maintaining reserve question papers and alternative examination centres.
The report also recommends stronger evaluation safeguards, including anonymous double-marking and automated audits of scoring systems. It further calls for transparent reporting of examination incidents and time-bound mechanisms for candidate appeals.
The research also emphasises monitoring how examination disruptions and corrective measures affect different groups of candidates, including students from rural areas and candidates from different social and demographic categories.
NEET UG Among India's Biggest Competitive Exams
The SBI comparison also included other major Indian examinations. UPSC Civil Services Examination was listed at around 1.2 million applications, while JEE Main received approximately 1 million applications. UGC NET was listed at around 0.8 million applications.
The figures underline the enormous scale of India's competitive examination ecosystem, where multiple national-level examinations cater to millions of students each year.
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