National Entrance and Eligibility Test (NEET) and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) are the two of the most significant medical entrance examinations in India. Medical aspirants all across the country prepare hard to crack these tests to get admission to any one of the prestigious medical institutes. With both NEET 2019 and AIIMS 2019 around the corner, students should gear up for the final lap of their preparation.
The respective conducting bodies have released the important dates for both the exams. While NEET is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), AIIMS is conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi. The date for NEET 2019 is May 5, 2019. AIIMS 2019 will be held only twenty days apart on May 25 and May 26, 2019. The NEET 2019 admit card will is on April 15, 2019, and AIIMS will release the admit cards on May 15, 2019. So if you are a medical aspirant waiting to crack any one of the most important medical entrance examinations in the country, it is an excellent time to start chalking out preparation strategies and follow smart tricks to ace the tests.
Similarities and Dissimilarities between AIIMS and NEET
There are quite a few similarities in the syllabus of NEET and AIIMS as the primary subjects to be tested common for both the exams. Both the exams will be testing the students’ knowledge of Physics, Chemistry and Biology. So, students can start a preparation plan to combine the syllabus of both the examinations to save more time and effort. Moreover, the syllabus for both the exams are based on the syllabus of 11th and 12th standard science. Also, both the exams ask Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs). So, a combined preparation strategy makes perfect sense.
However, there are a few differences between them. While AIIMS is a Computer Based Test (CBT), NEET will be conducted offline. NEET tests only the core subjects, while AIIMS question paper comprises of General Knowledge and Aptitude apart from the three main subjects. There are a few differences in the exam pattern as well. In NEET, half of the question paper comprises of questions on Biology and the other half has questions on Physics and Chemistry, thus putting greater weight on Biology. In AIIMS, other than General Knowledge, all the other subjects are given equal weight. Also, the duration of both examinations is different. The duration of NEET is 180 minutes, and AIIMS is 210 minutes.
Combined Preparation Strategy
Here are a few tips and strategies for students who want to prepare for NEET and AIIMS together.
Both NEET and AIIMS syllabuses are hugely based on the 11th and 12th standard syllabus for science. So a major part of the syllabus for both the exams is covered by NCERT books. Thus if you are preparing for your boards or have appeared for your boards, you are already a step ahead in your preparation goals. NCERT books apart from other reference books can be the most valuable study materials for both the tests.
AIIMS has a General Knowledge section that will comprise of 20 questions on different topics. So allocate some time to stay updated to score 60 marks from that section. The twenty days gap between NEET and AIIMS can be utilized to brush up on your GK and revise the syllabus. As NEET will be held offline, you can find previous years’ papers to solve as practice tests and also attempt mock tests to improve time management skills. AIIMS being a CBT, you may have to depend on mock tests only for practice. Nevertheless, mock tests for any of the two examinations can help you get ready for the other one.
The time duration for NEET and AIIMS differs by 30 minutes. So be sure to time your mock tests accordingly. You will need to utilize the 30 minutes in AIIMS without getting impatient. The number of questions asked in NEET and AIIMS is different. While NEET will ask 180 questions, there will be 200 questions in AIIMS. So be sure to attempt separate mock tests to get familiar to each test pattern.
NEET is conducted for colleges across the nation and has a greater number of candidates appearing for the same, thus an increased competition. AIIMS, on the other hand, is taken by candidates who are willing to take admission in the AIIMS institutes. So the competition can be lesser. However, cracking AIIMS can appear tougher because the exam pattern can be unpredictable and the questions can require more in-depth knowledge to be answered. On the other hand, NEET has a more predictable pattern that can be followed for success. So, while you can plan a combined preparation plan for NEET and AIIMS, you should be ready to face a different exam pattern in each test and prepare accordingly to ace both of them.
