INI-CET Guide — AIIMS JIPMER PGI NIMHANS

What is INI-CET?

The exam for India's premier medical institutes

INI-CET (Institutes of National Importance Combined Entrance Test) is the PG medical entrance exam conducted jointly by AIIMS New Delhi, JIPMER, PGIMER Chandigarh and NIMHANS. It is separate from NEET PG and gives access to some of the most prestigious PG seats in India.

Conducted twice yearly — May and November sessions

Open to MBBS graduates with completed internship (CRRI)

MD, MS, MDS, M.Sc., DM, MCh seats at participating institutes

Separate exam from NEET PG — requires different preparation strategy

200 MCQ questions from MBBS curriculum — 2.5 hours duration

Negative marking: -1 for wrong answers

INI-CET vs NEET PG

Key differences

INI-CET

• Access: AIIMS, JIPMER, PGIMER, NIMHANS only

• 200 MCQs — CBT mode

• Twice a year (May + November)

• AIIMS-style questions — clinical heavy

• No NEET PG seats via INI-CET

NEET PG

• Access: Govt, private, deemed colleges across India

• 200 MCQs — CBT mode

• Once a year

• Broader syllabus — all MBBS subjects

• 47,000+ MD/MS/DNB seats

EduTrack Tip: Appearing in both INI-CET and NEET PG simultaneously is allowed and highly recommended. Many students get a good seat via one and use the other as a backup.

Participating Institutes

Where INI-CET rank gets you a seat

🏛️

AIIMS New Delhi

India's most prestigious medical institute. Extremely competitive — top 200-300 ranks across all specialties. MD, MS, DM, MCh programs available.

MD/MS seats: ~220 · DM/MCh: ~120

🏛️

AIIMS Jodhpur, Bhopal, Raipur, Patna...

19 newer AIIMS campuses across India — Jodhpur, Bhopal, Raipur, Patna, Rishikesh, Bhubaneswar, Mangalagiri, Guwahati, Bibinagar, Madurai and more. Growing seat strength every year.

Each campus: 60–120 MD/MS seats · Total: 1,000+ across all AIIMS

🔬

JIPMER Puducherry & Karaikal

Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research. Top-tier institute with outstanding research environment. MD, MS, DM, MCh, M.Sc. programs.

MD/MS seats: ~120 · DM/MCh: ~60

🏥

PGIMER Chandigarh

Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research — one of India's finest. Strong in all specialties, especially Neurology, Cardiology, and Haematology.

MD/MS seats: ~200 · DM/MCh: ~100

🧠

NIMHANS Bengaluru

National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences — world-renowned for Psychiatry, Neurology, Neurosurgery and Neuroimaging. Unique PG programs not available elsewhere.

MD Psychiatry: ~20 · DM Neurology: ~15 · Other: ~50

📋

AIIMS-like Autonomy

All INI-CET institutes are autonomous, centrally funded and have their own rules — no bond service, no state reservation, competitive stipend. High research output and training standards.

Stipend: ₹75,000–1,10,000/month · No bond obligation

Cutoff Reference

INI-CET 2024 Closing Ranks — Key Specialties

These are approximate Round 2 closing ranks at AIIMS institutes. Use as a guide only — actual cutoffs vary by year and campus.

Specialty	AIIMS Delhi 2024	AIIMS Jodhpur 2024	AIIMS Bhopal 2024	Newer AIIMS 2024	PGIMER 2024
MD General Medicine	198	620	780	1800–3500	480
MD Radiology	82	280	360	800–1500	210
MD Dermatology	45	170	220	500–1000	130
MS General Surgery	380	1100	1400	3000–6000	850
MS Orthopaedics	340	980	1250	2800–5500	790
MS OBG	420	1300	1650	3500–7000	950
MD Paediatrics	520	1500	1900	4000–8000	1100
MD Psychiatry	1200	3500	4500	8000–15000	2800
MD Anaesthesia	890	2500	3200	6000–12000	2100
MS ENT	650	1900	2400	5000–9500	1500
MD Emergency Medicine	3500	8000	10000	15000–30000	N/A

⚠️

Approximate data — verify with AIIMS official result data. Ranks shift year to year. EduTrack counsellors analyse real round-wise cutoffs for personalised guidance.

Counselling Strategy

How to approach INI-CET counselling

1

Appear in both INI-CET and NEET PG

Most AIIMS-targeting students appear in both. INI-CET is your shot at premier institutes; NEET PG is your safety net. Preparing for one helps the other.

2

Register on the INI-CET counselling portal

After results, register on the AIIMS PG counselling portal — separate from MCC NEET PG portal. Fee and document submission deadlines are strict.

3

Specialty-first or Institute-first?

At AIIMS: specialty-first (Radiology at AIIMS Bhopal over General Medicine at AIIMS Jodhpur?). EduTrack analyses this based on your rank and career goals.

4

Fill choices across all campuses

Don't just aim for AIIMS Delhi. Newer AIIMS campuses still have AIIMS-level training and stipend. Fill all preferred specialty choices across all campuses for maximum allocation chance.

5

Parallel NEET PG strategy

If INI-CET Round 1 doesn't give you the desired seat — don't resign immediately. Check NEET PG allotment simultaneously and decide which to accept.

6

Joining & bond policy

INI-CET seats have no bond service obligation, competitive stipend (₹75K–1.1L/month), and AIIMS-level infrastructure and faculty. Joining formalities are straightforward.

FAQ

INI-CET — Common Questions

Yes, absolutely. Most AIIMS-targeting students appear in both. There is no conflict — INI-CET gives you access to AIIMS/JIPMER/PGI/NIMHANS, while NEET PG gives you access to all other MD/MS/DNB seats across India. Appearing in both maximises your options and provides a strong safety net.

INI-CET tends to have more clinical application-based and image-based questions compared to NEET PG which is more fact-recall oriented. The difficulty is comparable, but the exam pattern differs. Students who prepare for INI-CET clinical scenarios generally find NEET PG easier, and vice versa — preparing for NEET PG factual recall also helps INI-CET basic science sections.

No. AIIMS PG seats (via INI-CET) do NOT have a rural service bond unlike many state quota seats. This is one major advantage of INI-CET seats. However, you must complete the MD/MS course — early exit may have institute-specific penalties. Stipend is ₹75,000–1,10,000/month depending on year of residency.

All INI-CET institutes offer competitive stipends. AIIMS: ~₹75,000 (Junior) to ₹80,000 (Senior Resident)/month. PGIMER: ~₹80,000–95,000/month. JIPMER: ~₹75,000–85,000/month. NIMHANS: similar range. These are significantly higher than most state govt college stipends. Contact EduTrack for current confirmed figures.

EduTrack guides you through: (1) Specialty selection based on your INI-CET rank and goals, (2) Campus-wise choice filling strategy across all AIIMS + JIPMER + PGI + NIMHANS, (3) Accept vs upgrade decisions at each round, (4) Parallel NEET PG counselling strategy if INI-CET seat doesn't meet your preference. Call or WhatsApp us at 8484098904.

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INI-CET — Complete Guide 2026