NEET-MDS 2024 - National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Masters of Dental Surgery

About NEET-MDS 2024

National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Masters of Dentistry Surgery (NEET-MDS) serves as a combined eligibility and ranking test conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) that is mandated as the sole entrance examination for securing admission to different MDS courses governed by the Dentists Act, 1948 (subject to amendments). No other entrance examination conducted at the state or institutional level will be considered valid for enrollment into MDS courses. Meeting the qualifying criteria of NEET-MDS is obligatory for seeking admission to MDS courses offered by various universities and institutions across the country.

NEET-MDS 2024 offers a level playing field for dental graduates from all over the country, eliminating the need for multiple state-level or institution-specific entrance tests. By centralizing the admission process, NEET-MDS streamlines the selection procedure, making it more efficient and accessible for candidates seeking specialized education in the field of dentistry.

This national-level examination not only tests the knowledge and aptitude of dental graduates but also provides a platform for them to showcase their skills and expertise. It acts as a stepping stone towards advanced dental education, enabling candidates to pursue specializations in various disciplines such as oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, periodontics, and more.

NEET-MDS 2024 opens doors to a multitude of opportunities in the dental profession. It equips aspirants with the necessary credentials to compete in a highly competitive job market, both nationally and internationally. By successfully clearing this examination, candidates gain a competitive edge, demonstrating their commitment to excellence and dedication to their chosen field.

NEET-MDS 2024 will be the only exam that determines eligibility and entrance for admission to MDS Courses for the academic session 2024-25 which include the following- 

• All India 50 % quota seats across all States for MDS courses

• Each State/Union territory of India will have state quota seats reserved for MDS courses

• Private Dental Colleges, Institutions, and Universities in all parts of the country.

• MDS courses at Armed Forces Medical Services Institutions.

• Screening exam for dental surgeons (BDS & MDS) for Short Service Commission in Army Dental Corps

Important Dates

The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has already released the information brochure for NEET-MDS 2024 on its official website. The brochure comprises the Important dates pertaining to NEET-MDS 2024. The table below will give candidates a clear idea about NEED-MDS 2024's important dates-

Application Procedure

The application procedure for NEET-MDS 2024 involves the following procedure- 

• New User Registration for generating the User ID and Password

• Applicant login using the newly created User ID and Password 

• Filling out the application form; providing the required information, uploading the necessary documents, scanned signature, thumb impression and prescribed photographs 

• Selecting the test city

• Online fee payment

• Agreeing to the declaration and submitting the Application 

• Candidates must take a printout of the filled Application form with the Transaction ID printed on it and the Payment status mentioned as “S” (successful) for records. 

Eligibility for NEET-MDS 2024

To be eligible for admission to the Master in Dental Surgery program, a candidate must hold a Bachelor in Dental Surgery degree from a recognized university or institution in India. Additionally, they should be registered with the State Dental Council and have acquired provisional or permanent registration. It is also mandatory for candidates to have completed a one-year compulsory rotatory internship at an approved or recognized dental college.

A candidate who has cleared the final qualifying examination (BDS or an internationally recognized dental degree approved by the Government of India/Dental Council of India) and is currently undergoing a 12-month compulsory rotatory internship/practical training will be eligible to take this examination if they are expected to complete the internship by 01 April to 30 June. However, in order to be considered for admission, the candidate must have successfully completed the compulsory rotatory internship and obtained provisional or permanent registration on or before March 31, 2024. Alternatively, the candidate can provide a certificate from the head of their institution confirming that they will complete the internship by March 31, 2024.

Candidates who are deemed ineligible at any point during NEET-MDS 2024 will not be allowed to participate in the examination or counselling process. In the rare occurrence that an ineligible candidate manages to appear for and/or achieve success in NEET-MDS 2024, their results and candidature will be invalidated or considered null and void.

Candidates who request to appear in NEET-MDS 2024, but are either completing their internship after 01 April to 30 June, 2024 or possess qualifications that are not recognized according to the Dentists Act, will have their requests promptly rejected. Additionally, candidates are strongly advised against lobbying or campaigning for their requests.

The eligibility of candidates who have been issued admit cards for the NEET-MDS 2024 examination is solely provisional. It is important to note that appearing in NEET-MDS 2024 does not guarantee automatic admission to MDS courses.

Colleges Accepting Score

National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Masters of Dentistry Surgery 2024 (NEET-MDS 2024) score will be accepted by Private Dental Colleges, Institutions, and Universities across India. Scores are also accepted by Armed Forces Medical Services Institutions. 

For the 2024-25 session, the MDS seats through NEET-MDS centralized admissions do not include the following medical institution(s)- AIIMS, New Delhi

Syllabus for NEET-MDS 2024

The exam syllabus for NEET-MDS 2024 will align with the BDS standard and encompass all subjects and topics taught during the BDS course as per the DCI Revised BDS Course Regulations of 2007, subject to any amendments made over time. The table below gives a clear idea about the topics involved in NEET-MDS 2024 and the distribution of questions-

Examination Pattern

NEET-MDS 2024 was a Computer-based test with 240 MCQs conducted in a single day and single session. Correct answer or the most appropriate answer: Four marks (+4). Any incorrect option marked will be given minus one mark (-1). Unanswered/Marked for Review will be given no mark (0). The duration of the test was three (03) hours. During the examination, candidates have the choice to mark any question, whether they have answered it or not, for review. This means that candidates can revisit these questions before the exam time is over. It's important to note that these marked-for-review questions will be evaluated according to the specified marking scheme.

Declaration of Results

The NBEMS (National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences) organizes the NEET-MDS 2024 examination, declares the results and provides them to the designated counselling authority. It's important for candidates to understand that NBEMS is only responsible for conducting the exam and sharing the results. They do not have any involvement in the counselling or allocation of postgraduate seats. The relevant authority will handle the verification of documents and determination of candidate eligibility during the counselling and admission process. The results of NEET-MDS 2024 are declared on an All India Rank [AIR] basis. This year, it was declared on the 18 of April 2024. The result of NEET-MDS 2024 is displayed on NBEMS websites https://natboard.edu.in and https://nbe.edu.in

Outcomes of NEET-MDS 2024

NBEMS was responsible for organizing NEET-MDS 2024. Candidates should be aware that NBEMS' involvement is limited to conducting the exam, announcing the results, and delivering them to the designated counselling authority. NEET-MDS 2024 was the qualifying entrance exam for admission to MDS courses for the academic session 2024-25 in Private Medical Colleges, Institutions, and Universities across India. Scores are also accepted by Armed Forces Medical Services Institutions. Candidates who satisfy the cut-off requirements will proceed to the counselling stage which will assist them with getting allotted to medical colleges. Nevertheless, NBEMS does not participate in the counselling or allocation of postgraduate (PG) seats. The appropriate authority will conduct the verification of documents and evaluation of the candidate's eligibility as part of the counselling and admission procedure.

The counselling is conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for the following Institutions/Universities-

• 50 % All India Quota Seats of all states (The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir can participate only if they offer a certain number of seats.)

• 100% seats (All India Quota seats + Institutional Quota seats) of Central Universities (Aligarh Muslim University/ Banaras Hindu University/ University of Delhi/ Central Institutes as per eligibility conditions as provided by the respective college/institute

• 100% seats of Deemed University

•  50% AIQ P.G seats of colleges under Employee State Insurance Corporation (wards of ESIC insured persons)

• Armed Forces Medical Services Institutions (on the registration part)

• Central Institutes, VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, ABVIMS & RML Hospital and ESIC Institute, PGIMSR, Basaidarapur(50% All India Quota seats and 50% seats of I.P University)