What to Study for NEET: Key Subjects, Books, and Strategies That Actually Work

When you're preparing for NEET, India's National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for medical and dental courses. Also known as National Eligibility Entrance Test, it's the single most important exam if you want to get into a government medical college. The question isn't just what to study—it's what to focus on. Most students waste months covering everything, then run out of time before the real exam. The truth? NEET tests a narrow set of high-yield topics across three subjects: Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. You don’t need to know everything. You need to know what shows up most often.

Biology, the heaviest section in NEET, makes up nearly half the exam—so it’s your biggest leverage point. Focus on Human Physiology, Genetics, Evolution, and Plant Physiology. NCERT textbooks aren’t just recommended—they’re the source. Over 80% of NEET Biology questions come directly from NCERT Class 11 and 12. Don’t buy 10 extra books. Master those two. For Chemistry, the subject with the most predictable patterns, prioritize Organic Chemistry mechanisms and Inorganic Chemistry trends—especially from the p-block and d-block elements. Memorize reactions, not just facts. And for Physics, where most students lose time, skip the overly complex derivations. Focus on Mechanics, Electrodynamics, and Optics. These three topics make up over 60% of the Physics section. Practice numericals daily. Speed matters more than depth here.

You’ll find posts below that break down exactly which chapters to prioritize, which books to skip, and how to turn 4 hours of study into 8 hours of retention. Some show how top scorers used NCERT like a playbook. Others reveal the hidden traps in previous years’ papers—like how often NEET repeats questions from 2019 or 2021. You’ll also see what coaching institutes don’t tell you: that you don’t need to join a ₹2 lakh course to crack NEET. Just consistent, smart work on the right material. This isn’t about studying harder. It’s about studying smarter. Let’s get you focused on what actually moves the needle.