The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2025, conducted on May 4, has triggered a wave of concern, with several stakeholders calling it the most difficult paper since the exam’s inception.
While Physics proved to be especially tough, Biology was time-consuming and Chemistry fell into the moderately difficult range — a combination that could pull cut-offs down this year, The Free Press Journal reports.
Sudha Shenoy, a parent-mentor based in Mumbai, observed that students were overwhelmed by the unexpected rise in difficulty. “Physics was high difficulty, Biology lengthy, and Chemistry average. Overall, not an easy paper, so ranks will get well distributed,” she noted.
She added that many students came out of the exam in tears, unprepared for such a level of challenge. Time management remained a major obstacle, even with the 3 hour 20 minute format introduced in 2020.
Mumbai-based medical education activist Brijesh Sutaria echoed similar concerns. “Physics is the game-changer — it can make or break a student’s score,” he said, pointing to this year’s concept-heavy numericals.
Organic and Physical Chemistry posed their own challenges, while Biology remained anchored in NCERT material but still demanded both speed and accuracy.
Beyond the difficulty, allegations of paper leaks in some states have cast a shadow over the process. Sutaria voiced alarm, saying such incidents “demoralise sincere aspirants” and called for immediate action to protect the exam’s integrity, The Free Press Journal highlighted.
Meanwhile, reactions from families were emotional and critical. One parent described the exam as an “elimination round” rather than a selection test. Another speculated that the toughness was a reaction to past controversies. Students, for their part, felt their preparation didn’t match what the paper demanded.
