If you ask any NEET aspirant which exam year drew the most sweat from students, you'll get heated debates, wild theories, and sometimes, stories that sound a bit exaggerated. Yet, dig a little deeper, and you'll notice a few years keep coming up in every conversation. So, which was truly the hardest NEET exam?
The Year That Shook Students: 2016 and Its Ripples
The 2016 NEET exam wasn’t just any entrance test—it turned into a saga. Why? That year, the Supreme Court dropped a last-minute bomb: two phases for NEET, with the first catching tons of students off guard. Many had already written other exams like state PMTs or AIPMT, so when NEET Phase 1 happened in May, some walked into the hall underprepared. Then came Phase 2 in July, and by then, stress levels were sky-high. Imagine trying to prepare for two national-level exams, after your whole plan for the year got scrambled. ‘Random’ is the word most 2016 candidates use.
The mix of repeated questions in both phases and strict marking made things more nerve-wracking. To make it more complex, 2016 saw a sudden shift in the difficulty of Biology—usually considered the savior for NEET takers—with a handful of bizarre, unexpected questions coming straight out of NCERT footnotes. Chemistry went surprise-happy with assertion-reason patterns, and Physics… well, that paper haunted dreams all summer.
| Year | Average Candidate Score (%) | Cut-off Score (General) | No. of Applicants | Reported Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 36 | 145 | 8.02 lakh | Very High |
| 2017 | 42 | 131 | 11.4 lakh | Above Average |
| 2018 | 44 | 119 | 13 lakh | Above Average |
| 2019 | 47 | 134 | 15.2 lakh | Moderate |
| 2020 | 52 | 147 | 15.9 lakh | Challenging |
Notice how the cut-off didn’t leap even as applicant numbers soared? That’s a sign: if more people turn up, but scores still struggle, the paper clearly bit back harder that year.
Other Notorious Years: What Made Them Tough?
If 2016 was a wildcard, 2020 and 2013 deserve special mentions in the NEET “Hall of Legends.” You’d expect 2020 to be easier (because of COVID disruptions), but nope—the questions got more analytical and application-based. Physics especially gave even toppers a run for their money. Plus, the mental stress of the pandemic, masks, and social distancing piled it on.
2013 is still talked about because the number of high-difficulty Physics numericals was just insane. That year, even coaching center tutors shook their heads in disbelief. Some questions borrowed twists from old JEE papers, and students found themselves stumped when they saw three-step calculations required right at the start of the paper. The whole “NCERT is enough” mantra totally failed in those sections.
Everyone loves stats, so here’s another interesting bit:
| NEET Year | Physics 'Tough' Questions (%) | Biology 'Tricky' Questions (%) | Avg. Topper Score (Physics) | Avg. Topper Score (Biology) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 48 | 23 | 128/180 | 165/180 |
| 2016 | 54 | 18 | 121/180 | 155/180 |
| 2020 | 38 | 25 | 133/180 | 162/180 |
It’s no wonder a lot of NEET aspirants started dreading Physics! In fact, if you scroll forums today, you’ll see people still grumbling about “that one crazy Physics set”—almost like a rite of passage.
Inside the NEET Paper: Hidden Traps and Game-Changers
People often ask, “What makes one NEET paper harder than another?” It’s way more than tough questions—sometimes, it’s the shuffling of sections, or pure confusion in tricky assertions and ‘matrix match’ types. The devil’s in the details.
- Biology: Normally the comfort zone, but in hard years, tiny NCERT lines became big-boss questions. Some years, answer options were almost identical or felt ambiguous, forcing students to lose precious time. In 2016, about 28% of Biology MCQs were indirect or interpretation-heavy. That catches people out!
- Chemistry: Assertion-reasoning parts climbed to an all-time high in 2016. Organic sections would suddenly get flooded with two-step conversions or rare name reactions. Even with all the practice, pattern shifts left lots of students second-guessing themselves. In 2018, environmental chemistry—normally a footnote—accounted for 7 questions!
- Physics: Easily the biggest troublemaker. Years like 2013, 2016, and 2020 are remembered for Physics that tested endurance, not just memory. Problems went past basic formulas to real-world application, dimensional analysis, and complex numericals with multiple concepts in play. Even the toppers sometimes missed full marks here.
Here’s an honest tip: even if you ace Physics at school, NEET has a history of asking questions that nobody expects, just to keep you on your toes. If you’re preparing right now, always try solving papers from 2013, 2016, and 2020. Treat them as your “worst case scenario.” If you can survive those, you’ll be fine with anything NEET throws your way.
Lessons from the Hardest Years: Crucial Tips for Future NEET Takers
If you’re aiming for NEET, don’t get spooked by the legends around hard papers. The truth is, the toughest years have some of the best lessons. Here’s how to use those “scary” years to your advantage:
- Don’t get stuck on section-by-section study — NEET is famous for mixing concepts. Cross-chapter revision is a must.
- If a question looks weird or unfamiliar, remember, it’s probably weird for everyone. Don’t obsess, just move on and come back later.
- Practice assertion-reason and application-based questions—especially in Chemistry and Biology. One study showed students improved their average NEET score by 14% after focusing on these types.
- When the going gets tough, accuracy beats speed. In difficult papers, marks are often lost by panicking and rushing. Stay calm, go steady.
- Don’t ignore Physics! No shortcuts—lots of practice, especially multi-step problems and dimensional analysis. You’ll be glad you did.
- Keep a “NEET Survival Journal”—after each mock, jot down the wildest or most confusing questions, and revisit them before the real exam.
- Mental stamina is as important as intellectual stamina. Simulate real exam conditions, wear your mask, time yourself, and keep distractions away while practicing. If you can handle mock papers under pressure, you’ll feel far less nervous in the real exam.
And here’s something encouraging: data consistently shows that even in the hardest NEET years, smart prep and clear strategies helped plenty of students rank in the top 1%. They didn’t try to guess what “curveball” the exam would throw; they focused on the basics, worked on weaknesses, and didn’t overthink pattern changes. The year might be unpredictable, but solid prep always shines through.
So, after all the stories, stats, and sweat, which was the hardest NEET exam? Most people land on 2016 as the king of chaos, but every year has thrown its own set of curveballs. The key is to learn from those legendary challenges and use them to crush your own path to a medical seat. If you’re prepping for NEET right now, channel the lessons (and a little courage) from those hardest years—and who knows, next time, you might be the one sharing your own NEET war stories.