Exam Day Tips to Reduce Negative Marking in NEET 2025

The NEET 2025 exam will be held on May 4 2025, for admission to undergraduate medical courses such as MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BHMS, etc. The exam is paramount as it is the only path to achieving your dream of becoming a doctor. A good score in the exam is important to secure a seat in the coveted medical college. However, the negative marks in the exam sometimes lead to low scores. Read the full blog to learn how you can reduce the impact of negative marks in the NEET exam with exam-day tips to boost your overall performance.

Key Strategies to Reduce Negative Marking on Exam Day

Here are a few tips for the students that will help you to reduce negative marks in the NEET exam:

1. Read and understand questions carefully.

Read the full question and understand what is asked before marking the option. Sometimes, students read half of the question and mark the option in a hurry and are overconfident that they knew the answer, but afterwards realise that the question was asking something different. 

To avoid such mistakes, read the question twice and analyse the options provided before you mark any option in your OMR sheet.

2. Avoid Guess

Guesswork does not work in the competitive exam. If you know the fundamental concept behind the question, you can easily answer the question. It is advisable to focus on understanding the concepts to answer any question.

3. Skip Doubtful Questions

Do not attempt the question for which you are unsure. If the question is taking too much time, leave it and move on to the next question. It will save you time and prevent you from attempting a question which you might have marked wrong in a hurry. 

4. Stop Stressing Out

Do not panic after seeing the question paper, stay calm and composed while appearing for the exam paper. Most students start panicking once the question paper is handed over to them. This leads to the loss of concentration and focus and wrong answers. 

If you feel stressed out in the exam hall, take a deep breath to relax your mind, and start your exam with full confidence.

Check out the 10 Tips to Handle Stress During NEET Preparation 2025

5. Prepare an Exam Strategy

Attending as many mock examinations as possible will help you strategize how to take the NEET exam. It will help you avoid the last-minute rush during the actual exam. Plan your exam strategy. You will be able to answer practically all of the questions by carefully reading and analyzing them. At Chaitanya Academy, we prepare our students and guide them throughout the program on how to answer the question paper efficiently.

6. Do Not Mark More Than One Option

When you start marking the answer in the OMR sheet, check it twice. Multiple selections of options for a particular question in the NEET exam paper are also considered incorrect answers. 

Last-Minute Tips Before the NEET 2025 Exam

Some last-minute tips before the NEET 2025 exam to elevate your overall performance in the exam are as follows:

1. Revise Important Topics: Concentrate on high-weightage chapters, NCERT notes, and essential formulas from Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
2. Avoid Learning New Concepts: Instead of starting new topics at the last minute, focus on strengthening what you already know.

3. Practice Quick Revision: Go through flashcards, short notes, or mind maps to quickly recall key concepts.

4. Solve Previous Year Papers and Mock Tests: To stay exam-ready, take one or two practice tests within a time limit.

5. Stay Calm and Manage Stress: Use deep breathing or meditation to relax and improve attention.

6. Sleep well before exam day: Get 6-8 hours of sleep to keep your thoughts clear and attentive during the exam.

7. Eat a Light and Healthy Meal: To avoid discomfort during the test, avoid eating anything heavy or oily.

8. Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water, but don’t overdo it to avoid extra bathroom breaks.

9. Prepare Exam Essentials: The day before the exam, have your NEET admit card, ID proof, transparent water bottle, pen, and other needed stuff ready.

10. Read instructions carefully: Review the NEET exam day rules to avoid any last-minute misunderstanding.

11. Stay Positive and Confident: Trust your preparation, remain cheerful, and have a calm demeanour throughout the exam.

Conclusion

Negative marks in the NEET exam can result in low scores and rank. To reduce the impact of the negative marking on your overall performance, you must follow the strategies discussed above in your exam preparation. Chaitanya Academy prepares its students with the techniques to reduce negative marks’ impact on overall performance. The institute offers comprehensive NEET classes for 11th, 12th and repeater students with an experienced team who can change the way of your NEET preparation.