INI-CET is the Institute of National Importance-Combined Entrance Test. It is a combined medical entrance examination conducted for admission to PG courses [MD, MS, DM (6 yrs), MCh (6 yrs) & MDS] at INI institutes.

INI-CET typically assesses candidates’ knowledge, skills, and competencies in the medical field, and it includes multiple-choice questions (MCQs) on subjects included in the undergraduate medical programme.

The INI-CET 2024 exam date for the January session is 5^th November 2023.

INI-CET 2024: List of Participating Institutes

The list of participating institutes for the INI-CET January 2024 Session is as follows:

1. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi
2. AIIMS, Bhopal
3. AIIMS, Bhubaneshwar
4. AIIMS, Jodhpur
5. AIIMS, Nagpur
6. AIIMS, Patna
7. AIIMS, Raipur
8. AIIMS, Rishikesh
9. AIIMS, Bibinagar
10. AIIMS, Bhatinda
11. AIIMS, Deoghar
12. AIIMS, Mangalagiri
13. AIIMS, Raebareli
14. AIIMS, Kalyani
15. AIIMS, Bilaspur
16. AIIMS, Gorakhpur
17. AIIMS, Guwahati
18. Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry
19. National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru
20. Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh
21. Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Trivandrum

INI-CET 2024: Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to sit in the INI-CET, an applicant must be an Indian National (IN), an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI), or a Foreign National under the permitted categories but the eligibility criteria vary.

The general eligibility criteria to appear for the INI-CET 2024 exam are as follows:

1. Eligibility Criteria for Indian Nationals

Indian Nationals include the candidates who are citizens of India.

a. The prime eligibility qualification for admission to PG courses at INIs is an MBBS degree from an NMC/MCI-recognised medical college and one must have completed 12 months of compulsory rotatory internship/practical training on or before 31^st January 2024.

Minimum Aggregate Marks:

• General/OBC/EWS candidates must have a minimum of 55% aggregate in MBBS/BDS to appear for INI-CET whereas SC/ST candidates must have a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate.
• The minimum aggregate required for PwBD candidates depends on the category they fall into, say, 55% aggregate marks if they belong to GEN/OBC/EWS and 50% aggregate marks if they belong to SC/ST.

Make sure to consider the aggregate of all the professional MBBS/BDS exams to calculate the minimum eligibility aggregate required. In the case of supplementary exams, consider only the marks obtained for successful completion.

b. Sponsored candidates: In addition to the above criteria mentioned, sponsored candidates are required to upload a sponsored certificate during the application procedure and submit the original document at the time of admission.

c. For Indian Nationals who have graduated from foreign universities, the marks obtained in FMGE conducted by NBE will be considered in place of aggregate marks, in addition to the general eligibility criteria mentioned above.

Candidates are not eligible to apply for seats under both Indian National and Foreign National categories.

The eligibility criteria for admission to PG courses in different INIs may vary.

2. Eligibility Criteria for Foreign Nationals

Foreign Nationals include the candidates who are not citizens of India.

Candidate must have completed their MBBS degree for admission to MD/MS/DM(6yrs)/MCh(6yrs) and BDS for admission to MDS course along with the successful completion of 12 months of rotational internship/practical training.

Foreign Nationals desirous to appear for INI-CET are required to calculate the aggregate according to the grading system of the applicable university/institution and hence, they must obtain a grading system certificate from the applicable university/institute. Then accordingly fill in the “Marks Column” for completion of the Application Form for INI-CET January session 2024.

Minimum Aggregate Marks: To be eligible for INI-CET, the minimum marks in aggregate in all the professional exams of MBBS/BDS must be 55% aggregate or equivalent.

No Objection Certificate (NOC) Foreign National must be obtained from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India, and should be submitted to the Examination Section on or before the last date.

For the 2024 session, the Last date of receiving the application form duly recommended & forwarded with “No Objection Certificate” from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India for Foreign Nationals to apply and appear in the INI-CET for PG courses –January 2024 session is 3^rd November 2023.

Candidates would only be eligible for open category (unreserved) seats for Indian Nationals if they were born before 04.03.2021 and have obtained their OCI card before 04.03.2021. They will not be taken into account for seats reserved for foreigners.

According to the ruling of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in Writ Petition (Civil) 891 / 2021 dated February 03, 2023, OCI/PIO card holders who are not to be treated as Indian Nationals should be deemed considered Foreign Nationals. They will not be considered for seats reserved for Indian citizens.

It is highly advised to check your eligibility for the INI-CET exam and submit the relevant documents on time to avoid the cancellation of the application form.

Being aware of the process flow is crucial so that you don’t miss out on any step and to ease out the INI-CET journey, the process flow map is provided in this blog.

INI-CET 2024: Process Map

The INI-CET 2024 admission process steps are categorized into three phases:

Phase I: Application Procedure

It includes the registration procedures & basic candidate information, generation of EUC, followed by completion of the application.

While filling out the application form, make sure to upload the necessary documents and the earliest issued valid OCI card(if applicable) on the portal. The required documents vary depending on your nationality and category.

Phase II: Examination

The examination phase includes the release of admit card, a computer-based test followed by result declaration, and filling of college choice and order preference for counselling.

Phase III: Seat Allocation

This phase includes counselling procedures for all the rounds, say the Mock round, 1^st round, and 2^nd round. In addition to these, depending upon the requirements, additional rounds, open rounds, and spot rounds are also conducted.

INI-CET is a challenging exam but is worth every effort you make to get admission into your dream medical college.