NEET 2020 Question Paper with Answer Key

NEET 2020 Question Paper With Answer

Cracking the NEET exam may require significant dedication and effort. You need to devote more time to studies rather than other curricular activities. If you are unable to devote your time to studies you will end up failing the exam. This way you can lose your chance to get admission in the best medical colleges. Later on, your dream of becoming a doctor may fail, leading to frustration. Undoubtedly, if you want to crack the upcoming NEET exam on your first attempt then solve the previous year's question papers. Solve them multiple times so that you can analyse your performance and see whether you are eligible to appear for the exam. Remember studying is not the only solution you need to incorporate it into your preparation method. It is a smarter approach that benefits many students. The best thing that you can do is to solve the NEET 2020 question paper. 

How was the NEET 2020 conducted?

Everyone is aware of the fact that 2020 was the year of the coronavirus pandemic. The whole world stood at a standstill, and the exam was postponed. Every year the exam is held in the first week of May. However, in 2020 the exam was held in September. It was held on 13th September and a few candidates were tested COVID positive. For those candidates there was a re-exam on 14th October. This year Biology was easier than Physics and Chemistry. Therefore, you can download the NEET mock test paper of 2020 and solve it. It is available online in a PDF format. Utilise this opportunity to the fullest by solving the paper on an OMR sheet as it makes you feel like a live exam. You can download the NEET 2020 question paper and solve it now. 

Essential details of the NEET 2020 exam

Before you proceed with the NEET 2020 question paper, you need to be aware of the key highlights. Here are the key highlights of the exam: 

• Conducting Authority: National Testing Agency (NTA)
• Mode of Examination: Offline (Pen-and-Paper Based)
• Total Questions: 180
• Total Marks: 720
• Subjects Covered: Physics, Chemistry and Biology (Botany and Zoology are included)
• Duration: 3 Hours

In terms of difficulty the NEET 2020 question paper was moderate. A few students were able to crack the exam because they had already practised the previous year's question papers. If you apply the same strategy you will be able to crack the exam on your first attempt. Nothing is impossible although it might be difficult. However, practising will make you perfect. 

Common analysis of the NEET 2020 exam

You need to understand the NEET paper pattern. The analysis below is of the NEET 2020 question paper. We are giving you a subject-wise analysis of the question paper: 

NEET 2020 Paper Analysis

Rumours about the NEET 2020 exam

There were a few rumours about the NEET 2020 exam. You need to turn a deaf ear to those rumours as they are insignificant. 

Rumour 1: The paper was leaked 

Some reports were there that the NEET 2020 question paper was leaked online a few hours before the exam. However, the investigation found no official evidence that supported any verified leak. The National Testing Agency denied all allegations about paper leaks and confirmed that their security measures operated correctly during the examination process. Various media reports confirmed that there was no credible leak. 

Rumour 2: Exam was cancelled 

Students heard that the exam was cancelled, and this way they went into depression. They thought they had wasted an entire year. However, the exam was not cancelled but postponed. It was held on 13th September, and a retest was conducted for candidates who tested positive for COVID. The candidates receive all updates regarding the examination via email or the official NTA website. 

Rumour 3: Manipulation of the answer key 

Certain groups alleged that the answer keys had been tampered with or were inaccurate and that the coaching institutes had released them. Coaching centres prepare the unofficial answer keys and there may be slight differences due to interpretation. On the other hand the NTA's official answer key was the final say. Certain discrepancies in the unofficial answer keys were due to different approaches to solving a problem, not manipulation.

Rumour 4: Due to bias the paper was easy and difficult 

Some candidates argued that an unnamed group of students had received either the easier or the difficult version of the NEET 2020 question paper. There was no concrete evidence of bias or unequal difficulty. There was one standard paper for NEET 2020. It was distributed at all centres under tight security. Without any doubt, the difficulty of the paper varies depending on the subject. 

Rumour 5: The authorities conducted the exam multiple times 

The messages went around saying that multiple shifts occurred without the authorities acknowledging it. Only one shift of the NEET 2020 exam occurred at all centers. No multiple shifts or secret exams occurred. This rumour was spread due to misinformation and speculations on social media. Remember that the exam is conducted once a year. The same thing was there for the 2020 exam. 

Comparison between the NEET 2020 and the 2019 exam

Here is a tabular comparison between the NEET 2019 and the NEET 2020 question paper. Go through it, and you can decide which year's paper was easier. 

NEET 2019 vs NEET 2020 Paper Comparison

Using the NEET 2020 question paper smartly and efficiently

It has been observed that candidates solve the NEET question papers just for solving. You need to solve the NEET 2020 question paper smartly and efficiently. Here are the points that will tell you how you can solve these papers efficiently. 

3 hour timer 

It is essential to set the timer to 3 hours precisely because NEET is a time bound exam and stamina needs to be developed for the entire duration. Many students are strong on concepts but lack time management skills. Therefore, writing the paper under strict time constraints will train the mind to think faster and make decisions more quickly, without getting flustered. Doing the paper without time constraints does not give a true picture of performance. If you do it under actual conditions it will help improve speed and concentration.

Attempting 180 questions is mandatory 

Candidates must complete all 180 questions during their full-length paper practice. It is better to select the best possible answer for each question even when there is uncertainty about the correct response. The process helps candidates identify their natural tendency when answering questions. It shows whether they answer too many questions or too few because they lack confidence. The complete paper test demonstrates endurance, as candidates must sustain their focus for three hours of continuous Physics, Chemistry and Biology material.

Never check solutions during the attempt 

It is essential to resist the temptation of checking solutions in the process. Students often refer to the answer key when they are midway and feel as if they are stuck, which is a disruption of concentration and prevents self-assessment. The objective of solving the previous year’s paper is to assess exam readiness. The process of solving the paper is interrupted if solutions are checked, which is a misleading indicator of performance. It does not enable students to assess their ability to make decisions in real time. Hence when solving the NEET 2020 question paper never check the solutions.

Go through the official answer key 

After completing the paper students must assess their performance using the official answer key. The use of the official answer key will help in accurate scoring. Moreover, it will also help the students become aware of the actual pattern. There is a +4 for correct answers and -1 for the incorrect ones. Scoring will help students assess their level of preparation against their target scores.

Analyse mistakes precisely and carefully 

The most crucial part while solving the NEET 2020 question paper is analysing errors. It is not sufficient to arrive at the score. The students are required to classify their errors into conceptual, calculation, careless errors or lack of knowledge. Conceptual errors imply poor understanding and hence require a re-look at the chapter, while careless errors point towards the need for better attention and practice. Keeping an error notebook to record frequently recurring errors can greatly improve the quality of error analysis.

Role of the NEET 2020 paper in the long-term preparation

When it comes to long-term preparation, the NEET 2020 question paper has a significant role. The role of the question paper includes: 

Enhances the conceptual clarity 

Practising the NEET 2020 question paper is an important step in enhancing conceptual clarity among the aspirants. Instead of merely studying NCERT books or solving questions from different chapters it is highly important to attempt a full-fledged previous year’s question paper, where the aspirants are expected to solve several concepts in a mixed order. For instance, a Physics question may require the application of two different formulas, while a Biology question may require a clear conceptual idea behind the NCERT lines. While studying the solutions, the aspirants will be able to clear their concepts where they are lacking.

Improves the weaker areas 

Another important factor in solving the NEET 2020 question paper is improving weak areas. This is because it also acts as a diagnostic test. If students assess their performance using the answer key they can identify areas in the subjects where they are consistently making mistakes. If they are consistently making mistakes in Organic Chemistry reactions or Modern Physics problems they can focus more on these areas. Rather than randomly going through the entire syllabus again they can follow a systematic approach and improve their weak areas while maintaining their strong areas. This will help improve weak areas over time.

Familiar with the exam psychology 

Another significant benefit of working on previous-year papers is that it helps students become familiar with exam psychology. NEET is not only a knowledge test but also a test of decision making skills under stress. In the actual test students need to decide which part of the paper to attempt first, whether to skip a question and whether to attempt ambiguous questions given negative marking. By working on the NEET 2020 question paper students get accustomed to the mental stress of a three hour competitive test. They learn to stay cool when faced with tough Physics numericals, to pounce quickly on scoring Biology questions and to keep their focus throughout the test.

Boosts speed and accuracy 

Solving the question paper helps to improve the speed and accuracy of answers. They are essential to obtain a top rank in NEET. Speed will increase as the students become more efficient at reading, understanding and processing the information in the questions. Besides that they are mandatory for performing calculations and recalling information. Accuracy will also increase as the students learn to avoid silly mistakes and apply concepts. Practicing under timed conditions helps to train the brain to process information quickly without losing accuracy. As a small number of negative marks can greatly impact the rank because of the high competition. Therefore, improving accuracy becomes as important as increasing attempts.

Category wise cut off marks of the NEET 2020 exam

The cut off and competition trends in NEET each year are mainly affected by three major factors. This helps the students understand the competition trend and set targets accordingly.

Difficulty level 

The difficulty level of the exam is a direct and significant factor in determining the cut off marks. If the question paper is relatively tough the average marks scored by the candidates are likely to be lower. Consequently the cut-off is likely to be lower since fewer students will be able to score high marks. Conversely if the paper is moderate or relatively easier, more students will be able to score higher marks. This will cause the cut off to be higher, since competition at the top will be fiercer. For instance, if the Biology paper is relatively easier and more scoring, many students can score 320. It will lead to a higher overall score inflation. Even a difference of 5-10 marks can make a huge difference in the ranks in an easier paper.

Number of candidates 

The number of candidates appearing for the exam also affects the cut off trend. NEET witnesses a huge number of candidates every year. If the number of candidates rises the level of competition also increases. Even if the level of difficulty remains the same as last year and the number of candidates rises the cut off marks will increase. But if the number of candidates falls competition will slightly decrease. In recent years the number of candidates has steadily risen.

Seat availability 

The third most important factor is the availability of seats in government and private medical colleges. The cutoff percentage is directly proportional to the number of available seats for top-notch medical courses in India. If the availability of seats rises due to the opening of new medical colleges or the expansion of existing ones it may lead to a slight stabilisation or reduction in cut-off pressure. More students would be able to get a seat within the same range of marks. However if the increase in the number of seats does not match the rise in student numbers, the cut-off percentage will rise. 

Utilising time effectively while solving the NEET 2020 question paper

Time management is one of the most important elements in optimising your marks in the NEET 2020 question paper. Since the exam has 180 questions, students have an average of 1 minute per question. However not all questions require the same amount of time.

The best approach would be to start with Biology, as it has the highest weightage and tends to be more straightforward and NCERT based. Finishing Biology in 60-70 minutes will enable students to secure maximum marks in the initial stages of the exam. Since Biology questions tend to be more fact based and less calculation intensive, they can be attempted faster than Physics questions.

After Biology the next subject that you need to prioritise is Chemistry. It normally takes 45-50 minutes. In NEET 2020 Chemistry was moderate and balanced with a combination of theoretical and numerical problems. Physical Chemistry numericals require careful but time efficient solutions. On the other hand, the Organic and Inorganic problems can be attempted quickly. One should not get bogged down in a single difficult numerical problem. Rather it should be marked for later reference if time allows

Lastly allocate the remaining 60 minutes to Physics as it is time consuming. The Physics portion of NEET 2020 requires a good understanding of concepts and calculations. While attempting the Physics portion it is important to not get stuck on a particular problem. It might happen that the problem requires a lot of time. If a problem requires more than 2 minutes it is better to leave it for the time being and move on to other questions.

Conclusion

Therefore, you can solve the NEET 2020 question paper and analyse your performance in detail. Students think that studying is the only solution. Unless and until you solve the question paper and improve your weaker sections, you will never know where you are. Never feel scared of failure; solve the paper multiple times. You will see that on the exam day, you will feel confident and crack it on the first attempt. Even your teachers would also tell you to solve this question paper several times. It will make you perfect for the exam.