INI CET exam-day guide
INI CET · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Printed or downloaded admit card
INI CET is conducted by AIIMS New Delhi for admission to MD/MS/MDS/ DM/MCh and related postgraduate courses. Download the admit card from the official portal as soon as it is released, check that your name, photograph, roll number, exam centre, and shift timing are correct, and carry a printout (or the format the portal specifies). If the current year's instructions differ, confirm with the provider before travelling.
Valid original photo ID matching the admit card
Carry the original government photo ID (Aadhaar, passport, PAN, driving licence, voter ID) whose details match your application. Photocopies and expired documents are commonly rejected. The exact list of accepted IDs and whether a photocopy is allowed can change year to year; confirm with the provider.
Passport-size photographs
Keep two to four recent photographs in the same specification as the one uploaded in the application. Centres may ask for pasting on the attendance sheet; the exact number and size requirement should be confirmed with the provider.
Transparent water bottle
Carry a clear, unlabelled bottle to stay hydrated during a long computer-based paper. Confirm with the provider whether bottles are allowed at your centre, since some centres provide water and restrict outside bottles.
Simple analogue or digital watch
A basic watch helps you pace sections when the on-screen timer is not prominent. Smartwatches and any device with communication or storage capability are prohibited. Confirm with the provider whether wristwatches are permitted at your centre.
Centre location and travel plan
Locate the exact centre address on the admit card, do a route check a day earlier, and plan to arrive well before the reporting time. Entry gates usually close before the exam start; the reporting and gate-closing times are printed on the admit card.
Exam pattern and marking scheme notes
Revise the structure you will face: INI CET is a computer-based test with multiple-choice questions across preclinical, para-clinical, and clinical subjects, with negative marking for wrong answers. Confirm the current year's question count, duration, and marking scheme from the official information brochure.
Light revision notes only
Bring a small set of high-yield notes for last-minute recall while waiting, but expect to leave them outside the exam hall. Do not carry loose paper into the test room unless the centre explicitly allows it.
No prohibited items in pockets
Leave behind mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, smartwatches, calculators, study material, and any metal-heavy accessories. Centres commonly provide secure storage or ask you to surrender devices; confirm the provider's policy on belongings.
Medication and personal essentials
If you need regular medication, carry it with a prescription and inform centre staff. Food, insulin, or other medical accommodations usually require prior approval; confirm with the provider in advance rather than on the day.
Confirmation of shift and reporting time
INI CET may be held in more than one shift, and your reporting time is specific to your admit card. Re-check the shift, session, and gate-closing time the evening before. If anything on the admit card looks wrong, contact the provider immediately.
Backup of admit card and ID
Keep a scanned copy of the admit card and ID on your phone and with a family member, even though the phone stays outside the hall. This helps resolve any last-minute discrepancy at the centre.
Plan the day
Stop starting new topics. Do two or three timed full-length mocks under exam conditions, then spend more time reviewing errors than attempting fresh questions. For each wrong answer, identify whether the cause was a knowledge gap, a misread stem, or a guess, and write a one-line fix. Revise high-yield lists in anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, pharmacology, microbiology, and forensic medicine, plus the clinical subjects you find weakest. Reconfirm the centre address, travel time, and reporting time from the admit card. Prepare the documents folder and clothing for the day. Sleep on a normal schedule rather than shifting to late-night cramming.
Do a light revision pass over your own error log and formula or classification sheets, not new material. Pack the admit card, original photo ID, photographs, transparent bottle, and simple watch in one bag. Charge nothing you cannot carry in, and leave prohibited devices at home if possible. Visit or map the route to the centre and decide the departure time with a buffer for traffic. Eat a normal meal, avoid unfamiliar food, and set two alarms. Check the official portal once for any notice about the exam, centre change, or instructions.
Eat a light, familiar breakfast and drink water normally. Leave early enough to reach the centre before the reporting time; do not plan to study in the queue. At the centre, follow staff instructions for verification, biometric capture, and frisking, and keep the admit card and ID accessible. Use the washroom before entering the hall. Once seated, read the on-screen instructions, confirm the question palette and marking scheme, and note the timer.
Do a quick first pass answering questions you know with certainty, and flag uncertain ones rather than guessing immediately. Watch the negative marking: attempt a question only when you can eliminate options enough to make the expected value positive, and avoid random guesses on questions where you have no clue. Track time against the number of remaining questions rather than against the clock alone. Revisit flagged questions in a second pass, then reserve the last few minutes to check that no easy question was left unattempted by accident and that flagged answers are submitted as intended.
Rules to check
Carry the admit card and the original photo ID specified in the official instructions; entry is normally refused without them, and the accepted ID list should be confirmed with the provider.
Reach the centre by the reporting time printed on the admit card. Gates typically close before the exam begins, and late candidates are usually not admitted; confirm the exact cut-off with the provider.
Do not carry mobile phones, smartwatches, Bluetooth devices, calculators, or study material into the exam hall. Surrender them as instructed or leave them at home; possession inside the hall can lead to disqualification.
Follow all instructions from invigilators and centre staff, including biometric verification, seating, and frisking. Arguing or refusing checks can result in removal from the exam.
Do not attempt to communicate with other candidates, look at others' screens, or use any unfair means. Suspected malpractice is typically reported and can lead to cancellation of candidature.
Negative marking applies to wrong answers in INI CET. Decide your guessing strategy in advance and follow it consistently; confirm the current marking scheme from the official brochure.
Breaks are generally not permitted during the computer-based test, so use the washroom before entering. If you have a medical condition requiring accommodation, seek prior approval from the provider.
If a technical problem occurs at your workstation, raise your hand and wait for the invigilator rather than restarting or touching equipment yourself; the provider's policy on compensating lost time should be confirmed on the day.