Finding Previous Year Topics for NEET PG & INICET

1. Marrow App - Yes, It Has a PYQ Feature

• "Schema" feature - this is the key one you want. It shows you "all important and repeatedly asked topics at a glance," mapped subject-wise. It's essentially a topic-frequency tracker based on previous year questions.
• PYQs tagged in QBank - within the QBank (18,500+ MCQs), previous year questions from NEET PG and INICET are tagged separately, so you can filter and solve only PYQs.
• Custom Modules - you can build custom modules filtered by exam source (NEET PG / INICET), subject, and topic. This is a very popular way to drill PYQs subject-by-subject.
• Magic Module - tracks questions you got wrong for revision.

2. Free/External Sources for PYQ Topic Lists

• Has free downloadable PDFs of subject-wise INICET and NEET PG PYQs, including INI-CET May 2025 and Nov 2024 papers.
• PrepLadder INICET PYQ page - free subject-wise question PDFs are listed there directly.

• MedExamsPrep NEET PG 2025 paper analysis has a full subject-wise topic breakdown with high-yield topics from recent exams.
• DocTutorials subject-wise NEET PG 2025 PYQs has questions sorted by subject.

• "INI-CET Previous Year Papers" app on Google Play has AIIMS PG papers from 2011-2020 + INI-CET from Nov 2020 to Nov 2024, with subject-wise filters, offline access, and image-based questions included.

3. NEET PG 2025 High-Yield Topic Summary (Quick Reference)

Summary: Best Workflow

1. Marrow app - use the Schema tab + filter QBank by source (NEET PG/INICET) for the most integrated PYQ experience.
2. PrepLadder - for free downloadable subject-wise PDFs of recent INICET papers.
3. CollegeDunia / MedExamsPrep - for annual paper analysis with topic-level breakdowns.
4. INI-CET PYQ App (Google Play) - for offline AIIMS/INICET paper access going back 10+ years.

Subject-Wise High-Yield Recurring Topics: NEET PG & INICET (Last 10 Years)

TIER 1 SUBJECTS (Highest weightage - prioritize these first)

🩺 General Medicine (~21-22 Questions)

• STEMI/NSTEMI management, ECG interpretation
• Heart failure staging (HFrEF vs HFpEF), NYHA classification
• Arrhythmias - AF, VT, Torsades de Pointes
• Infective endocarditis (Duke criteria) ⭐
• Hypertensive emergencies

• ARDS management (low tidal volume + high PEEP) ⭐
• Pulmonary embolism - investigation (CTPA), Westermark sign
• Pleural effusion - Light's criteria ⭐
• Obstructive vs restrictive lung disease patterns

• Diabetes - complications (microalbuminuria = earliest sign of nephropathy) ⭐
• Thyroid function test interpretation, thyroid storm management
• Addison's disease vs Cushing's ⭐
• Pheochromocytoma workup (24-hr urine metanephrines)
• SIADH vs DI

• Stroke - ischemic vs hemorrhagic, thrombolysis criteria
• Meningitis - empirical treatment, CSF findings
• Multiple sclerosis (McDonald criteria) ⭐
• Myasthenia gravis (avoid aminoglycosides)

• HIV - staging, opportunistic infections, IRIS ⭐
• Malaria - P. falciparum vs P. vivax species differentiation ⭐
• TB - RNTCP/NTEP, drug side effects, MDR-TB
• Hepatitis B and C serology interpretation ⭐
• Sepsis management, procalcitonin

• RA - Pannus, anti-CCP, Jones criteria vs EULAR
• SLE - criteria, anti-dsDNA
• Vasculitides classification (Chapel Hill)

• RIFLE/AKIN criteria for AKI ⭐
• Glomerulonephritis types - MPGN, IgA nephropathy
• Renal stones - most common = calcium oxalate

🔪 General Surgery (~23 Questions, including Ortho)

• Acute abdomen differentials and management
• Appendicitis vs Meckel's diverticulum
• Colorectal cancer - Dukes/TNM staging, right vs left colon differences ⭐
• Intestinal obstruction - causes, management
• Courvoisier's law ⭐ (carcinoma head of pancreas)
• Achalasia cardia - manometry findings ⭐

• Cholecystitis vs choledocholithiasis
• Portal hypertension - Child-Pugh/MELD scoring
• Liver abscess - amoebic vs pyogenic

• Breast cancer staging and management ⭐
• FNAC vs core biopsy decision making
• Hormonal receptor status (ER/PR/HER2) and therapy

• Thyroid nodule evaluation (Bethesda classification) ⭐
• MTC - calcitonin marker
• Thyroidectomy complications - recurrent laryngeal nerve

• Inguinal hernia anatomy - Hasselbach's triangle ⭐
• Direct vs indirect hernia differences
• Femoral hernia - most likely to strangulate

• ATLS protocol - primary vs secondary survey
• Burns - Parkland formula ⭐, Rule of Nines
• Diffuse axonal injury (RTA) ⭐
• Compartment syndrome - 5 P's

• Fracture classifications (Salter-Harris, Garden for femoral neck) ⭐
• Joint dislocations - shoulder most common
• Compartment syndrome
• Bone tumors - age distribution, X-ray findings

🤰 Obstetrics & Gynecology (~16-20 Questions)

• APH - Placenta previa vs abruptio placentae ⭐
• PPH management - Bakri balloon, B-Lynch suture ⭐
• Pre-eclampsia diagnosis, magnesium sulfate protocol ⭐
• Cord prolapse management ⭐
• Shoulder dystocia - McRoberts maneuver ⭐
• Gestational diabetes - screening, diagnosis
• Partograph interpretation ⭐

• PCOS - Rotterdam criteria ⭐, insulin resistance
• Adenomyosis vs fibroids - MRI vs USS findings ⭐
• Ectopic pregnancy - management algorithm
• Ovarian cysts - Meig's syndrome, dermoid
• Cervical cancer - FIGO staging, HPV vaccines ⭐
• Endometrial cancer - risk factors, staging

• Contraception - failures rates, Cu-T mechanism ⭐
• Infertility workup - FSH/LH/AMH
• Premature ovarian insufficiency (↑FSH, ↓AMH) ⭐

🔬 Pathology (~15-20 Questions)

• Anemia types - iron deficiency, megaloblastic, hemolytic ⭐
• Leukemias - AML M3 (t15;17, PML-RARA) ⭐, CML (BCR-ABL, Philadelphia chromosome) ⭐
• Lymphomas - Hodgkin's (Reed-Sternberg cells) ⭐, Follicular (t14;18) ⭐
• DIC - pathophysiology and lab findings

• Tumor markers (CEA, AFP, CA-125, PSA, calcitonin) ⭐
• Oncogenes vs tumor suppressor genes - p53, Rb ⭐
• Proto-oncogene mutations - RAS, c-myc
• IHC markers - S100, desmin, cytokeratin usage ⭐

• Granulomatous inflammation - TB vs sarcoid vs Crohn's ⭐
• Wound healing - primary vs secondary, growth factors

• Liver - alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma
• Kidney - glomerulonephritis patterns, light/EM/IF findings
• Lung - usual interstitial pneumonia, occupational diseases
• Primary biliary cholangitis (AMA positive) ⭐

TIER 2 SUBJECTS (Medium weightage - still very high yield)

💊 Pharmacology (~14-15 Questions)

• MRSA → Vancomycin ⭐
• Status epilepticus → IV Lorazepam ⭐
• P. falciparum malaria → Artemisinin-based combo ⭐
• MAC in HIV → Azithromycin prophylaxis
• H. pylori → Triple/Quadruple therapy

• ACE inhibitors/ARBs - mechanism, contraindications (pregnancy, bilateral RAS) ⭐
• Beta-blockers - ISA, cardioselectivity ⭐
• Anticoagulants - warfarin vs heparin vs NOACs, reversal agents ⭐
• Statins - drug interactions (Rosuvastatin + Clarithromycin) ⭐

• Antiepileptics - mechanism, teratogenicity ⭐ (Valproate = most teratogenic)
• Antipsychotics - EPS, NMS, typical vs atypical ⭐
• Antidepressants - SSRIs, TCAs, MAOIs, serotonin syndrome

• Mechanism and spectrum of major classes ⭐
• Aminoglycosides - contraindications (MG, renal failure) ⭐
• Chloramphenicol - Grey baby syndrome ⭐
• Fluoroquinolones - avoid in children

🦠 Microbiology (~12 Questions)

• Gram staining - organism identification ⭐
• Culture media - Lowenstein-Jensen (TB), Thayer-Martin (gonococcus), TCBS (Vibrio) ⭐
• Toxin mechanisms - Clostridium, Staph (TSST-1), Diphtheria ⭐
• Antibiotic sensitivity patterns and resistance mechanisms

• HIV - window period, ELISA, Western blot, NAAT ⭐
• Hepatitis serology interpretation (HBsAg, anti-HBs, HBeAg, anti-HBc) ⭐
• Viral replication cycles
• Respiratory viruses - influenza, COVID-19 sequelae

• Malaria - species differences, drug treatment ⭐
• Intestinal parasites - Giardia, Entamoeba histolytica ⭐
• Vector-borne - Leishmaniasis, filariasis

• Complement system - classical vs alternate
• Hypersensitivity reactions (Type I-IV) ⭐
• Immunodeficiency states - DiGeorge, SCID, Bruton's

• Candida, Aspergillus (acute angle septate hyphae) ⭐, Mucor

👶 Pediatrics (~10-15 Questions)

• Neonatal jaundice - physiological vs pathological ⭐
• Milestones - developmental milestones (gross motor, fine motor, language, social) ⭐
• Vaccines - NIS schedule, cold chain ⭐
• Respiratory distress syndrome - surfactant therapy ⭐
• Congenital heart disease - cyanotic vs acyanotic ⭐
• Protein-energy malnutrition - Kwashiorkor vs Marasmus
• Febrile seizures - management ⭐
• Neonatal meningitis - GBS most common cause ⭐
• Down syndrome - karyotype, features
• Growth charts interpretation

🏥 PSM / Community Medicine (~15-16 Questions)

• Biostatistics - sensitivity/specificity/PPV/NPV ⭐, NNT, NNH
• Epidemiology - study design, bias types ⭐
• National Health Programs - NTEP (TB), NVBDCP, NPCDCS, Ayushman Bharat ⭐
• Reproductive and child health indicators ⭐
• Communicable disease control - R0, herd immunity thresholds ⭐
• Nutritional deficiencies - NNMB surveys, PEM
• Health statistics - IMR, MMR, CBR, CDR formulas ⭐
• Screening criteria - Wilson-Jungner criteria

PRECLINICAL TRIO (~40-45 Questions Combined)

🧬 Anatomy (~9-10 Questions)

• Brain stem - Weber's syndrome, Benedikt's syndrome, Wallenberg syndrome ⭐
• Cranial nerves - nuclei, course, lesions ⭐
• Spinal cord tracts and lesion patterns ⭐

• Neural tube defects (spina bifida, anencephaly) ⭐
• CVS development - atrial/ventricular septal defects ⭐
• Gut derivatives - Meckel's diverticulum, horseshoe kidney
• Tracheoesophageal fistula

• Inguinal canal - contents, Hasselbach's triangle ⭐
• Axilla and brachial plexus nerve injuries ⭐
• Head and neck - carotid triangle, thyroid blood supply
• Femoral triangle

• Tissue identification from images ⭐
• Organ-specific histology (liver lobule, nephron, testis)

⚙️ Physiology (~5-10 Questions)

• Cardiac cycle - Wiggers diagram ⭐
• Frank-Starling law, cardiac output calculations
• ECG - intervals, axis determination ⭐

• Spirometry values - FEV1/FVC in obstructive vs restrictive ⭐
• Oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve - shift left/right ⭐
• Hypoxia types

• GFR regulation, autoregulation
• Acid-base balance - compensation formulas ⭐
• Tubular functions - glucose threshold

• Hormone mechanisms (peptide vs steroid) ⭐
• Insulin secretion and action
• Thyroid hormone synthesis

• Resting membrane potential
• Synaptic transmission

🧪 Biochemistry (~10-15 Questions)

• Glycolysis, TCA cycle - key enzymes and deficiency diseases ⭐
• HMP shunt - G6PD deficiency ⭐
• Fatty acid synthesis vs oxidation

• Phenylketonuria (Phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency) ⭐
• Maple syrup urine disease ⭐
• Homocystinuria
• Glycogen storage diseases - Pompe, von Gierke, McArdle ⭐
• Lysosomal storage disorders - Gaucher's, Niemann-Pick, Tay-Sachs ⭐

• Specific enzyme linked to each disorder ⭐

• DNA replication, transcription, translation
• PCR principles and applications ⭐
• Gene mutations - point, frameshift, nonsense

• Fat-soluble (A, D, E, K) - deficiency and toxicity ⭐
• B vitamins - B12/folate cycle, B1 (Wernicke's), B6 (INH side effect) ⭐

SHORT SUBJECTS (~40-50 Questions Combined)

👁️ Ophthalmology

• Glaucoma types - open angle vs closed angle, treatment ⭐
• Diabetic retinopathy - staging (ETDRS classification) ⭐
• Retinal detachment - predisposing factors, surgical management
• Squint - classification, Hirschberg test
• Cataract types - morphology
• Red eye differentials ⭐

👂 ENT

• Cholesteatoma (CSOM) - types, complications ⭐
• Hearing loss - Rinne/Weber test interpretation ⭐
• Otosclerosis
• Epistaxis - Kiesselbach's plexus, management ⭐
• Tracheostomy - indications, complications

🩹 Dermatology

• Pemphigus vs pemphigoid - antigen, immunofluorescence ⭐
• Psoriasis - Auspitz sign, Koebner phenomenon ⭐
• Hansen's disease (Leprosy) - Ridley-Jopling classification ⭐
• Lichen planus - 4 P's
• Scabies - treatment of choice

🦴 Forensic Medicine & Toxicology

• IPCC, CrPC sections - medicolegal ⭐
• Post-mortem findings and time of death estimation ⭐
• Poisoning - organophosphate (atropine/pralidoxime), methanol, cyanide antidotes ⭐
• McNeill's criteria, Diatom test

📡 Radiology

• Chest X-ray interpretation - consolidation patterns ⭐
• CT findings in specific conditions - subdural vs epidural hematoma
• MRCP - biliary system anatomy
• MRI advantages vs CT

💉 Anesthesia

• Inhalational agents - MAC concept ⭐
• Muscle relaxants - depolarizing vs non-depolarizing ⭐
• Malignant hyperthermia - trigger agents, treatment (Dantrolene) ⭐
• Spinal vs epidural anesthesia differences

Key Patterns Across Both Exams (NEET PG vs INICET)

Most Reliably Recurring "Sure Shot" Topics (Both Exams, Every Year)

1. Duke criteria for infective endocarditis
2. Light's criteria for pleural effusion
3. AML M3 translocation (t15;17)
4. Philadelphia chromosome in CML
5. Mallory-Weiss vs Boerhaave
6. MRSA drug of choice (Vancomycin)
7. Status epilepticus first-line (IV Lorazepam)
8. G6PD deficiency and HMP shunt
9. Glycogen storage diseases (enzyme-disorder pairs)
10. Culture media - LJ medium, Thayer-Martin, TCBS
11. Bakri balloon for atonic PPH
12. Rotterdam criteria for PCOS
13. Rinne/Weber test interpretation
14. Pemphigus vs pemphigoid IF patterns
15. Burns - Parkland formula and Rule of Nines

NEET PG Pattern Changes - A Timeline

The Big Structural Shifts Over the Years

• 300 questions, 3.5 hours, single session
• No negative marking
• Purely factual/recall-based questions
• Heavy pre-clinical weightage

• Reduced to 200 questions, 3.5 hours
• Negative marking introduced: +4 for correct, -1 for incorrect
• Questions split into 5 time-bound groups (A-E), each 42 minutes with 40 questions - you cannot go back to a previous group once time runs out
• Shift towards clinical and image-based questions began

• Continued 200-question, 5-group format
• Moved to two shifts (morning + afternoon) on same day - effectively two versions of the paper
• Clinically integrated questions became dominant (~50%+)
• Image-based questions (ECGs, X-rays, histology slides) increased significantly to ~18-25%
• Questions began testing cross-subject integration (e.g. Medicine + Pharmacology + Pathology in one stem)

🆕 NEET PG 2026 - Latest Change (Just Announced)

What the Pattern Evolution Means for Preparation

1. Fewer questions but same time - you now get ~70 seconds per question instead of ~63 seconds. This favors clinical reasoning over speed.
2. Single shift again - no more two-version anxiety; everyone sits the same paper.
3. The content shift is more significant than the structural one - the real pattern change has been the move away from "What is the enzyme of X reaction?" type recall questions toward "A 45-year-old presents with... what is the next best step?" style. This has been happening gradually since 2019 and is now firmly established.
4. Image-based questions are now non-negotiable - ECGs, CXRs, fundus photos, histology slides, CT/MRI images appear regularly. Practicing visual identification is essential.
5. Cutoff changes - separately, the qualifying cutoff has been controversially reduced (to near zero percentile in recent years), making more candidates eligible for counseling, but this doesn't affect the paper pattern itself.

INICET Pattern (For Comparison)

Commonly Missed Topics in NEET PG / INICET Clinical Vignette Questions

CATEGORY 1: REASONING TRAPS (You know it, but still get it wrong)

🪤 Trap 1: "Next Best Step" vs "Best Investigation" vs "Definitive Diagnosis"

• "Next best step?" → Resuscitate + IV access + type & crossmatch
• "Investigation of choice for diagnosis?" → Upper GI endoscopy
• "Most common cause?" → Esophageal varices from portal hypertension

🪤 Trap 2: The "Most Common" vs "Most Likely in THIS Patient" Distinction

• Neonates vs children vs adults vs elderly vs immunocompromised
• Community-acquired vs nosocomial/hospital-acquired
• India-specific epidemiology vs global (e.g., most common cancer in Indian females = breast, not cervical now)

🪤 Trap 3: The "Confirmatory Test" vs "Screening Test" Confusion

• Screening: serum ferritin (most sensitive early marker)
• Confirmatory/gold standard: bone marrow biopsy (absent iron stores)

🪤 Trap 4: The "Contraindication" and "Exception" Flip

• Beta-blockers contraindicated in asthma - but students forget they're actually preferred in cocaine-induced hypertension (no, wait - they're CONTRAINDICATED there too, because of unopposed alpha)
• NSAIDs in peptic ulcer, CKD, and last trimester pregnancy
• Aminoglycosides in myasthenia gravis ⭐
• Metformin in eGFR < 30, iodinated contrast within 48 hrs, hepatic failure
• ACE inhibitors in bilateral renal artery stenosis and pregnancy
• Fluoroquinolones in children and pregnant women (tendon damage, cartilage)

🪤 Trap 5: Reassurance / Conservative Management as the Correct Answer

• Pityriasis rosea (self-limiting, after herald patch) → Reassure
• Physiological jaundice in a neonate (day 2-3, bilirubin < threshold) → Reassure
• Mild hypospadias with intact prepuce in infant → No circumcision yet, reassure
• Benign positional vertigo → Epley maneuver, not surgery
• Umbilical hernia in a child < 2 years → Wait and watch
• Dermoid cyst / lipoma with no red flags → Observe

CATEGORY 2: KNOWLEDGE GAPS (Topics that are consistently under-prepared)

🔴 1. Clinical Pharmacology - Doses and Duration That Change Management

• Duration of anticoagulation in DVT (provoked 3 months vs unprovoked 6+ months)
• Steroid taper thresholds
• When to switch from IV to oral antibiotics
• Pre-operative medication management (stop metformin before contrast, hold warfarin for surgery)

🔴 2. Obstetric Emergencies - Decision Timing

• Cord prolapse → immediate CS, but if delivery imminent, attempt vaginal
• Shoulder dystocia sequence - McRoberts → suprapubic pressure → Rubin II → woods screw → Zavanelli (in order)
• When to give MgSO4 vs when to deliver in eclampsia
• Bishop score threshold for induction vs CS
• Placenta previa - grade III/IV with bleeding → CS; grade I/II near-term with no bleeding → consider vaginal

🔴 3. Psychiatry - Diagnosis vs Management Distinction

• Students confuse diagnostic criteria (ICD-10 vs DSM-5 differences)
• They don't know the timeline requirements (e.g., symptoms for 2 weeks = depression, 1 month for PTSD diagnosis, 6 months for schizophrenia)
• They miss that first-line in acute psychosis = antipsychotic + benzodiazepine, not antipsychotic alone

• Lithium toxicity signs (coarse tremor, confusion, ataxia) - especially when combined with NSAIDs or thiazides which raise lithium levels
• NMS vs serotonin syndrome distinction ⭐
• Capgras syndrome, De Clerambault syndrome (asked repeatedly in INICET)
• OCD - first line is SSRIs + CBT, not just SSRIs

🔴 4. Ortho Vignettes - Deformity Pattern Recognition

🔴 5. Neonatal / Pediatric Scoring Systems

• Silverman-Anderson score - for neonatal respiratory distress (0 = no distress, 10 = maximum)
• Downes score - similar, different components
• APGAR score - obvious, but the "at what score do you intubate" threshold gets missed
• Ballard score - gestational age estimation
• BISHOP score - cervical readiness (>8 = favorable, proceed with induction)

🔴 6. Integrated / Cross-Subject Questions

🔴 7. PSM / Biostatistics Numbers That Look Like Math

• Sensitivity vs Specificity interpretation from a 2x2 table ⭐
• NNT = 1 / ARR - simple formula but frequently confused
• Which study design for: incidence (cohort), prevalence (cross-sectional), causation (RCT), rare disease (case-control)
• Herd immunity threshold = 1 - (1/R0) - asked in COVID-era questions
• Maternal mortality ratio (per 100,000 live births) vs maternal mortality rate (per 100,000 women)

🔴 8. Radiology "Pattern Recognition" Questions

Quick Summary Table: Most Missed by Reason