NRE Syllabus 2026: Complete Breakdown of the PM&DC Exam Structure
The full NRE syllabus — theory paper weightage (Medicine 52, Surgery 48, and every other discipline), the 20-station Clinical Skills Examination, and the exact discipline breakdown from PM&DC's official document.
The NRE syllabus is published by PM&DC in its official "Standard, Structure and Syllabus" document, and it's more detailed than most candidates realise — two components, seven clinical disciplines, seven basic-science disciplines, and a 20-station skills exam, each with its own weightage. This guide breaks down exactly what's tested and how many marks each section carries, for both the medical (MBBS) and dental (BDS) NRE.
Where to Get the Official Syllabus
The authoritative source is PM&DC's official NRE Standard, Structure and Syllabus document. We host the complete medical NRE structure as a free download, and the dental NRE structure separately, both with the full appendices. Avoid outdated copies shared on social media — PM&DC updates the notification periodically and a stale syllabus can send your prep in the wrong direction.
The Two Components
The NRE has two parts, and you must pass both — theory first, then the Clinical Skills Examination (CSE) (NRE Step 2):
| Component | Format | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|
| Theory | 200 MCQs, computer-based | 60% |
| CSE | 20-station OSCE, ~3h 30m including briefing | 60% (+ all 3 mandatory stations) |
There is no negative marking in either component.
Theory Paper: Clinical Sciences (70% — 140 MCQs)
The larger half of the theory paper (NRE Step 1), split by discipline:
| Discipline | MCQs |
|---|---|
| Medicine and Allied | 52 |
| Surgery and Allied | 48 |
| Obstetrics & Gynaecology | 14 |
| Paediatrics | 14 |
| Ophthalmology (Eye) | 6 |
| Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) | 6 |
| Total | 140 |
Medicine and Surgery together make up 100 of the 200 total MCQs — half your entire theory paper. If your prep time is limited, these two disciplines are where it should go first.
Theory Paper: Applied Basic Sciences (30% — 60 MCQs)
| Discipline | MCQs |
|---|---|
| Applied Pathology | 11 |
| Applied Anatomy | 11 |
| Applied Physiology | 10 |
| Clinical Pharmacology | 8 |
| Applied Biochemistry | 6 |
| Community Medicine | 6 |
| Forensic Medicine & Toxicology | 4 |
| Total (as printed) | 60 |
Note: PM&DC's own published discipline figures add up to 56, not the stated 60 — treat the per-discipline numbers above as indicative of relative emphasis rather than an exact count, and expect basic sciences overall to hold steady at 30% of the paper.
Clinical Skills Examination: 20 Stations
Each station runs 8 minutes with a 2-minute changeover, assessing interpretation of clinical/diagnostic data, diagnosis formulation, management planning, examination technique and key procedural skills.
| Discipline | Stations |
|---|---|
| Medicine and Allied | 7 |
| Surgery and Allied | 7 |
| Obstetrics & Gynaecology | 2 |
| Paediatrics | 2 |
| Ophthalmology (Eye) | 1 |
| Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) | 1 |
| Total | 20 |
Three of the twenty stations are mandatory — you must clear all three individually, regardless of your overall aggregate. A strong performance elsewhere in the CSE does not offset a fail on a mandatory station.
What the Official Document Also Covers
- Appendix 1: the full Applied Basic Sciences syllabus, discipline by discipline
- Appendix 2: the full Clinical Sciences syllabus
- Appendix 3: the skills and competencies expected of an MBBS/BDS graduate and house officer by the end of internship
- A Table of Specifications (TOS) mapping specific topics across every discipline
How the Dental (BDS) NRE Differs
The dental NRE follows the same two-component structure — a paper-based MCQ theory exam plus a two-session Clinical Skills Examination — but with discipline weightage specific to dental practice rather than the medical breakdown above. See the full dental NRE structure for the exact discipline-by-discipline split.
How to Prepare Using This Breakdown
- Start with Medicine and Surgery. At 100 of 200 theory MCQs combined, these two disciplines carry more weight than every other clinical discipline put together.
- Don't skip basic sciences. 30% of the theory paper is still 60 MCQs — enough to swing a borderline pass, and Applied Pathology and Applied Anatomy carry the most marks within it.
- Drill clinical vignettes, not just recall. Both the theory MCQs and CSE stations test applied clinical reasoning over rote memorisation.
- Practise the mandatory-station mindset early. Since any one mandatory-station fail sinks the whole CSE regardless of aggregate, treat every station in practice as pass/fail, not as points to average.
- Work discipline-by-discipline against the weightage tables above on the HighYield NRE QBank, so your practice time mirrors how the real paper is actually distributed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many MCQs are in the NRE theory paper?
200 total — 140 from clinical sciences (70%) and 60 from basic sciences (30%).
Which discipline carries the most weight?
Medicine and Allied (52 MCQs), closely followed by Surgery and Allied (48 MCQs) — together, half the entire theory paper.
Is there negative marking on the NRE?
No, in either the theory paper or the CSE.
How many stations are in the Clinical Skills Examination?
20 stations, 8 minutes each, with three mandatory stations you must pass individually.
Where can I get the official syllabus PDF?
On our NRE Medical structure and syllabus page (or the dental version), sourced directly from PM&DC's official notification.
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