Andhra Pradesh (AP) will require students to pass the NEET-UG exam for BSc Nursing admissions starting in the 2026-27 academic year . This marks a significant policy shift for nursing education in the state.
NEET-UG Now Mandatory
Previously, AP used various admission criteria. These included Intermediate (10+2) marks, AP EAMCET ranks, and briefly the APNCET exam. For 2026, the NEET-UG exam is the sole qualification for admission to the 4-year BSc Nursing program.
The decision to adopt NEET-UG was recommended by the Health & Medical Department. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu approved the change. This move aims for uniformity and transparency in student admissions.
Rationale for the Change
State-level entrance exams, like the APNCET, saw low student participation. This resulted in vacant seats in nursing colleges. Administrators proposed using NEET-UG to ensure better student allocation and maintain national standards.
Andhra Pradesh becomes the first state to mandate NEET-UG qualification for nursing course admissions. This aligns the state’s nursing program with a national benchmark.
Admission Process and Timeline
The NEET-UG 2026 exam is scheduled for May 3, 2026 . Students must qualify in this exam to be eligible for AP BSc Nursing programs. There will be no separate APNCET exam for these admissions.
All admissions for the AP BSc Nursing course will be handled through the AP NEET UG counselling process. This centralizes the entire admission procedure.
Student Concerns
The change to NEET-UG for 2026 admissions leaves students with approximately three months to prepare. Many consider this a very short preparation window for a national-level examination.
This sudden shift has raised concerns among students and educators. There is an urgent call for the government to address potential disadvantages faced by state-board students under the new admission system.