INI-SS 2026 Exam Pattern + Smart Attempt Strategy

You have cleared the PG exam. You have completed three years of MD/MS residency. Now you are facing 80 choice questions that stand between you and a DM/MCh seat at AIIMS New Delhi. You have 90 minutes to answer these questions. That is roughly 67 seconds per question. If you answer a question, you will lose one-third of a mark.

This is a penalty. If you get 10 questions wrong, you will lose many marks as you would have gotten for 3.3 correct answers. This is the INI-SS exam. It is just as important to have a strategy as it is to have knowledge.

Quick Answer

The INI-SS 2026 exam is an entrance exam for DM, MCh and MD Hospital Administration admissions at Institutes of National Importance. The INI-SS exam has two stages. Stage 1 has 80 choice questions that you have to answer in 90 minutes. You get one mark for every answer, and you lose one-third of a mark for every wrong answer.

To qualify for Stage 2, you need to get at least 50 percent marks. Stage 2 is an assessment that you do via video conferencing. You need to do this only if you are applying to AIIMS or PGIMER Chandigarh. The INI-SS exam has a total of 887 seats across all the Institutes of National Importance.

NEET SS and INI-SS Relevance

The INI-SS exam is held twice a year. In January and July. By AIIMS New Delhi. To do well in the INI-SS exam, you need to focus on the exam structure, the marking system, the difference between Stage 1 and Stage 2 and how to manage your time. Not many people clear the INI-SS exam. 8 To 15 percent of candidates clear Stage 1. The overall selection rate is below 5 to 8 percent.

In This Post:

• What is the INI-SS Exam?
• The INI-SS 2026 Exam Pattern. A breakdown
• The difference between Stage 1 and Stage 2

• The marking scheme and how the negative marking system works
• The participating institutes and how the seats are distributed
• A smart attempt strategy. How many questions should you try to answer
• A comparison of Stage 1 and Stage 2
• Important points to remember for the INI-SS 2026 exam
• Frequently asked questions
• Clinical Pearl Close

The INI-SS Exam is a deal. It is the way to get into speciality training at the best medical institutions in India. The Institute of National Importance Super Speciality Entrance Test, or INI-SS for short, is conducted by AIIMS New Delhi.

This exam is the key to getting into DM, MCh and MD programs at AIIMS, PGIMER Chandigarh, JIPMER Puducherry, NIMHANS Bengaluru and SCTIMST Trivandrum.

I think of the INI-SS Exam as two steps. The first step is the written test that every person who wants to take the exam must pass. The second step is the assessment, which is a special evaluation that only people who want to go to AIIMS and PGIMER need to do.

From my experience helping people who want to get into speciality programs, the people who do not do well are not the ones who do not know things. They are the ones who do not understand how the exam works and do not have a plan.

The INI-SS Exam is in English. It is a computer test. You can take the exam as many times as you want.

Here is what the INI-SS 2026 Exam looks like:

• Stage 1 is the written test. It is 80 points. There are 80 questions. You have 90 minutes to finish them. The questions are about science and the speciality you are applying for. Some questions are easy. Some are hard. I have seen doctors who're very smart but get nervous during the test. The time limit is short, so you have to make decisions. That is where having a plan helps.
• Stage 2 is the assessment. It is 20 points. It is done over video. Only people who want to go to AIIMS and PGIMER need to do this. It tests your knowledge of the speciality. It happens a few days after the first test results are out.

So what is the difference between Stage 1 and Stage 2? 

Stage 1 is for everyone. It determines if you can get into JIPMER, NIMHANS and SCTIMST. Stage 2 is for AIIMS and PGIMER. If you do well in Stage 1, you can take Stage 2. Your final score is a combination of Stage 1 and Stage 2.

Let me give you an example. If you score 45 out of 80 in Stage 1, you can still do well if you do better in Stage 2. I always tell my students that Stage 1 gets you in the door and Stage 2 determines where you go from there. The INI-SS Exam is like that. The INI-SS Exam is very important.

You have to understand how it works to do it. The INI-SS Exam is not about knowing things; it is about having a plan and being able to make quick decisions.

Marking Scheme and Negative Marking for Math

This section is very important for your INI-SS attempt. The marking scheme is simple to understand:

• You get one mark for an answer
• You lose one-third of a mark for an incorrect answer
• If you do not attempt a question, you get zero marks

Now lets think about the math that most people do not consider. To do well on a question when you are just guessing with four options, you need to be correct twenty five percent of the time. Because you lose one-third of a mark for an answer guessing with four options can actually be a little helpful. On average, you would get one mark for every four guesses. This means you would not lose any marks.

There is a problem. When you are taking the exam, and you are under time pressure, your guesses are not really random. You might think some wrong answers sound good, so you choose them.

I have looked at the scores of students over twenty-five years, and I have seen that the people who try to answer every question without being sure usually do worse than the people who skip some questions on purpose.

The best thing to do is this: if you can eliminate one option with confidence, it is an idea to answer the question. If all four options seem possible, it is better to leave the question blank.

Also Read: NEET SS Medicine: Explore Previous Year Question Papers

Participating Institutes and Seat Distribution

INI-SS scores are accepted at the medical schools in India. For the January 2026 session, there were eight hundred and eighty-seven seats available at all Institutes of National Importance. Here is the list of institutes:

• AIIMS New Delhi and all the new AIIMS campuses like Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Patna, Raipur, Rishikesh, Nagpur and others
• PGIMER Chandigarh
• JIPMER Puducherry
• NIMHANS Bengaluru
• SCTIMST Trivandrum

The seats are allocated after the counselling process, which is managed by AIIMS. Two lists are made. One for AIIMS and non-PGIMER institutes and one for AIIMS and PGIMER. I like to compare this to a system where patients are referred to doctors. The first stage is like the first doctor you see, and the second stage is like the specialist.

For the July 2026 session, the first stage exam is on April 25 2026. You can register for the exam in the week of March 2026.

Smart Attempt Strategy. How to Answer Questions to Attempt

This section is what most students look for. And it's where general advice can really hurt. I'll give you a plan based on how marking works and years of seeing what makes some students qualify and others not.

Step 1: Know Your Target Score

The minimum score to qualify is 50%. That's 40 out of 80 marks.. Just qualifying isn't enough if your rank isn't high enough to get you a seat. For branches like DM Cardiology or DM Neurology at AIIMS New Delhi, you'll likely need scores between 55 and 65 out of 80 in Stage 1. Your goal should be at least 50 out of 80 for a good chance at a decent seat.

Step 2: Calculate Your "Attempt Sweet Spot"

Here's a plan I've used for years:

If you get 80% of the questions right and you attempt 70 questions:

• Correct: 56 questions → you get 56 marks
• Wrong: 14 questions → you lose 4.67 marks

score: 51.33 out of 80

If you get 70% of the questions right. You attempt 70 questions:

• Correct: 49 questions → you get 49 marks
• 21 questions → you lose 7 marks

Total score: 42 out of 80

 If you get 60% of the questions right. You attempt 75 questions:

• Correct: 45 questions → you get 45 marks
• Wrong: 30 questions → you lose 10 marks

Total score: 35 out of 80. That's below the qualifying score.

The point is clear. Someone who attempts 65 questions and gets 85% right (total: ~52) does better than someone who attempts all 80 questions but only gets 65% right (total: ~43).

Step 3: The Three-Pass Method

This is a tried-and-true method that's been adapted for the 90-minute INI-SS test:

Pass 1 (0–40 minutes): Look at all 80 questions. Answer the ones you know away. Don't spend more than 30 seconds on a question. Mark questions you're not sure about for review. Your goal is to answer 40 to 50 questions.

Pass 2 (40–70 minutes): Go back to the questions you marked. For each one, try to eliminate options. If you can be sure to rule out 2 options, answer it. If not, leave it. Your goal is to answer 10 to 20 questions.

Pass 3 (70–90 minutes): Review the questions you've already answered. Check for mistakes. Don't change your answers unless you find an error. Don't try to answer the remaining questions out of panic.

Step 4: The Elimination Rule

In my experience teaching, I've simplified the marking strategy into one decision:

• If 4 options seem just as good → Skip. The expected value is zero, and test anxiety can make it negative.
• If you've eliminated 1 option, lean toward trying. The expected value is a little positive.
• If you've eliminated 2 options for sure → Try with confidence. You now have a 50% chance at +1 mark versus a 50% chance at losing ⅓ mark. That's strongly in your favor.
•  If you know the answer → Answer without hesitation. Move on.

Step 5: Mock Test Calibration

Your attempt strategy should be tested with tests not decided on test day. Track these three numbers across your 10 mocks:

• Accuracy rate (correct ÷ attempted × 100)
• Optimal attempt range (the attempt count where your net score peaks)
• Time per question ( time ÷ questions attempted)

If your accuracy is below 75%, focus on reviewing concepts rather than trying more questions in mocks. Once your accuracy stabilizes above 80%, gradually try questions.

Also Read: Five Rare Diseases That Have No Cure

Stage 1 vs Stage 2 — Comparison Table

High-yield points for INI-SS 2026

• The INI-SS Stage 1 exam has 80 multiple-choice questions. These questions are worth 80 marks. You have to complete them in 90 minutes. That is 67 seconds per question.
• If you give an answer, you will lose one-third of a mark. If you give three answers, it is like getting one question wrong and one question right. They cancel each other out.
• To pass Stage 1, you need to get 50 percent marks. That is 40 out of 80 marks. This is the same for everyone, no matter what category you are in.
• The Stage 2 exam is a little different. It is worth 20 marks. You do it over video. You only need to do Stage 2 if you want to get into AIIMS or PGIMER Chandigarh.
• They make two lists of people who pass. One list is for JIPMER, NIMHANS and SCTIMST. The other list is for AIIMS and PGIMER.
• You can take the INI-SS exam as many times as you want. You can keep taking it until you get a seat.
• For the July 2026 session, the Stage 1 exam is on April 25 2026. You can register for it in March 2026.
• Just remember: 80 questions in 90 minutes and losing one-third of a mark for an answer. That is the key to doing well on the INI-SS exam.
• The people who make the exam like to test how well you remember science, like pharmacology and physiology. They also like to test how well you can answer questions about life scenarios in your specialty.
• One thing to watch out for on the INI-SS exam is trying to answer all 80 questions. Most people start to get really inaccurate after they have answered 65 or 70 questions.

You should practice with the PrepLadder QBank to get ready for the exam.

Also Read: Most Commonly Used Surgical Instruments

Frequently Asked Questions About INI-SS 2026

What is the exam pattern for INI-SS 2026?

The INI-SS 2026 exam has two stages. In Stage 1, you have to answer 80 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes on a computer. You get one mark for each answer, and you lose one-third of a mark for each wrong answer. Stage 2 is different. It is a 20-minute test where you are assessed by a department via video call. This only applies to people who want to get into AIIMS and PGIMER.

How many marks do you lose for a wrong answer in INI-SS?

You lose one-third of a mark for each answer. So if you get three answers, it is like getting one correct answer cancelled out. If you do not attempt a question, you do not lose any marks.

What is the qualifying cutoff for INI-SS 2026?

To qualify, you need to get at least 50% marks in Stage 1. If you want to get into AIIMS or PGIMER, you need to get 50% marks combined in both Stage 1 and Stage 2.

How many questions should you attempt in INI-SS?

There is no number. It depends on how accurate you are. If you are correct 80% of the time, it is better to attempt 65 to 70 questions. This way you will get a score than if you attempt all 80 questions and are only correct 65% of the time. Try to find out how accurate you are by taking tests.

Which institutes accept INI-SS scores?

Many institutes accept INI-SS scores. These include AIIMS New Delhi, all the new AIIMS, PGIMER Chandigarh, JIPMER Puducherry, NIMHANS Bengaluru and SCTIMST Trivandrum. In total, there are 19 institutes that accept INI-SS scores.

How is INI-SS different from INI-CET?

INI-CET is for people who want to get into MD, MS or MDS courses. It has 200 questions. You have 3 hours to complete it. INI-SS is for people who want to get into speciality courses like DM or MCh. It has 80 questions. You have 90 minutes to complete it. Both exams have marking, but they are different in many ways.

CLINICAL PEARL

In the INI-SS exam, the marks you save by not guessing are as valuable as the marks you get by knowing the answers. I have seen many people take this exam over the years. The ones who do well are not the ones who know the most.

The ones who are disciplined on the day of the exam. If you answer 60 questions correctly and do not attempt the rest, you will probably score more than someone who answers 80 questions but is not sure about the answers.

Hope you found this blog helpful for your E-learning for NEET SS Surgery. For more informative and interesting posts like these, keep reading PrepLadder’s blogs. 

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