Which Class Is Most Important for NEET? Biology, Chemistry, or Physics?

Every year, over 2 million students take NEET. And every year, the same question pops up: Which class is most important for NEET? Biology, chemistry, or physics? The answer isn’t a simple one-but it’s not as complicated as you think. If you’re aiming for a top rank, you need to understand how the exam is built, what actually gets tested, and where most students lose points. It’s not about picking one subject and ignoring the rest. It’s about strategy.

Biology carries the heaviest weight

Biology makes up 50% of the NEET exam. That’s 90 out of 180 questions. No other subject comes close. The syllabus is based on Class 11 and 12 NCERT textbooks-exactly as they are. No tricks, no advanced concepts. If you’ve read and understood NCERT Biology thoroughly, you’re already ahead of 70% of the competition.

Questions come straight from chapters like Human Reproduction, Genetics, Ecology, and Human Health and Disease. In 2024, 32 out of 90 biology questions were direct lifts from NCERT diagrams or tables. Students who skipped diagrams or memorized without understanding lost easy marks. Biology isn’t about memorizing every line-it’s about knowing where the exam pulls its questions from.

Compare that to physics: 45 questions, but many require multi-step problem-solving. A single mistake in unit conversion or formula application can cost you the entire question. Chemistry is better-45 questions, half of them theoretical, but still trickier than biology because of exceptions and reactions that look similar.

Chemistry is your middle ground

Chemistry is split between physical, organic, and inorganic. Physical chemistry needs calculations-formulas, mole concepts, equilibrium constants. Organic chemistry is about reaction mechanisms and named reactions. Inorganic is pure memory: periodic trends, coordination compounds, transition metals.

Here’s the catch: inorganic chemistry is the most predictable. If you’ve memorized the NCERT tables on p-block elements or d-block properties, you’ll get 15-18 questions right without thinking. Organic reactions? If you’ve practiced 5-10 key mechanisms like SN1, SN2, and electrophilic substitution, you’ll handle 90% of questions. Physical chemistry? It’s the hardest to master because it’s easy to misapply formulas.

But here’s what most students miss: chemistry questions are often shorter than physics ones. You can solve a chemistry question in 45 seconds. Biology? Sometimes 30 seconds. Physics? Often over a minute. Time matters. Chemistry gives you quick wins.

Physics is the score killer

Physics is where the top 1% separate themselves-and where most students crash. 45 questions, but only 15-20 are straightforward. The rest involve vectors, kinematics, electromagnetism, or modern physics with layered concepts. You can’t memorize your way out of a pulley system problem or a capacitor circuit.

Most NEET toppers say physics is their weakest subject. Why? Because it demands both understanding and speed. You need to visualize motion, interpret graphs, and apply formulas under pressure. A single misread word-like ‘uniform acceleration’ instead of ‘constant velocity’-can lead you down the wrong path.

But here’s the truth: you don’t need to be a physics genius to clear NEET. You need to be smart. Focus on high-yield topics: Mechanics (25% of physics questions), Electrostatics and Current Electricity (20%), Optics (10%), and Modern Physics (15%). Skip complex derivations. Master the application. Practice 20-25 problems from each topic until you can solve them blindfolded.

Why biology isn’t just ‘easy’-it’s the gatekeeper

Many students think biology is easy because it’s ‘just memorization.’ That’s dangerous thinking. Memorizing without understanding leads to confusion. For example: what’s the difference between mitosis and meiosis? If you can’t explain it in your own words, you’ll get it wrong when the question flips the context.

NEET biology questions now test application. A 2024 question asked: ‘Which plant hormone promotes fruit ripening and leaf abscission?’ If you only memorized ‘auxin = growth,’ you’d pick the wrong answer. The real answer is ethylene-but only if you’ve connected the function to the hormone, not just listed them.

Top scorers don’t just read NCERT. They make flashcards for diagrams, label them, and quiz themselves. They draw the human heart’s blood flow. They sketch the nitrogen cycle. They write out the genetic code for sickle cell anemia. That’s not memorization-that’s active recall.

The 60-25-15 rule for NEET preparation

Here’s the strategy that works for 90% of students who score above 650:

1. 60% of your time on biology. Read NCERT once a week. Do one chapter daily. Solve previous year questions for each chapter.
2. 25% on chemistry. Focus on inorganic first (it’s the easiest to lock down), then organic mechanisms, then physical chemistry formulas.
3. 15% on physics. Stick to high-weightage topics. Don’t chase hard problems. Master the basics until you can solve them in under a minute.

That’s it. No magic. No secret books. Just focus. Students who follow this pattern consistently score 600+. Those who spend equal time on all three subjects? They burn out. They run out of time. They miss the cutoff.

What to do if you’re weak in biology

If biology feels overwhelming, start here:

• Buy a printed copy of NCERT Biology (Class 11 and 12). Don’t rely on PDFs.
• Underline every diagram. Redraw them on blank paper.
• Make a list of all ‘firsts’ and ‘onlys’: ‘Only plant hormone that ripens fruit’ → ethylene.
• Solve 10 previous year questions daily for one chapter. Don’t move on until you get 9/10 right.
• Use YouTube videos only to clarify confusion-not to learn from scratch.

By the end of 60 days, you’ll know biology better than 80% of your peers.

Final reality check

The most important subject for NEET isn’t the one you like. It’s the one that gives you the most marks with the least effort. That’s biology. But you can’t ignore chemistry and physics. The exam doesn’t let you skip sections. Your goal isn’t to love biology-it’s to dominate it.

Students who treat biology as the foundation, chemistry as the booster, and physics as the polish? They get into top medical colleges. Those who chase perfection in physics and neglect biology? They end up with 500-550 marks and no seat.

NEET isn’t about being the smartest. It’s about being the most strategic.

What to do next

If you’re just starting, make a 90-day plan. Week 1-4: Master NCERT Biology Chapters 1-10. Week 5-8: Cover inorganic and organic chemistry. Week 9-12: Tackle physics basics. Then repeat. Don’t wait for the perfect time. Start today with one chapter. One diagram. One reaction. Progress isn’t loud-it’s quiet, daily, and relentless.