NEET UG ranks among world’s 5 largest exams with 25 lakh applications; Gaokao tops global list
The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) has emerged as the fifth-largest examination in the world by number of applications, with around 25 lakh candidates registering for the medical entrance test, according to a report by SBI Research.The report compares major examinations across countries on the basis of the number of applications and underlines the extraordinary scale at which countries conduct entrance, recruitment and eligibility examinations. NEET UG is the highest-ranked Indian examination in the global comparison.China’s Gaokao, the country’s national college entrance examination, tops the list with around 1.29 crore registrations in 2026.
NEET UG ranks fifth globally with 25 lakh registrations
NEET UG, conducted for admission to undergraduate medical courses including MBBS, recorded around 25 lakh applications, placing it fifth among the examinations covered in the SBI Research report.The figure puts the scale of India’s medical entrance examination system in perspective. Every year, lakhs of students compete through a single national-level examination for a limited number of medical seats across the country.The examination requires a massive administrative exercise involving candidate registration, verification, examination centres, question-paper security, invigilation, evaluation, and result processing.The report’s comparison also shows that India’s examination ecosystem is not limited to a single large-scale test. Several other Indian examinations feature among the world’s biggest examinations by applications.
UPSC CSE, JEE Main , and UGC NET also make the list
The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) receives around 12 lakh applications, according to the report, placing it among the largest competitive examinations globally.The JEE Main, one of India’s biggest engineering entrance examinations, records around 10 lakh applications. The examination serves as a major gateway for admission to engineering programmes, including at the National Institutes of Technology and other participating institutions.The UGC NET, which determines eligibility for Assistant Professor and Junior Research Fellowship opportunities, attracts approximately eight lakh applications.Together, these examinations demonstrate the sheer volume of candidates passing through India’s competitive examination system each year. The tests cater to different stages of the education and recruitment cycle, from undergraduate admissions to higher education eligibility and government employment.
China’s Gaokao remains the world’s largest examination
China’s Gaokao occupies the top position in the SBI Research comparison, with around 1.29 crore registrations in 2026.The scale of the examination extends well beyond the number of candidates. According to the report, the 2026 Gaokao was conducted through 7,981 examination centres, with around 3.48 lakh examination rooms and 21,000 reserve rooms.Authorities also made arrangements for more than 14,000 candidates with disabilities. Given the number of candidates involved, examination security is a major component of the Gaokao administration. Question papers are prepared and printed at secured locations under continuous surveillance, while their transportation and storage are subject to strict security measures.Examination centres also deploy identity verification and security checks, alongside monitoring systems aimed at preventing malpractice.The arrangements cover not just the examination halls but also transportation, healthcare, food, emergency response and disruptions caused by weather conditions.
Brazil’s ENEM ranks second globally
Brazil’s ENEM, or National High School Exam, ranks second in the SBI Research comparison with around 48 lakh applications.China’s Central Civil-Service Examination, or Guokao, follows with approximately 37 lakh applications, while China’s National Master’s Entrance Examination ranks fourth with around 34 lakh applications.NEET UG follows these examinations with approximately 25 lakh applications.The figures show that some of the world’s largest examinations are linked to highly competitive education systems and public-sector recruitment processes, where a single examination can determine access to a large number of opportunities.
Large examinations require more than test centres
Conducting an examination involving millions of candidates is not simply a question of arranging enough classrooms and invigilators.Authorities must secure question papers, verify candidates, maintain examination-centre infrastructure, monitor malpractice, transport examination material, and ensure that the evaluation process remains reliable.The process also extends to result preparation and handling complaints or disputes raised by candidates. For an examination such as NEET UG, the geographical spread of candidates adds another layer of complexity. Any disruption at a centre or failure in the examination process can affect a large number of candidates and potentially have consequences for admissions.This makes contingency planning as important as routine examination management.
India’s examination system faces a scale challenge
The numbers cited by SBI Research underline the scale of India’s competitive examination ecosystem. NEET UG alone draws around 25 lakh applications, while UPSC CSE, JEE Main and UGC NET add millions more to the annual examination workload.At this scale, examination security cannot be treated as a standalone issue. Question-paper custody, candidate verification, centre management, evaluation, result processing, contingency planning, and grievance redressal are all part of ensuring a credible examination.The global comparison also offers a clear takeaway: when millions of candidates depend on a single examination, even a small administrative failure can have consequences far beyond the examination hall.
