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

If you're preparing for NEET, you've probably heard someone say, Biology is the king. And they’re right-but not because it’s easy. It’s because it carries the most weight, covers the most ground, and gives you the best return on your study time. NEET isn’t a race where all subjects matter equally. It’s a game where one subject decides your rank more than the other two combined.

Biology Carries 50% of the Marks

NEET has 180 multiple-choice questions. Out of those, 90 are from Biology-45 from Botany and 45 from Zoology. That’s exactly half the paper. Chemistry and Physics together make up the other 90. So if you score 300 out of 360 in Biology alone, you’re already halfway to a top rank. No other subject gives you that kind of leverage.

And here’s the kicker: Biology questions are mostly direct. They come straight from NCERT textbooks. If you’ve read Class 11 and 12 Biology NCERT cover to cover, you can answer 70-80% of the Biology section without extra coaching material. That’s not luck. That’s structure. Physics and Chemistry demand problem-solving, formulas, and tricks. Biology? It’s about memory, understanding, and repetition.

Why Biology Is Easier to Master Than Physics

Let’s compare. A Physics question might ask you to calculate the force on a charged particle in a magnetic field. You need to recall the formula, visualize the direction, apply the right-hand rule, and avoid sign errors. One mistake, and you lose the mark. Chemistry? You need to balance redox reactions, remember hybridization patterns, or predict reaction products based on subtle functional group behavior.

Biology doesn’t work like that. A question might ask: Which part of the human heart receives oxygenated blood from the lungs? The answer is the left atrium. You either know it or you don’t. No calculation. No trick. Just recall.

That’s why students who struggle with Physics and Chemistry often pull their ranks up by nailing Biology. I’ve seen students score 140 in Biology, 60 in Chemistry, and 40 in Physics-and still clear the cutoff for top medical colleges. That same student with 100 in Biology, 90 in Chemistry, and 80 in Physics? They’re stuck in the 500s. The difference isn’t effort. It’s strategy.

Chemistry Is the Bridge

Chemistry isn’t just a filler subject. It’s your safety net. Organic Chemistry is full of reactions you can memorize. Inorganic Chemistry? It’s mostly facts-periodic trends, coordination compounds, transition metals. Physical Chemistry is the only part that feels like Physics, with calculations and formulas. But even then, the questions are predictable.

Here’s what works: Master NCERT for Inorganic. Practice 100 reactions from Organic. Solve 20 past papers for Physical Chemistry. If you do this, you can consistently score 100+ in Chemistry. That’s 30-40 marks above average. And those marks? They’re the difference between a government college seat and a private one.

But here’s the truth: Chemistry won’t save you if your Biology is weak. You can’t compensate for 80 in Biology with 120 in Chemistry. The weight doesn’t balance that way.

Physics Is the Riskiest Bet

Physics is the hardest subject to score high in on NEET. Why? Because the questions are unpredictable. A question might look simple-What’s the time period of a simple pendulum?-but then it adds a twist: the pendulum is in an accelerating elevator. Now you need to adjust gravity. That’s not in NCERT. That’s advanced application.

Most students spend months drilling JEE-level Physics problems. That’s a mistake. NEET Physics doesn’t test depth. It tests basics. If you know the formulas from Class 11 and 12, and you’ve practiced 10-15 questions per topic from past papers, you’re good. You don’t need to solve 50 problems on rotational motion. You need to know the 3-4 most common types.

And here’s what happens when you over-invest in Physics: You burn out. You start skipping Biology revisions because you’re stuck on a problem you can’t solve. That’s when your rank drops. You think you’re working hard. You’re actually working inefficiently.

How Top Scorers Actually Study

Look at the toppers from 2024. Their subject-wise scores tell the story:

• Average Biology score: 320-340 out of 360
• Average Chemistry score: 150-170 out of 180
• Average Physics score: 140-160 out of 180

That’s not random. It’s a pattern. Top scorers don’t aim for 170 in Physics. They aim for 150. Then they pour the rest of their energy into Biology-making sure they get 330+. They know the system. They know where the points are.

Here’s their routine:

1. Read NCERT Biology daily-even on rest days.
2. Make flashcards for diagrams: nephron, heart, embryo, brain parts.
3. Solve 10 Biology MCQs before breakfast.
4. Revise Chemistry reactions every Sunday.
5. Do Physics only on alternate days, and only from past NEET papers.

They don’t chase perfection. They chase consistency in the highest-yield subject.

What Happens If You Ignore Biology?

Every year, hundreds of students think: I’m good at Physics. I’ll make up for Biology later. Then they score 160 in Physics, 140 in Chemistry, and 90 in Biology. Total: 390. They’re devastated. They thought they aced the exam. But NEET doesn’t care how good you are in Physics. It cares how many students scored higher than you in Biology.

In 2024, the cutoff for a government MBBS seat in Maharashtra was 670 out of 720. The topper scored 715. The student who scored 680 in Biology but only 650 in total? They didn’t make it. Why? Because everyone else scored 320+ in Biology. You can’t win a race if you’re lagging in the first half.

Final Strategy: Prioritize, Don’t Equalize

You don’t need to be brilliant in all three. You need to be excellent in one-and good in the others. That one subject is Biology. It’s not about preference. It’s about data. It’s about how the exam is designed.

Here’s your plan:

• Give Biology 50% of your study time.
• Give Chemistry 30%.
• Give Physics 20%.

Don’t argue. Just try it for 30 days. Track your mock test scores. You’ll see Biology lift your total faster than any other subject. And when you start scoring 320+ in Biology, you’ll realize why everyone says it’s the most important class.

What If You Hate Biology?

Then you have two choices: get over it, or get out. NEET isn’t a test of what you like. It’s a test of what you can do. If you want to be a doctor, you have to know the human body better than you know your own phone. If you can’t memorize the parts of the kidney, you won’t pass the first year of MBBS anyway.

There’s no shortcut. But there is a smarter way. Break Biology into small chunks. Learn one diagram a day. Use apps like Anki for spaced repetition. Watch YouTube videos from trusted channels like Dr. Anand Manoj. Turn it into a game. Score yourself on quizzes. Reward yourself after every 50 questions.

It’s not about loving it. It’s about doing it.