Exam Pattern
DNB-PDCET Exam Pattern
DNB Post Diploma Centralised Entrance Test 2026 (Anaesthesiology)
The DNB-PDCET exam pattern below is checked stage by stage, so one stage cannot inherit another stage's scoring rules.
DNB-PDCET Anaesthesiology
Official 2026 pattern| Questions | 120 |
| Total marks | 480 |
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Negative marking | 1 per wrong answer |
| Sections | Anaesthesiology |
Timing: The official paper is delivered in several sequentially locked time-bound sections. The bulletin gives three blocks of 40 questions in 40 minutes only as an example and says the actual split may vary, so this mock uses one 120-minute composite timer rather than freezing an example as a rule..
The Post Diploma Anaesthesiology paper only; the other PDCET specialties are separate papers and are not covered here. All 120 questions come from Anaesthesiology at Post Diploma exit-examination level, covering the whole Diploma curriculum rather than a per-topic quota. Each correct answer earns 4 marks and each wrong answer deducts 1, a 25 per cent penalty. The paper is set in English only.
Official source · checked 8 September 2026The DNB-PDCET DNB-PDCET Anaesthesiology exam pattern is 120 questions carrying 480 marks, to be answered in 120 minutes. That works out to about 60 seconds per question on average, before any time spent reading instructions or revisiting marked answers. It is a single Anaesthesiology paper.
DNB-PDCET DNB-PDCET Anaesthesiology marking scheme
- Each correct answer is worth 4 marks.
- A wrong answer deducts 1 mark; an unattempted question scores zero.
- A guess therefore breaks even at 20% accuracy: above that it gains you marks on average, below it loses them. A blind guess between four options is right 25% of the time, which is already above that line, so an educated guess is clearly worth making rather than leaving the question blank.
- Worked example: attempt 96 of the 120 questions and get 72 right and 24 wrong, and you score 264 out of 480.
Practising against the same clock is the point of a mock test: at 60 seconds a question, the difference between a good score and an average one is usually pacing rather than knowledge. Attempt a free DNB-PDCET mock test to see where your time actually goes.
DNB-PDCET exam pattern: frequently asked questions
Is there negative marking in DNB-PDCET?
DNB-PDCET deducts 1 mark for a wrong answer. An unattempted question always scores zero, so the choice is only ever between guessing and leaving it blank.
How many questions are there in DNB-PDCET?
DNB-PDCET has 120 questions. That leaves about 60 seconds per question in DNB-PDCET.
What are the total marks in DNB-PDCET?
DNB-PDCET is out of 480 marks.
How long is the DNB-PDCET exam?
DNB-PDCET runs for 120 minutes.