DNB CET Syllabus 2027: Specialty-Wise Topics and Study Checklist
The DNB CET syllabus is different from most entrance exams, because there is no single list of subjects for everyone. The test, officially the DNB Post Diploma Centralized Entrance Test (DNB-PDCET) conducted by NBEMS, sets a paper from the curriculum of your own postgraduate diploma. This page shows how that works, which topic areas to cover for each specialty and how to turn them into a study plan.
Honesty note: NBEMS states that the 120 questions cover the entire curriculum relevant to the diploma specialty at the post-diploma exit level, but it does not publish a topic-wise syllabus. The topic lists below are working checklists built from standard diploma and postgraduate curricula. They are not an official list. Confirm the rules in the bulletin on the Official NBEMS website: https://natboard.edu.in/
Table of Contents
How the DNB CET Syllabus Works
Paper Structure at a Glance
Key Changes and Points to Know
Specialty-Wise Syllabus Checklist
Common Basic Science Areas
High-Yield Topics and How to Spot Them
Is There an Interview or Practical Test
How to Cover the Syllabus in Phases
How the DNB CET Syllabus Works
Every candidate gets a paper for the broad specialty linked to their diploma. A DGO holder is tested in obstetrics and gynaecology, a DCH holder in paediatrics and a DA holder in anaesthesiology. Questions are single-best-answer MCQs, mostly clinical and application-based, with a share of basic science that supports the specialty.
Two practical points follow from this. First, the best source of your syllabus is your own diploma curriculum and logbook, not a generic list. Second, a topic you used often in daily practice is not automatically safe, because the paper also tests recent guidelines and rarely seen conditions.
Paper Structure at a Glance
Item | Detail |
|---|---|
Paper basis | Curriculum of the candidate's diploma specialty |
Number of questions | 120 MCQs (2022 bulletin; reported again for 2026) |
Marking | +4 correct, -1 wrong, 0 unattempted |
Level | Post-diploma exit level |
Official topic list | Not published; the bulletin refers to the whole relevant curriculum |
Key Changes and Points to Know
Specialty-based paper: Some third-party pages describe a common MBBS-style paper with fixed subject groups. The 2022 official bulletin describes a specialty-specific paper, so follow the bulletin.
Specialty list: The 2022 bulletin lists 14 specialties. Other pages quote 8, which refers to subject groups in some summaries, not the official list. Check the annexure in the 2027 bulletin.
No negative surprises: A wrong answer costs 1 mark, so topic accuracy matters more than raw coverage.
2027 bulletin pending: As of 23 October 2026 the 2027 bulletin is not out. Re-check the syllabus statement when it appears.
Specialty-Wise Syllabus Checklist
Use the grids below as a starting framework and add anything your own curriculum includes.
Anaesthesiology (DA)
Area | Topics to cover | Start with |
|---|---|---|
Pharmacology | Inhalational and intravenous agents, muscle relaxants, local anaesthetics, reversal agents | Mechanism and dosing basics |
Techniques | General anaesthesia, spinal and epidural, nerve blocks, airway management | Airway and difficult airway plans |
Monitoring and physiology | Capnography, haemodynamics, fluid and acid-base balance | Respiratory and cardiac physiology |
Special situations | Obstetric, paediatric, geriatric anaesthesia, day care, trauma | Obstetric anaesthesia |
Critical care and pain | Resuscitation, ventilation, sepsis, acute and chronic pain | Current resuscitation guidelines |
Obstetrics and Gynaecology (DGO)
Area | Topics to cover | Start with |
|---|---|---|
Obstetrics | Antenatal care, normal and abnormal labour, hypertensive disorders, haemorrhage, diabetes in pregnancy | Hypertension and haemorrhage |
Operative obstetrics | Instrumental delivery, caesarean section, induction of labour | Indications and complications |
Gynaecology | Menstrual disorders, infertility, fibroids, endometriosis, gynaecological cancers | Abnormal uterine bleeding |
Family planning and public health | Contraception, national programmes, screening | Contraceptive eligibility |
Paediatrics (DCH)
Area | Topics to cover | Start with |
|---|---|---|
Growth and development | Milestones, growth charts, nutrition, immunisation schedule | Milestones and immunisation |
Neonatology | Resuscitation, prematurity, jaundice, sepsis, feeding | Neonatal jaundice |
Systemic paediatrics | Respiratory, cardiac, renal, neurological, haematological disorders | Respiratory infections |
Infections and emergencies | Diarrhoea, fever, seizures, poisoning, shock | Fluid and shock management |
Other listed specialties
Specialty (diploma) | Topic areas to cover |
|---|---|
Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy (DVD) | Infections and infestations, papulosquamous disorders, bullous diseases, STIs, leprosy, dermatological therapeutics |
Nuclear Medicine (DNM) | Radiopharmaceuticals, imaging physics, thyroid and bone scans, radiation safety |
Ophthalmology (DOMS) | Anatomy, cornea, lens and cataract, glaucoma, retina, strabismus, community ophthalmology |
Orthopaedics (D.Ortho) | Fractures and dislocations, bone and joint infections, tumours, paediatric orthopaedics, nerve injuries |
Otorhinolaryngology (DLO) | Ear diseases and audiology, nose and sinuses, throat and larynx, head and neck tumours, ENT emergencies |
Psychiatry (DPM) | Psychopathology, mood and psychotic disorders, substance use, psychopharmacology, child psychiatry |
Radio Diagnosis (DMRD) | Radiological physics, X-ray, ultrasound, CT and MRI findings, contrast, radiation protection |
Radiation Oncology (DMRT) | Radiobiology, treatment planning, brachytherapy, site-wise cancer management, chemotherapy basics |
Respiratory Medicine (DTCD) | Tuberculosis and national programme, obstructive and interstitial lung disease, pulmonary function tests, respiratory failure |
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (DPMR) | Neurological and musculoskeletal rehabilitation, orthotics and prosthetics, electrodiagnosis, disability assessment |
Pathology (DCP) | General and systemic pathology, haematology, clinical biochemistry, microbiology, cytology and histopathology |
Specialties can be added or removed between cycles, so check the annexure in the current bulletin.
Common Basic Science Areas
Almost every specialty paper draws on basic sciences. Plan a short revision block for the ones that match your field.
Basic subject | Why it appears | Specialties that lean on it |
|---|---|---|
Anatomy | Surgical and imaging correlation | Anaesthesiology, ENT, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, radiology |
Physiology | Mechanism behind clinical findings | Anaesthesiology, respiratory medicine, paediatrics |
Pharmacology | Drug choice, dose and adverse effects | All specialties, heavily in anaesthesiology and psychiatry |
Pathology and microbiology | Diagnosis and infection | Dermatology, respiratory medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology |
Community medicine | National programmes and screening | Paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, respiratory medicine |
High-Yield Topics and How to Spot Them
Because the syllabus is wide, the real skill is deciding where to spend time. Three habits help.
Use earlier papers: Questions from previous cycles, where available, show how deep and how clinical the paper goes. Do not assume repeats, but study the pattern of testing.
Prioritise guidelines: National programme schedules, recent society guidelines and standard protocols are easy to test and easy to revise.
Weigh by overlap: Topics that appear in your diploma, your daily work and standard textbooks are the safest investment.
Is There an Interview or Practical Test
The entrance has no interview, practical or oral component in the official 2022 bulletin. Selection depends on the rank from the computer-based paper, followed by merit-cum-choice counselling run by NBEMS. This is why every mark in a 120-question paper counts.
How to Cover the Syllabus in Phases
Weeks 1 to 2, audit: Copy your diploma curriculum into a checklist. Rate every topic as strong, average or weak.
Weeks 3 to 8, core revision: Revise weak and average topics from one standard textbook per subject. Add guideline updates.
Weeks 9 to 12, MCQ practice: Solve topic-wise questions daily. Record every error with its reason.
Weeks 13 to 16, mixed sets: Take 60-question mixed tests to build stamina, then begin full 120-question papers.
Final weeks, mocks and error log: Attempt full-length timed papers on a computer, analyse the same day and revise your error log.
Adjust the number of weeks to the time you actually have. If the bulletin is released in February and the test follows about two months later, as in the 2026 cycle, start the audit well before registration opens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to practice? Explore DNB CET mock tests from top educators.
Browse DNB CET Mock Tests