Microbiology produced 250 of the 3,251 recalled INI-CET and AIIMS PG questions in the Kinase bank (2018–2026), placing it 5th of 19 subjects. Here are the chapters those questions came from, and a short checklist of concepts to revise before Sunday 1 November 2026.
Key Takeaways
- ✓Most-asked Microbiology chapters: Bacteriology, Parasitology, Virology
- ✓About 7.7% of recalled INI-CET questions; AIIMS publishes no official subject weightage
- ✓Chapters taking a growing share recently: Mycology
- ✓The concept checklist below is editorial, written against the top chapters, not counted from the bank
1Most-asked Microbiology chapters in INI-CET
Ranked by recalled INI-CET / AIIMS PG questions. “Papers asked” counts NEET-PG and INI-CET exam-years with at least one question on the chapter, out of the years with any question in Microbiology; the trend is computed on all recalled questions in the subject.
The top three chapters account for about 62.4% of recalled INI-CET Microbiology questions, so revising them well covers most of what has been asked. Mycology has taken a growing share of questions in recent years. Virology has a shrinking share, but still appears, so do not drop it.
| Chapter | INI-CET questions | Papers asked (NEET-PG + INI-CET) | Trend (all recalls) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bacteriology | 65 | 17 of 18 papers | Steady |
| Parasitology | 47 | 18 of 18 papers | Steady |
| Virology | 44 | 17 of 18 papers | Falling |
| Mycology | 33 | 17 of 18 papers | Rising |
| Immunology | 33 | 14 of 18 papers | Steady |
| General Microbiology | 17 | 12 of 18 papers | Steady |
2Microbiology questions by INI-CET year
| Year | Recalled INI-CET questions |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 24 |
| 2019 | 19 |
| 2020 | 35 |
| 2021 | 26 |
| 2022 | 38 |
| 2023 | 34 |
| 2024 | 36 |
| 2025 | 15 |
| 2026 | 23 |
Years with fewer recalled questions usually reflect thinner recall coverage, not fewer questions in the paper.
3Microbiology revision checklist
- ☐ Gram-positive vs Gram-negative cell wall, capsule and spores
- ☐ Sterilisation and disinfection methods
- ☐ Culture media and staining techniques
- ☐ Malaria, amoebiasis and helminths: life cycles and diagnosis
- ☐ Hepatitis B serology, HIV diagnosis and herpesviruses
- ☐ Dimorphic fungi and opportunistic fungal infections
4How to revise Microbiology for INI-CET
Microbiology questions often hinge on one distinguishing feature: a stain, culture medium, virulence factor or serology marker. Revise organism by organism (morphology, disease, lab diagnosis, treatment) and keep separate tables for media, stains and sterilisation.
Kinase Tip: See every Microbiology chapter with year-by-year counts on the Microbiology most-repeated topics page, then practise them on the INI-CET PYQ pages.
?Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important Microbiology topics for INI-CET?
In Kinase's recall bank of INI-CET / AIIMS PG questions (2018–2026), the Microbiology chapters with the most questions are Bacteriology, Parasitology, Virology. AIIMS does not publish an official topic list, so treat this as a revision order, not the full syllabus.
How many Microbiology questions come in INI-CET?
AIIMS does not publish subject-wise weightage. In the recall bank, Microbiology accounts for 250 of 3,251 recalled INI-CET questions (about 7.7%), ranking 5th of 19 subjects. Recall coverage varies by year, so read this as a rough share.
How should I revise Microbiology in the last month before INI-CET?
Microbiology questions often hinge on one distinguishing feature: a stain, culture medium, virulence factor or serology marker. Revise organism by organism (morphology, disease, lab diagnosis, treatment) and keep separate tables for media, stains and sterilisation. Solve the chapter's PYQs straight after revising it, and keep the final week for your error log, not new chapters.
Read next
Practise INI-CET Microbiology PYQs
Subject-wise INI-CET PYQs with explanations, revision tools and timed tests in one app.
View Plans & Start Practising