NEET Physics Ray Optics and Optical Instruments PYQ Analysis 2020–2026: Topic-wise Trends & Practice
Ray Optics and Optical Instruments (NEET Physics): 21 questions in 2020–2026, 5.4% of the subject. Topic-wise trends, difficulty split, repeated topics and PYQ practice.
Edurack Team
October 13, 2026
Ray Optics and Optical Instruments gave 21 of the 387 NEET Physics questions asked between 2020 and 2026 (Re-NEET 2026 included). That is 5.4% of the subject and the #5 chapter out of 30 by weightage, about 2.6 questions per paper. It peaked at 4 in NEET 2021.
Of the 21 questions tagged for difficulty, 38% were easy, 38% medium and 24% hard, so this is a fairly balanced mix of easy and moderate questions.
Its weight has stayed steady: 3 questions per paper in 2020–2022 and 2.3 across 2025, 2026 and Re-NEET 2026.
Year-wise questions from Ray Optics and Optical Instruments
| Paper | Questions |
|---|---|
| NEET 2020 | 2 |
| NEET 2021 | 4 |
| NEET 2022 | 3 |
| NEET 2023 | 3 |
| NEET 2024 | 2 |
| NEET 2025 | 2 |
| NEET 2026 | 2 |
| Re-NEET 2026 | 3 |
Difficulty split
| Level | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 8 | 38% |
| Medium | 8 | 38% |
| Hard | 5 | 24% |
Topic-wise analysis
Every topic tagged under Ray Optics and Optical Instruments, most-asked first. "Papers" is the number of the 8 papers in which the topic appeared.
| Topic | Total Qs | Easy | Medium | Hard | Papers | Asked in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Refraction by Lenses (Combination of Thin Lenses in Contact) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2021, 2023 and Re-NEET 2026 |
| Optical Instruments (Telescope, Terrestrial Telescope) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2020 and 2024 |
| Refraction by Lenses (Images Formed by Convex Lens and Images Formed by…) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2026 and Re-NEET 2026 |
| Refraction through Prism (Derivation of Refractive Index of Material of Prism…) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2020 and 2024 |
| Thin Lenses | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2023 and 2025 |
| (Apparednt Refraction Depth and Apparent Height) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Re-NEET 2026 |
| Critical Angle, Grazing Emergence | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2023 |
| Dispersion by Prism (Dispersion) (Angular Dispersion) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2021 |
| Lens Formula (Deriving the Lens Formula) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2022 |
| Optical Instruments (Astronomical Telescope) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2021 |
| Optical Instruments (Simple Microscope and Compound Microscope) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2025 |
| Refraction (Refraction through Glass Slab) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2022 |
| Refraction by Lenses (Combination of Lens and Mirror) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Refraction through Prism (Condition for Minimum Deviation) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2026 |
| Total Internal Reflection in Nature and its Technological Application | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
Which topics matter most
Most-tested topics
- Refraction by Lenses (Combination of Thin Lenses in Contact): 3 Qs
- Optical Instruments (Telescope, Terrestrial Telescope): 2 Qs
- Refraction by Lenses (Images Formed by Convex Lens and Images Formed by…): 2 Qs
- Refraction through Prism (Derivation of Refractive Index of Material of Prism…): 2 Qs
- Thin Lenses: 2 Qs
Topics that keep coming back
These appeared in three or more different papers:
- Refraction by Lenses (Combination of Thin Lenses in Contact): 3 papers (2021, 2023 and Re-NEET 2026)
What the latest papers asked
Topics from NEET 2026 and Re-NEET 2026:
- Refraction by Lenses (Combination of Thin Lenses in Contact)
- Refraction by Lenses (Images Formed by Convex Lens and Images Formed by…)
- (Apparednt Refraction Depth and Apparent Height)
- Refraction through Prism (Condition for Minimum Deviation)
Where the hard questions came from
- Refraction by Lenses (Combination of Thin Lenses in Contact): 2 hard of 3
- Refraction through Prism (Derivation of Refractive Index of Material of Prism…): 1 hard of 2
- Refraction by Lenses (Combination of Lens and Mirror): 1 hard of 1
- Total Internal Reflection in Nature and its Technological Application: 1 hard of 1
How to use this data
- Only 1 topic appeared in three or more papers (14% of the chapter's questions), so repetition alone is a weak guide here. Cover the whole NCERT chapter.
- 24% were hard. After the basics, practise multi-step and application questions from the hard-tagged topics.
- Re-solve the 4 topics from NEET 2026 and Re-NEET 2026, since they show the current style of questions.
- Then attempt the chapter's past questions under a timer and note which topics cost you marks.
Practise Ray Optics and Optical Instruments PYQs
Solve every Ray Optics and Optical Instruments question from 2020–2026 with solutions on Edurack:
- Practise Ray Optics and Optical Instruments PYQs
- See the full Ray Optics and Optical Instruments blueprint page
- NEET Physics PYQ analysis: all chapters
Related chapters
- Units and Measurements: #4 in Physics, 22 questions
- Moving Charges and Magnetism: #6 in Physics, 18 questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions came from Ray Optics and Optical Instruments in NEET 2020–2026?
Ray Optics and Optical Instruments contributed 21 NEET Physics questions across the 8 papers from 2020–2026, which is 5.4% of the subject.
Which topics of Ray Optics and Optical Instruments are asked most often?
The most-tested topics are Refraction by Lenses (Combination of Thin Lenses in Contact): 3 Qs, Optical Instruments (Telescope, Terrestrial Telescope): 2 Qs and Refraction by Lenses (Images Formed by Convex Lens and Images Formed by…): 2 Qs.
Is Ray Optics and Optical Instruments easy or difficult in NEET?
Of 21 difficulty-tagged questions, 38% were easy, 38% medium and 24% hard.
Was Ray Optics and Optical Instruments asked in NEET 2026?
Yes. It had 2 questions in NEET 2026 and 3 questions in Re-NEET 2026.