Students appearing for NEET-UG next year may have to take the exam in a new format. According to a report by The Indian Express, the medical entrance exam is likely to be conducted as a computer-based test instead of the current pen-and-paper format.
The report said the exam will be held over five to six days at around 1,000 centres across nearly 500 cities. Around five lakh candidates are expected to appear each day.
Along with changes to NEET-UG, the Ministry of Education is also planning a complete overhaul of the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts NEET-UG and several other entrance exams. According to sources quoted by The Indian Express, the revamp will cover the agency’s organisation, technology, infrastructure and working process.
“We are going to change the entire organisation of the NTA, from top to bottom,” sources said, adding that the exercise is expected to be completed before October. The report added that around 150 posts are currently sanctioned in the NTA.
The proposed changes come after this year’s NEET-UG paper leak controversy. The exam held on May 3 was cancelled after reports of a paper leak. Around 22 lakh students had appeared for the test. The exam was later conducted again on June 21, leading to widespread protests and a CBI investigation.
According to the report, the latest proposals are based on the recommendations of a seven-member committee headed by former ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan. The committee was set up by the Centre in 2024 after another NEET paper leak.
As per the report, most NEET-UG centres next year will be government institutions, including Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas. Some well-known private institutions may also be selected as test centres.
Each centre is expected to accommodate around 500 candidates every day. A detailed notification with shift timings, the list of exam cities and other instructions is likely to be released after the NTA revamp is completed.
Responding to questions over the investigation into the paper leak, sources said the probe is still underway. “As far as criminal action is concerned, investigations are going on and no one will be spared if he or she has committed the crime.”
The report also said senior officials from the Ministry of Education and the NTA recently appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports. They briefed the committee about the steps being taken to make the entrance examination system more secure.
The Indian Express also reported that it reviewed 45 major exam paper leak cases from the past 20 years involving exams with at least one lakh candidates. According to the report, only two of those cases have resulted in convictions.
