NEET-UG Aspirants Attention: Amid Paper Leak Incidents, NTA Changes Test Rules

NEET-UG Exam Update: The National Testing Agency has announced a significant update for NEET-UG aspirants amidst concerns over paper leaks and other controversies. The Centre has decided to continue conducting the NEET-UG medical entrance exam in pen-and-paper mode, opting against an online format for the time being. This decision follows extensive discussions between the education and health ministries, weighing the options of pen-and-paper versus online modes for the exam.

"As decided by the National Medical Commission(NMC), the NEET-UG shall be conducted in Pen and paper mode (OMR based) in a single day and shift," a senior National Testing Agency (NTA) official said on Thursday.

The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) is the largest entrance exam in the country in terms of number of candidates appearing for the test. In 2024, a record more than 24 lakh candidates took the exam.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the NEET annually for admissions into medical colleges across India. A total of 1,08,000 MBBS seats are offered through this exam, with approximately 56,000 seats in government colleges and 52,000 in private institutions. In addition to MBBS, NEET results are also used for admissions into undergraduate courses in Dentistry, Ayurveda, Unani, and Siddha.

The idea of transitioning NEET to a Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode has been discussed multiple times in the past. However, the recent push for exam reforms gained momentum following last year’s paper leak controversy.

Amid allegations of irregularities in NEET and PhD entrance exams like UGC-NET, the Centre constituted a panel in July to ensure the transparent and efficient conduct of examinations by the NTA. This high-level committee, led by former ISRO Chief R. Radhakrishnan, recommended exploring the feasibility of multi-stage testing for NEET-UG as a potential solution.

While NEET faced scrutiny for leaks and other irregularities, UGC-NET was cancelled last year due to concerns over the exam’s integrity. Both cases are currently under investigation by the CBI. (With agency inputs)