Hyderabad: In light of ongoing concerns regarding the integrity of the NEET-UG exam, the Central Government is contemplating conducting the test online starting next year. This approach is similar to the format used for the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) Main and JEE Advanced for admissions to IITs and engineering colleges.
This consideration arises after the prestigious exam faced allegations of leaks, resulting in nationwide protests, multiple arrests, a CBI investigation, numerous court hearings, and discussions in Parliament.
Currently, NEET is an annual pen-and-paper MCQ test, where candidates select answers from given options and mark them on an OMR sheet, which is then optically scanned. Previously, the Union Health Ministry, through the National Testing Agency (NTA), resisted switching NEET to an online format.
In 2018, then Education Minister Prakash Javadekar announced that NEET would be conducted online and twice a year starting in 2019. However, this decision was retracted after the Health Ministry objected to the announcement, citing a lack of formal consultation. Given the recent concerns over paper leaks, the ministry is now reconsidering the transition to a computer-based test.
The final decision on switching to an online mode rests with the National Medical Commission. Sources indicate that while the transition to a computer-based test poses challenges, such as the need for “normalisation” due to multiple versions of the exam, it is being considered a viable option.
This potential shift to an online mode was discussed in at least three high-level meetings over the past week. On June 22, the Centre established a seven-member panel, chaired by former ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan, to recommend reforms in testing procedures and data security protocols and to review the NTA’s structure and functioning.
