NEET UG 2025 in Online Mode: The NEET UG exam, currently conducted in pen-and-paper mode, may soon transition to an online mode as discussions between the Education Ministry and Health Ministry are underway. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan confirmed that the two ministries have held multiple rounds of talks, and a decision is expected soon.
NEET UG: Current Exam Mode
At present, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET UG) is conducted offline. Candidates answer multiple-choice questions (MCQs) on an OMR sheet. NEET is the largest entrance examination in India in terms of candidates, with its results being used for admissions to MBBS, BDS, and other medical undergraduate programs across the country.
Pradhan highlighted that the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts the NEET UG exam, is fully prepared to implement any new examination method, including a Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode.
Potential Reforms in NEET UG Exam
The idea of shifting NEET UG to an online format is not new and has been deliberated in the past. However, recent controversies, including allegations of paper leaks and exam irregularities, have brought renewed focus on implementing reforms for greater transparency and fairness.
The push for reform comes in light of a high-level committee report led by former ISRO Chief R Radhakrishnan. The panel recommended introducing multi-stage testing for NEET UG as a viable reform to enhance the examination process.
Panel Recommendations
The Radhakrishnan panel suggested:
- Developing a framework with thresholds, test objectives, and scoring protocols for multi-stage testing.
- Defining the number of attempts and ranking methodologies.
These measures aim to make NEET UG more robust, secure, and transparent.
NEET UG and Recent Controversies
The need for reform was amplified after NEET and other national-level exams faced scrutiny due to alleged irregularities. Earlier this year, the UGC-NET was cancelled following reports of compromised integrity. Similarly, exams like CSIR-UGC NET and NEET PG were cancelled as precautionary steps to maintain transparency.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is currently probing the irregularities surrounding NEET UG and UGC-NET. These controversies prompted the Centre to establish a panel tasked with examining existing security protocols and recommending improvements.
NEET UG Exam Details
Each year, NTA conducts the NEET UG exam for admissions to undergraduate medical programs, including MBBS, BDS, Ayurveda, Unani, and Siddha courses. The exam serves as a single gateway for over 1,08,000 medical seats in India, distributed between government and private institutions.
- Approximately 56,000 seats are available in government medical colleges.
- Around 52,000 seats are offered by private medical institutions.
The reforms, including the possible shift to online mode, are expected to be implemented for the 2025 edition of NEET UG.
Committee Task Force
To ensure the smooth and fair conduct of national exams, the committee includes prominent experts such as:
- Randeep Guleria, former Director of AIIMS Delhi
- B J Rao, Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Hyderabad
- K Ramamurthy, Professor Emeritus at IIT Madras
- Pankaj Bansal, Co-founder of People Strong and Karmayogi Bharat board member
- Aditya Mittal, Dean of Student Affairs at IIT Delhi
- Govind Jaiswal, MoE Joint Secretary
The committee also appointed two IIT Kanpur faculty members, Amey Karkare and Debapriya Roy, to analyze technical aspects and ensure secure exam protocols.
Future of NEET UG
The deliberations between the Health Ministry and Education Ministry signal a significant step toward modernizing the NEET UG exam. A decision on the exam format and methodology is expected soon, marking a pivotal shift in India’s medical entrance examination process.
Students and stakeholders are advised to stay updated on official announcements via the NTA website and relevant ministry notifications.
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