NEET 2027 to be held in Pc Primarily based Check mode: Training min Dharmendra Pradhan
The Nationwide Eligibility cum Entrance Check-Undergraduate or NEET-UG will likely be performed by Nationwide Testing Company (NTA) in Pc Primarily based Check (CBT) mode from subsequent yr as an alternative of pen paper check (PPT) mode through which college students reply the questions in a Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheet, Union schooling minister Dharmendra Pradhan introduced on Friday.
In his first assertion after NTA on Might 12 cancelled NEET-UG 2026 (held on Might 3) following paper leak allegations, Pradhan stated that candidates will get 15 further minutes to write down their re-examination of NEET on June 21.
He additionally stated that the federal government is taking accountability for a “breach in command” regardless of following suggestions of the Radhakrishnan committee – a seven member committee arrange after the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak controversy to strengthen NTA.
Pradhan stated that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will “go deep” into the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak matter and “nobody will likely be spared this time. Nobody was spared final time additionally.”
Additionally Learn: ‘Breach in command chain, we take accountability’: Govt after NEET paper leak
“Regardless of implementation of Radhakrishnan committee’s suggestions, this incident occurred. The basis reason for that is Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) based mostly examination. From subsequent yr, the NEET examination will occur in CBT (Pc-Primarily based Check) mode,” Pradhan stated whereas addressing a press convention at his residence.
Radhakrishnan committee in October 2024 made a “sturdy case” for shifting NEET-UG to computer-based testing — describing it because the “positive approach ahead” in opposition to paper leaks.
NTA director common Abhishek Singh had on Thursday advised HT, “We’ll conduct the examination in CBT mode if the well being ministry provides us in writing that they need us to conduct the examination in CBT mode. It’s going to take round 20 shifts to handle round 2.2 million NEET candidates, and we must observe the normalisation course of to make sure equity to all college students,” he stated.
The normalisation course of entails adjusting scores to offset issue variations throughout shifts based mostly on relative efficiency inside every session.
NTA had on Might 12 cancelled NEET-UG 2026 , a call that got here after no less than 120 questions in a “guess paper” had been discovered to overlap with the Might 3 examination paper.
Guess paper is a compilation of possible questions ready by topic specialists and academics based mostly on earlier examination traits.
The choice has impacted over 2.2 million college students who’ve been making ready for the exams for months, if not years. NEET NTA will refund the examination payment to college students and conduct the re-examination on June 21.
Pradhan stated that the admit card for re-examination of NEET will likely be launched by June 14 and college students will likely be given quarter-hour further time within the June 21 examination.
“One other level was introduced up concerning the formalities within the examination, corresponding to signing the OMR sheet at first and the tip. This was decreasing the core time obtainable to the scholars. Contemplating the examination time from 2pm to 5pm, the NTA has determined to increase it by quarter-hour,” he stated.
On being requested about potential weak point in safety measures for examinations attributable to Worldwide Yoga Day on June 21, Pradhan stated, “Yoga Day will likely be celebrated within the morning and exams will likely be held at midday. We’ve got fastened the date after due consideration.”
Additionally Learn: How a ‘guess paper’ from Churu led to NEET-UG, India’s largest entrance check, being cancelled
CBI advised a Delhi courtroom on Thursday that the NEET-UG 2026 query paper leak traces again to a supply contained in the NTA— a declare the courtroom recorded in its order, noting that Shubham Khairnar had obtained the paper from a Pune-based one that had in flip obtained it from his “NTA supply”.
CBI has arrested seven individuals within the matter up to now.
“CBI will examine the matter totally. CBI is a reliable company, and it’ll probe issues easily,” Pradhan stated on being requested about involvement of NTA insiders within the paper leak.
Earlier on Might 13, HT first reported {that a} member of Radhakrishnan panel stated, “If a leak occurred, it seemingly occurred upstream- on the greater stage query pool stage, inside NTA.”
At the least two college students who appeared in NEET-UG 2026 – one in Goa and one in Uttar Pradesh – died by suicide after paper cancellation.
“I’ve no phrases to clarify the lack of valuable lives. It’s our accountability that such incidents don’t happen in future,” Pradhan stated.
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