New Delhi: The Centre is considering moving the NEET-UG exam online from next year, amid controversies over the integrity of the current pen-and-paper format. Reports of suspected exam leaks, nationwide protests, numerous arrests, a CBI probe, and court hearings have led to a high-level expert committee seeking input on exam reforms and the restructuring of the National Testing Agency (NTA). Suggestions can be submitted on the official website until July 7.Current state of NEET and proposed changesPresently, NEET is conducted annually as a pen-and-paper multiple-choice test where candidates mark their answers on an OMR sheet. Despite previous resistance from the Health Ministry, which conducts the exam through the NTA, a computer-based test similar to the JEE Main and Advanced exams for engineering admissions is now being considered.Government and expert panel involvementOn June 22, the Centre established a seven-member panel led by former ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan to recommend reforms in testing procedures, data security protocols, and review the NTAs structure and functioning. This panel will address the feasibility of switching to an online format.How NEET examinations changed over yearsIn 2018, then Education Minister Prakash Javadekar announced that NEET would be conducted online twice a year starting in 2019. However, this decision was retracted due to objections from the Health Ministry, which argued that a computer-based test would disadvantage poor and rural students.A senior government official questioned this concern, pointing out that many rural students successfully take the computer-based JEE Main and Advanced exams. The National Medical Commission (NMC) will make the final decision on the switch to an online format, with sources indicating it is a serious option.How will NEET examination be condcted onlineMoving NEET online involves challenges, such as the need for normalization due to multiple versions of the exam paper. With approximately 24 lakh candidates appearing for NEET-UG, the exam would need to be conducted over multiple shifts and days, similar to the JEE Main format. This would require creating different question papers and normalizing marks to address varying difficulty levels.Advantages of computer-based testingThe success of the computer-based JEE, conducted in two stages by the NTA and IITs, supports the feasibility of this transition. Experts attribute the integrity of JEE to its computer-based format and the controlled involvement of IITs. An IIT professor noted that fewer people are involved in the process, reducing the risk of compromising the system.
