Full Breakdown
NEET-UG to Shift to Computer-Based Testing, NTA Says
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Transition Announcement
National Testing Agency (NTA) Director General Abhishek Singh announced that the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for undergraduate medical courses (NEET-UG) will move from the traditional pen-and-paper format to a computer-based test (CBT) “very soon.” Singh said the change will require expanding testing infrastructure and building additional safeguards to ensure fairness and security.
Background & Context
NEET-UG is currently the only major NTA examination still conducted on paper, while the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), UGC-NET, CUET and NIFT have already transitioned to CBT. The agency’s push for digitalisation follows a 36-day student agitation at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar over alleged NEET irregularities, which led to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and prompted the government to form a high-powered task force (HPTF) led by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani. The HPTF is tasked with assessing infrastructure, security and system requirements for a nationwide CBT rollout.
Data & Statistics
- April 1 2026 – Singh, a 1995-batch IAS officer, assumed the role of NTA Director General.
- May 3 2026 – NEET-UG was held under Singh’s early tenure, after which a paper-leak controversy intensified calls for digital reform.
- All other major NTA entrance exams (JEE, UGC-NET, CUET, NIFT) are already administered via CBT.
Official Statements & Responses
Singh emphasized that the agency’s immediate priority is to “consolidate our own testing framework” and strengthen domestic systems before offering any cross-border services. He described AI-driven analytics and biometric verification—using Aadhaar-linked facial authentication—as central tools for fraud prevention.
Verbatim Quotes
- “All our examinations are CBT (Computer-Based Test) except the NEET examination. On NEET also, we will be moving to CBT very soon,” — Abhishek Singh, testing agency director
- “Our endeavor right now is to improve our systems so that we are able to conduct Indian examinations in a fair and transparent manner without any malpractice or without any error or without the need of having any review of our own systems,” — Abhishek Singh, testing agency director
- “CBT is the future, so all our examinations will be CBT in the days to come,” — Abhishek Singh, testing agency director
- “Not with the BRICS partners, but we are currently looking at the use of AI for conducting not only testing but also fraud prevention, trying to look at logs, trying to look at data, trying to look at analytics in order to ensure that the examinations are conducted without any error or without any problems,” — Abhishek Singh, testing agency director
What's Next
Singh outlined a two-phase roadmap: first, finalize the CBT infrastructure for NEET-UG; second, explore “cross-border examinations” as a longer-term goal. He discussed these plans on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit, scheduled for September 12-13 2026 in New Delhi, indicating that international collaboration on exam technology will be explored after domestic systems are deemed robust.
