Full Breakdown
India’s NEET-UG May Shift to Computer-Based Testing
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Plan for a National CBT Infrastructure
The Ministry of Education is formulating a nationwide, examination-grade Computer-Based Testing (CBT) infrastructure to enable the possible migration of the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET-UG) from its traditional pen-and-paper format to an online mode. A senior Ministry official said the strategy aims to “close the geographic gap” in test-centre availability, standardise centre-level specifications and create a multi-model sourcing architecture that can support large-scale national examinations.
Background: Paper-Leak Fallout and Reform Drive
The push for a CBT transition follows the NEET-UG question-paper leak earlier in 2026, which sparked nationwide student protests and led to the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a high-powered task force chaired by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani in July. The task force is reviewing security, technology, infrastructure, accessibility and inclusion, and has consulted former ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan, who headed an earlier committee that issued 101 recommendations after the 2024 leak.
Scale and Infrastructure Challenges
- Candidate volume: According to the Ministry of Education, nearly 25 lakh candidates sit for NEET-UG each year, making it the country’s largest undergraduate entrance exam.
- Seat inventory: About 1.08 lakh MBBS seats are available—approximately 56,000 in government hospitals and 52,000 in private colleges. The exam also determines admission to dentistry, Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha programmes.
- Logistical demands: A CBT system must provide enough centres across all states, equip them with standardised computers, ensure reliable power and internet connectivity, and maintain security safeguards comparable to the pen-and-paper format.
Official Statements & Responses
- The National Testing Agency (NTA) has noted that it already conducts several major examinations—JEE-Main, Common University Entrance Test (CUET)-UG/PG, UGC-NET and CSIR-UGC-NET—in CBT mode, and that the proposed NEET-UG shift would be the most demanding due to scale.
- The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to detail steps taken to implement the recommendations of both the Radhakrishnan committee and the Nilekani task force, emphasizing that reforms should be institutionalised rather than temporary.
What It Means for Future Exams
The Ministry’s long-term objective is to use the NEET-UG infrastructure as a template for migrating other pen-and-paper entrance examinations to CBT. Officials indicate that once the national strategy is in place, the government plans to shift “all entrance examinations online,” thereby creating a unified, secure, and accessible testing ecosystem for higher-education admissions.
Timeline
- July 2026: High-powered task force chaired by Nandan Nilekani formed.
- May 3 2026 (occurred): Original NEET-UG exam conducted; 22.7 lakh candidates appeared.
- May 12 2026 (occurred): NTA cancelled the exam after leak allegations; re-examination held on June 21 2026.
- September 30 2026 (scheduled): News outlets report that the Ministry’s CBT infrastructure plan is under active consideration.
- October 7 2026 (scheduled): Court hearing on supplementary Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chargesheet in the NEET-UG paper-leak case (contextual to reform urgency).
The final decision on moving NEET-UG to CBT will be taken after the Nilekani task force submits its recommendations. Until then, the Ministry continues to develop the infrastructure and assess equity impacts across the country.