The National Testing Agency (NTA) has informed the Supreme Court that it is preparing to transition the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) to a Computer-Based Test (CBT) format from the next examination cycle, following consultations with the Union Government and relevant stakeholders.
The submission was made before a Supreme Court bench hearing a series of petitions related to the alleged paper leak incident that led to the cancellation of the NEET-UG examination conducted on May 3, 2026. In its affidavit, the NTA stated that a High-Level Committee of Experts (HLCE), constituted to recommend reforms in the examination system, has strongly advocated shifting NEET-UG from the traditional pen-and-paper mode to a digital testing framework.
According to the agency, NEET-UG remains the only major examination conducted by the NTA in an offline format, largely due to guidelines set by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the National Medical Commission. Other national-level entrance examinations administered by the agency are already conducted online.
The NTA said the proposed transformation will not only introduce CBT mode but also pave the way for multi-session and multi-stage testing, aimed at enhancing examination security, transparency, and operational efficiency.
The reform initiative stems from recommendations made by the HLCE, chaired by former ISRO Chairman Dr. K. Radhakrishnan. The committee submitted a detailed report containing 101 recommendations to the Ministry of Education in October 2024. To oversee implementation, the government subsequently established a High-Powered Steering Committee (HPSC), also led by Dr. Radhakrishnan.
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The agency informed the court that several recommendations have already been implemented or are in advanced stages of execution. These include strengthened protocols for question paper development, moderation, translation, and security monitoring.
Highlighting the scale of the examination, the NTA noted that NEET-UG 2026 was conducted across 5,432 centres, with more than 22 lakh candidates appearing for the test. The re-examination scheduled for June 21, 2026, will be held under an enhanced security framework featuring multi-layer authentication systems, surveillance mechanisms, and improved coordination among various agencies.
The NTA also reiterated that the cancellation of the May examination and the transfer of the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) demonstrate the government’s commitment to preserving the credibility of India’s examination ecosystem. The agency affirmed that it is extending full cooperation to the ongoing investigation.
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Looking ahead, the NTA plans to further institutionalise randomisation and rotation policies for paper setters, moderators, translators, and other examination personnel involved in high-stakes assessments. Additionally, artificial intelligence-powered tools are expected to handle a significant portion of translation work, reducing manual intervention and minimising the risk of security breaches.
The proposed digital transition marks one of the most significant reforms in the history of NEET-UG and is expected to modernise the country’s largest medical entrance examination while strengthening its integrity and reliability.
