The NEET medical entrance test will be a computer-based exam from next year, instead of OMR, said Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday amid a probe into paper leak.
Addressing a press conference, Pradhan said, “One important point I wanted to mention is that, from next year, the root issue will be addressed — The NEET examination will be conducted as a computer-based test instead of OMR.”
This transition comes after the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 due to widespread paper leaks.
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NEET will be conducted as a computer-based test from next year to address the root issue of paper leaks and cybercrime, which have become major challenges for the examination process.
The NEET exam will transition from an OMR-based format to a computer-based test (CBT) starting next year. Additionally, the duration of the exam will be extended by 15 minutes.
The NEET-UG 2026 exam was cancelled due to paper leaks, and a re-examination is scheduled for June 21. The CBI is investigating the leak, and several arrests have been made.
No, the NTA will refund the fees paid by students for the cancelled exam and waive charges for the upcoming re-examination, making it free for students.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) is considered fully accountable for the NEET UG leak. The government has assured that strict action will be taken against all involved in malpractice.
It is in stark contrast to a recent parliamentary panel’s recommendation that championed the old-school paper model over switching to computer-based testing, as suggested by an expert committee led by former ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan in 2024, according to an ANI report.
The Radhakrishnan-led expert committee said there was a “strong case for the transition from PPT to CBT as the preferred methodology” and called for a robust CBT model with examinations conducted across multiple shifts as the “sure way forward”.
However, the Parliamentary Standing Committee, chaired by Digvijaya Singh, supported greater reliance on pen-and-paper examinations while acknowledging the trade-offs involved in both systems.
During the press conference, Pradhan also noted that cybercrime poses a major challenge to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), and said that as many as 120 Telegram channels were blocked. “NEET-related material spread through WhatsApp as well,” he said.
He admitted that questions had gone out under the guise of “guess papers”, and assured students that strict action would be taken against anyone involved in malpractices.
“Our topmost priority is the future of the students, and the government is sensitive towards their hard work and efforts,” Pradhan said. “We will not let malpractice happen this time. The government is with you. We had to make a difficult decision in the interest of the nation.”
Zero fees for NEET UG retest
Pradhan also announced that the NTA will refund fees paid by students and waive charges for the upcoming examination. “We will return the fees of the students. Zero fees in the upcoming examination,” he said.
NEET UG 2026 retest
The education minister said students will have a week to choose their preferred city, and admit cards for the NEET UG retest, scheduled for 21 June, will be issued by 14 June.
“The NTA will issue a detailed public notice by this evening with complete information. Prima facie, the NTA has decided to give students one week to choose their preferred examination city again, because many candidates may have left the city where they appeared for the previous exam,” Pradhan said.
The Union Minister also announced that the examination duration would be extended by 15 minutes to facilitate formalities, such as signing attendance sheets and other procedures.
“Keeping students’ convenience and time constraints in mind, the NTA has decided to extend the examination duration by 15 minutes. The exam, which was scheduled from 2 pm to 5 PM, will now continue till 5:15 PM,” he said.
‘NTA is fully accountable’
Pradhan said the National Testing Agency (NTA) is fully accountable for the NEET UG leak and that the government will ensure there are no errors going forward.
“NTA is fully accountable… The NTA is in the hands of an able person… It has been formed with the recommendation of the Supreme Court and conducts examination of nearly 1 crore students each year,” he said. “We will ensure 0 errors in the NTA.”
Pradhan also said that the issue should be viewed as a challenge related to the examination process rather than any individual institution.