NEET-UG to go online very soon: NTA chief says Nilekani panel is working on CBT plan

NEET-UG is being prepared for a shift to a computer-based format, with NTA chief Abhishek Singh saying a Nandan Nilekani-led panel is working on the plan. The move links exam modernisation with tighter security, as the agency also studies AI tools to detect malpractice.

In Short

• NEET remains the only major NTA exam still held offline
• JEE, UGC-NET, CUET and NIFT have already adopted computer-based testing
• The agency must expand centres, systems and safeguards for NEET's scale

The NEET-UG examination is all set to move from the traditional pen-and-paper format to a computer-based test, NTA Director General Abhishek Singh said. The shift is part of the NTA’s plan to modernise its examinations and strengthen safeguards against malpractice and other irregularities.

NEET-UG is currently the only major NTA exam that is not conducted in the computer-based format. JEE, UGC-NET, CUET and NIFT examinations have already moved to CBT mode.

“CBT is the future, so all our examinations will be CBT in the days to come,” Singh told ANI. The transition, however, will require the NTA to expand testing infrastructure and strengthen safeguards before NEET can be conducted online at its massive scale.

NANDAN NILEKANI-LED PANEL WORKING ON PLAN

A high-powered task force led by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani is working on the proposed transformation. Its focus includes assessing the infrastructure, security requirements and systems needed to conduct NEET through computers.

The scale of NEET makes the shift more complex than a routine change in examination format, as the agency would have to ensure adequate centres, reliable systems and safeguards across the country.

AI TO BE USED TO DETECT MALPRACTICE

Moreover, the NTA is exploring the use of artificial intelligence to strengthen examination security and detect irregularities. The agency is examining how AI can be used to analyse examination logs, data and other patterns to identify potential fraud or system-level problems.

The objective is to detect issues at an early stage and ensure that examinations are conducted with minimal scope for errors or malpractice. In the longer term, the agency is also considering conducting examinations across international locations.

According to Singh, the NTA’s immediate priority is to strengthen its examination systems in India and make them more transparent, secure and reliable.

Once these systems are robust, the agency plans to explore the possibility of conducting examinations for international and global bodies. The proposed expansion comes at a time when the NTA is under renewed scrutiny over examination security, with greater emphasis on strengthening systems to prevent paper leaks, impersonation and other forms of malpractice.

(With inputs from ANI)

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