New Delhi:
The Central Government has told the Supreme Court that changing NEET-UG from its way of using paper and pen to a computer-based test is being looked at carefully. The final choice will depend on what a special group of people recommends about how to improve the exam.
This was said in a report given to the court in cases about the NEET-UG 2026 exam question leak. It was in response to a request from the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) asking for changes to the National Testing Agency (NTA). They wanted a test that is watched over by judges and a group of people who check everything carefully.
Maybe a Two-Part Exam Like JEE
In the report the government said it is checking if NEET-UG could be done on a computer either as one test or importantly as two parts like JEE Main and JEE Advanced. The government said that NEET-UG is the main NTA exam still done with paper and pen. Seven of the eight big NTA exams are already done on computers. These exams take place over days and sessions. Each year than 22 lakh people sign up for NEET-UG. Most of them come from areas and most are women. The government said that a computer-based test could make the process better for everyone taking the exam.
What the Special Group Will Say
The government said no final decision has been made yet. The exams future format will depend on what the High-Powered Task Force says. This group is led by Nandan Nilekani, who helped start Infosys. They are working with the Health Ministry and the National Medical Commission. The group has people from technology, space, intelligence, schools and government. They are looking at whether the technology’s ready how safe the exams are, what the buildings are like and if it is fair for everyone before any new way is used.
Other Changes the Government Mentioned
The report also talked about a system called 10 layers of security for the current exam. This includes making questions using computers that are not connected to the internet. Each question paper and the form where answers are written gets a number linked to the person taking the test. The government also said about a law in 2026 that makes it a crime to leak exam questions to pretend to be someone else or to change the exam system. The punishment could be up to 10 years in prison and a fine of, up to ₹1 crore.
Note: This story is based on the governments report to the Supreme Court and the information that was available when it was published. No final decision has been made about how the exam will be done.
