NEET UG 2027 Update: Exam in 5-6 Days, NTA to Reduce Number of Centres

From next year, there will be major changes in the pattern of NEET-UG entrance test for admissions into undergraduate courses in medicine. The exam will turn into a computer-based test conducted over a period of five to six days.

The test will take place in around 1,000 centres across 500 cities. Majority of these will be government institutions like Kendriya Vidyalayas. Around 5 lakh candidates will write the exam every day, sources familiar with the development have informed this newspaper.

Government plans a major revamp of the National Testing Agency (NTA), which is the autonomous agency responsible for conducting NEET-UG and other entrance tests for admissions in higher education institutes. Sources said the revamp would be in terms of organisation, infrastructure, technology and process.

"The whole NTA organisation will undergo change, right from the top to bottom," sources said. They said it should be completed before October. NTA has 150 sanctioned posts at present.

This proposal by the Ministry of Education comes in the wake of the paper leak in this year. The paper leak had necessitated a re-test of NEET-UG. The original exam held on May 3 saw around 22 lakh students appear before its cancellation. This cancellation sparked protests and a CBI investigation.

Sources said the move has come in view of the recommendations of the high-powered committee set up last year by the government. Former Chairman of ISRO K Radhakrishnan chairs this committee set up by the government in 2024 following the paper leak in that year.

In his announcement of NEET-UG re-test on May 15 for June 21, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had said that NEET-UG would go digital from next year. This change in pattern was in view of the recommendation by Radhakrishnan committee. But it hadn't been implemented until now.

According to the pattern for NEET-UG next year, majority of the centres selected are going to be government institutions like Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas. Sources said "some reputed private institutions may also be made centres."

Each centre will accommodate around 500 candidates every day, sources said. Once the NTA is revamped, a notification will be issued, which will include details of shift timings, list of test cities among others.

It has been alleged that only those lower down in the chain like question-paper setters and translators have been arrested in connection with the latest paper leak. On this sources said: "As far as the criminal action is concerned, the investigation is on and nobody will be spared if he or she has committed the crime."

Recently, some top officials from the Ministry of Education and the NTA appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports. They briefed members about the measures being undertaken to strengthen entrance examination system.

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