NEW DELHI: The ministry of education is developing a nationwide Computer-Based Testing (CBT) infrastructure strategy to enable the transition of NEET from its current pen-and-paper format to an online examination, officials said.While NEET has so far been conducted in pen-and-paper mode, the National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts several other examinations, including JEE-Main, Common University Entrance Test (CUET)-UG and PG, UGC-NET and CSIR UGC-NET, in computer-based mode.Once the infrastructure strategy is in place, the plan is to shift all entrance examinations to the online mode.“A national examination-grade Computer-Based Testing infrastructure strategy is being formulated to close the geographic gap in test-centre availability, standardise centre-level examination-grade specifications and to permit the migration to CBT from the pen-and-paper mode examinations. The strategy is under active consideration based on a multi-model sourcing architecture,” a senior Ministry of Education official was quoted as saying by PTI.The move comes amid an ongoing overhaul of the National Testing Agency (NTA), the nodal autonomous body responsible for conducting NEET-UG and other entrance examinations for higher educational institutions.“The possible migration of NEET (UG) from the pen-and-paper mode to CBT, including the design of the transition, the sequencing, the infrastructure prerequisites, and the equity implications for rural, women and low-connectivity-district candidates, is being worked upon. However, the recommendations of the High-Level Task Force on exam reforms in structured consultation and concurrence of the Health Ministry and National Medical Commission, are awaited,” the official said.Following the NEET paper leak earlier this year, the Centre announced that the medical entrance examination would be conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode from next year.Officials aware of the development said the plan is under active consideration, but a final decision will be taken only after the report of the Nandan Nilekani-led task force set up to overhaul India’s public examination system is received.The leak of the NEET-UG medical entrance examination paper earlier this year triggered nationwide student protests and led to the resignation of then Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.A day after Pradhan’s resignation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the formation of a high-powered task force headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani to recommend reforms aimed at making the examination system leakproof.
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The panel has yet to submit its report.The National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET)-UG is the country’s largest undergraduate entrance examination, with nearly 25 lakh candidates appearing for the crucial test.The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts NEET every year for admission to medical colleges. A total of 1,08,000 seats are available for the MBBS course, of which approximately 56,000 are in government hospitals and about 52,000 in private colleges. NEET results are also used for admissions to undergraduate courses in Dentistry, Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha.
