New Delhi, January 16: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced that the NEET-UG medical entrance exam will continue to be held in pen-and-paper format for the time being.
“As per the decision made by the National Medical Commission (NMC), the NEET-UG will be conducted in a pen-and-paper format (OMR-based) on a single day and in one shift,” the NTA stated in a notice released on Thursday.
The NTA further affirmed that the exam will take place in a single day and a single shift.
“Candidates aspiring for MNS (Military Nursing Service) and seeking admission to B.Sc. Nursing courses at Armed Forces Medical Service Hospitals for the year 2025 must qualify for NEET (UG). The score from NEET (UG) will be utilized for shortlisting candidates for the four-year B.Sc. Nursing program,” the notice went on to say.
It is noteworthy that the NTA organizes the NEET annually for admissions into medical colleges.
Over 24 lakh students participated in the NEET-UG 2024 examination, held across 4,750 different centers in 571 cities nationwide on May 5, 2024.
The call for transitioning to a computer-based testing (CBT) mode for NEET emerged following allegations of a paper leak controversy last year.
In response to irregularities detected in NEET and PhD entrance NET exams, the Centre established a panel in July to ensure the transparent, smooth, and fair administration of examinations conducted by the NTA.
Headed by former ISRO Chief R. Radhakrishnan, the high-level panel proposed multi-session and multi-stage testing, the development of secure and accessible testing centers, mobile units for remote areas, and a strong grievance redressal system.
While NEET was under scrutiny due to various irregularities, including alleged leaks, the UGC-NET was also canceled last year after it was reported that the integrity of the exam had been compromised. Both cases are currently under investigation by the CBI. (AGENCIES)
