New Delhi, February 7: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially announced that the NEET-UG medical entrance exam will take place on May 4. The application window for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-UG opened today and will remain open until March 7. This exam is the largest in India, attracting a significant number of candidates each year.
In 2024, over 24 lakh candidates registered for the test. The NTA organizes the NEET annually for admissions into medical colleges, with 108,000 seats available for the MBBS program—approximately 56,000 in government institutions and around 52,000 in private colleges.
Additionally, NEET scores are utilized for admissions into undergraduate programs in Dentistry, Ayurveda, Unani, and Siddha.
The NTA previously indicated that NEET-UG will continue to be administered in pen-and-paper format after consultations with the education and health ministries regarding the possibility of an online alternative.
Following concerns about alleged irregularities in NEET and the PhD entrance NET, the Centre established a panel in July to ensure the transparent and fair administration of examinations by the NTA. This panel, led by former ISRO Chief R. Radhakrishnan, is exploring the potential for multi-stage testing for NEET-UG.
The NEET exam faced several allegations of irregularities last year, including paper leaks and legal challenges, while the UGC-NET was canceled due to concerns over the integrity of the exam, prompting an investigation by the CBI. (Agencies)
