NEET-UG should be held multiple times a year to reduce burden on students, suggest Parliamentary panel members
By Vishu Adhana, New Delhi, June 10
The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test should be conducted multiple times a year to reduce pressure on students and ensure they do not lose an entire academic year, members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare suggested on Wednesday.
Sources said the committee discussed the recent NEET-UG paper leak controversy and was briefed by officials from the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the National Medical Commission (NMC) on the sequence of events, inquiries conducted so far, and measures taken in response to the alleged breach.
The Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare met today and heard the views of the officials on 'Conduct of NEET examinations under NMC Act, 2019' as part of detailed examination of the subject 'Organisational Structure, Mandate and Functional Proficiency of Regulatory Institutions pertaining to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare'.
NTA Director General Abhishek Singh, Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi and NMC Chairman Abhijat C Sheth were among those who presented their views to the committee. The Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare is headed by Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav.
This is the third time in recent weeks that government officials appeared before parliamentary panels in connection with the cancellation of the NEET-UG examination held in May over allegations of a paper leak. The exam has been rescheduled for June 21.
NEET-UG, India's largest medical entrance examination, is at present conducted once a year in a single sitting. The examination held on May 3 this year was cancelled following allegations of a paper leak.
A major concern raised by MPs was the recurring nature of such incidents, sources said. Members are learnt to have pointed out that similar controversies had surfaced in 2024 and again in 2026, raising questions over accountability and whether existing punitive measures are adequate to prevent future breaches.
"All the MPs discussed the need to move forward on this because it is not a one-time issue, it has become a recurring problem. Since it happened in 2024 and again in 2026, the question is who is accountable for it, how accountability should be fixed, and whether the punishment is sufficient to ensure such incidents do not happen again," a source said.
According to sources, members also suggested conducting NEET-UG two or three times a year so that students get multiple opportunities to clear the examination and do not suffer due to factors beyond their control.
"Members suggested that there should be multiple NEET examinations throughout the year, at least two or three, because when a student misses out on an entire year of education due to somebody else's fault, it has a very deep impact on the students," the source said.
Government officials are learnt to have informed the panel that the suggestion would be examined.
The demand for conducting NEET multiple times a year has been raised repeatedly by student groups. In July 2018, then Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar announced that NTA would conduct JEE Main and NEET-UG twice a year. However, this was never implemented.
The National Medical Commission in 2023, however, stated that holding NEET-UG twice a year would not be feasible as all MBBS seats are filled through a single counselling process.
Officials also informed the panel that the government is considering introducing Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for NEET from the next examination cycle. However, MPs emphasised the need of smooth transition, particularly for students from rural areas, citing issues of digital access, infrastructure, and the need for the availability of examination papers in regional languages, the sources said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As a parent of a medical aspirant, I fully support this idea. My daughter has been studying day and night for NEET, and the thought of a single exam deciding her future is terrifying. Holding it 2-3 times a year would reduce anxiety and give students a fair chance. But I'm worried about the logistics—will the exam centres be available in smaller towns? Will rural students face extra costs? The government must ensure equal access for everyone.
Interesting move from the Parliamentary panel. In the US, multiple test dates for exams like MCAT are common, and it does help students plan better. But India's challenge is the scale—with millions of aspirants, conducting NEET multiple times will need massive infrastructure upgrades. The suggestion about Computer-Based Testing is good, but the transition must be smooth, especially for students in remote areas. Digital divide is a real issue here. 📚
This is long overdue! I've seen so many friends lose precious years because of one bad day or a scandal. But let's be real—will the NTA actually implement it? They've been talking about this since 2018 and nothing happened. First, fix the paper leak problem, then think about multiple exams. Otherwise, it's just a band-aid on a deep wound. Accountability needs to start from the top.
Honestly, I think multiple exams could be a double-edged sword. Yes, it reduces pressure, but it also means students might have to prepare for more dates, leading to burnout. Plus, what about the counselling process? If seats are filled in one go, how will multiple exam dates work? The NMC raised valid concerns. The focus should be on making the current single exam completely secure and fair, rather than complicating things further.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.