NEET to Shift to Computer-Based Test (CBT) Soon, Says NTA Chief
NEET UG CBT Transition: NTA Director General Abhishek Singh announced that NEET-UG will soon transition from pen-and-paper OMR sheets to a Computer-Based Test (CBT). Managed by a high-powered task force led by Nandan Nilekani, the shift aims to accommodate 20 lakh candidates by expanding infrastructure, mapping AICTE government centers, and integrating AI for fraud prevention.
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NEET UG CBT Transition: The Director General of the National Testing Agency (NTA), Abhishek Singh, has said that the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) will be soon making the shift from its current traditional pen and paper based OMR to Computer-Based Test (CBT). While terming CBT as “the future of competitive exams,” the NTA head emphasized that while NEET is the only major national level examination being conducted by NTA which still uses paper booklets, examinations such as JEE Main, CUET, UGC-NET, and NIFT are being conducted in the computerized format successfully.
For this purpose, a high-level task force headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani is working on this transition process. To facilitate the transition of the huge entrance examination, which is attended by 20 lakh students each year, would need to develop more digital testing facilities, enhance cybersecurity and have strong testing centers in order to avoid paper leak and any sort of administrative error. The organization will also be incorporating Artificial Intelligence to monitor the log and data analysis of the exams in order to detect fraud.
NEET: Key Highlights of the Announcement
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Oversight of Task Force: There is a very powerful task force comprising of Infosys co-founder, Nandan Nilekani, which is actively engaged in the process of transitioning.
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Expansion of Infrastructure: Conducting the entrance examination online to about 20 lakh candidates would require increasing the testing infrastructure and setting up strong cybersecurity measures.
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Mapping of Government Centers: In order to avoid any sort of leakages, NTA would be working together with AICTE in order to map out government colleges and technical institutions as testing centers, rather than using smaller private institutions as testing centers.
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Coordination with Other Important Tests: Tests such as JEE Main, CUET, UGC-NET and NIFT tests are already being conducted through CBT mode successfully.
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Use of AI: NTA intends to use artificial intelligence for fraud prevention, data analysis, and log monitoring in order to get rid of malpractices.
NEET: Key Implementation
Below are the key implementatons of the announcement related to the NEET CBT:
| Feature | Current OMR Format | Proposed CBT Mode |
| Testing Medium | Pen-and-paper OMR Sheets | Dedicated Computer Terminals |
| Exam Security | Physical paper distribution (vulnerable to leaks) | Encrypted digital delivery & AI log auditing |
| Reform Committee | Ministry Guidelines | Nandan Nilekani-led High-Powered Task Force |
| System Alignment | Standalone paper format | Aligned with JEE Main, CUET, and UGC-NET |
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Siddhi Sharma is an education journalist at Jagran Josh. A Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from IP University, she brings sharp newsroom instincts developed during her previous stint at Zee News. At Jagran Josh, Siddhi specializes in decoding the educational updates. Her coverage is highly exam-centric, ranging from curated news blogs for competitive exams to crucial school board and university news. Combining her strong media foundations with a research-driven approach, she creates reliable, high-utility content that helps students and aspirants stay ahead of the curve. Her writing is factual, engaging, and tailored to meet the fast-paced needs of modern learners and exam aspirants.
