A parliamentary committee has recommended moving NEET UG to a computer-based test, with investment in government examination centres before the change. Its report, released on 9 October, sets out proposed reforms to the National Testing Agency (NTA). It does not announce a new examination format taking effect immediately.
The education standing committee, chaired by Mukul Wasnik, presented its 382nd report to the Rajya Sabha chairman on Friday. The Rajya Sabha Secretariat's release, published at 5:33 PM IST, includes the committee's recommendations.
Access before a change in format
The panel wants a phased network of 1,000 secure government computer-based testing centres, with at least one test centre in each district. It proposes mock examinations and investment in smaller cities and rural areas, so candidates have a chance to become familiar with the interface.
It also calls for a publicly explained, independently audited method of normalising scores if NEET runs across multiple sessions. These are recommendations to the government and examination authorities. The release gives no date on which NEET must switch to computers.
What the published NEET rules say
The NEET UG 2026 information bulletin provides the comparison. It specifies a single-day, single-shift examination in pen-and-paper mode. Its examination scheme comprises 180 compulsory questions to be attempted in 180 minutes, covering Physics, Chemistry and Biology. That is the format described in the published 2026 document, rather than a promise about a future examination cycle.
The bulletin separates the agency's work from admissions decisions. NTA invites applications, conducts the test, declares results and supplies the All India Rank. Counselling and admission requirements involve the relevant authorities and institutions. A recommendation about how candidates take the examination therefore should not be treated as a replacement counselling schedule.
For applicants following medical admissions now, Dalimss News has separately covered the NEET UG stray vacancy round. Its report on medical colleges' faculty-registration update addresses a different part of the education system.
NTA's bulletin directs candidates to the official NEET website for amendments and notices. For anyone preparing for the next cycle, the practical reference remains the applicable bulletin and subsequent official instructions. Existing documents need to be read with their year and publication context intact, especially when a policy proposal is circulating alongside them.
The earlier reform exercise
The government's review of NTA predates this parliamentary report. On 22 June 2024, the Education Ministry constituted an expert committee chaired by former ISRO chairman K. Radhakrishnan. Its remit covered examination processes and data security, along with the agency's organisation and functioning.
That committee was asked to examine the examination process from beginning to end and review operating procedures, including how compliance was monitored. Its terms also covered the security of paper-setting, the responsibilities of officials and the handling of grievances. This background helps explain why the reform discussion extends beyond the device on which a candidate records an answer.
What computer-test practice is for
Computer familiarisation has an existing place in NTA's work. In September 2018, the Education Ministry announced more than 3,400 test practice centres across 622 districts. Those figures describe the network announced then, rather than a verified count of centres operating today. The stated purpose was to help candidates experience computer-based testing before their examination.
The ministry explained the practical tasks involved: logging in, reading instructions, using a mouse to answer, moving between questions and reviewing answers before submission. A student can know the subject well and still need time to learn those steps. Practice with the interface is consequently a separate part of preparation from revising the syllabus.
NTA's mock-test page remains accessible and describes its tests as practice for understanding computer-based examination processes. It lets visitors select an examination and paper. The page does not itself announce a change to NEET's mode. Candidates should use practice material for familiarity while checking the official examination notice for the rules that apply to them.
For subject practice, NTA's National Test Abhyas page lists medical and engineering mock tests, alongside personalised performance reports. It is another official preparation resource. Its learning material should be read alongside the applicable examination bulletin and later notices.
