NEET UG to Shift to Computer-Based Test Mode from 2027, NTA Tells Supreme Court

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has informed the Supreme Court of India that the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) will be conducted in computer-based test (CBT) mode from 2027, marking a major shift in the country's largest medical entrance examination.

The announcement was made through an affidavit submitted before a bench comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe, which is hearing a batch of petitions related to the alleged NEET UG 2026 paper leak that led to the cancellation of the May 3 examination.

According to the affidavit, the transition to CBT mode follows recommendations made by a High-Level Committee of Experts (HLCE) constituted by the Ministry of Education in June 2024 under the chairmanship of K Radhakrishnan. The committee was tasked with proposing reforms to strengthen the integrity and transparency of national entrance examinations.

The NTA stated that NEET UG remains the only major examination conducted in pen-and-paper mode, while other large-scale entrance tests administered by the agency have already transitioned to digital platforms. The expert panel recommended moving NEET UG to CBT mode and introducing multi-stage and multi-session testing to enhance security and operational efficiency.

The agency informed the court that the Ministry of Education established a High-Powered Steering Committee (HPSC) in November 2024 to oversee the implementation of the HLCE's 101 recommendations. The committee has been responsible for ensuring structured, time-bound reforms across the national examination system.

Meanwhile, the re-examination scheduled for June 21, 2026, will be conducted under a strengthened standard operating framework featuring multi-layer authentication, enhanced surveillance systems and coordination among multiple agencies. The NTA said these measures are intended to safeguard examination integrity and restore confidence among candidates.

More than 22 lakh students appeared for NEET UG 2026 across 5,432 examination centres. The agency emphasized that the cancellation of the original examination and referral of the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) demonstrate the government's commitment to maintaining trust and fairness in India's national examination system.

The transition to CBT mode is expected to be one of the most significant reforms in the history of the medical entrance examination, affecting millions of aspiring doctors in the years ahead.