Centre may ditch pen-and-paper method, hold NEET-UG exams in online mode: Sources

The Centre may conduct NEET-UG exams in online mode instead of the traditional pen-and-paper method, sources told India Today on Sunday. The government has faced serious backlash over paper leaks and alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination, which was held on May 5.

Due to this controversy, the Centre postponed the NEET-PG exam scheduled for June 23. 

India Today has reported that the National Board of Examinations (NBE) is preparing to reschedule the NEET PG examination, with a new date likely to be announced by Monday or Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the revised dates for exams postponed due to the NEET controversy. The joint CSIR UGC-NET will now be conducted from July 25 to 27, while the postponed UGC NET will take place between August 21 and September 8.

Earlier, the Health Ministry said it had decided to postpone the NEET-PG examination as a "precautionary measure" in the wake of allegations on the integrity of certain competitive exams.

In an exclusive interview with India Today, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the government was committed to making exams foolproof. When told there are Computer-Based Tests (CBT) like the JEE (Joint Entrance Examination for Engineering) and whether NEET should also be done online, the minister said there are both practices — CBT and pen and paper. 

"Currently, the capacity of our country to conduct Computer Based Testing is around three lakh. We have to do six sittings for it. There are challenges there. We do it in JEE. In that, we conduct it twice for 25 lakh candidates. In CUET (Common University Entrance Test), we do it in blended mode. For the last eight years, from the beginning, since PMT (Pre-Medical Test) time, medical entrance tests have been happening in pen and paper." 

Pradhan added that there was no comparison between apples and oranges. "Both are nutritious and sweet. Both have their advantages and challenges. After all, CBSE conducts Class X and XII board exams in pen and paper. To make them foolproof is our responsibility. The NTA is the agency that conducts exams and it is its decision. The respective ministry and state government are its clients."

(With inputs from Milan Sharma)