NEET Multiple Times a Year? Parliamentary Panel Suggests Move To Ease Pressure On Students

Parliamentary panel members have suggested conducting NEET multiple times a year to reduce student stress and prevent academic loss.

Parliamentary panel members have suggested conducting NEET multiple times a year

Source : ABPLIVE AI

The idea of conducting the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) more than once a year has once again come into focus, with members of a Parliamentary Standing Committee suggesting that students should be given multiple opportunities to appear for India's largest medical entrance examination. 

The proposal was discussed during a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, where senior officials from the National Testing Agency (NTA), National Medical Commission (NMC), and the Union government briefed members on issues related to the conduct of NEET examinations. 

Parliamentary Panel Discusses NEET Reforms 

The committee reviewed the recent controversy surrounding the cancellation of the NEET-UG examination conducted in May following allegations of a paper leak. Members were informed about the sequence of events, investigations carried out so far, and measures being implemented ahead of the re-examination scheduled for June 21. 

NTA Director General Abhishek Singh, Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi, and NMC Chairman Abhijat C Sheth were among the officials who addressed the panel. The committee, chaired by Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav, examined the subject of the conduct of NEET examinations under the NMC Act, 2019. 

This marks the third appearance by senior officials before parliamentary committees in recent weeks in connection with the NEET controversy. 

MPs Raise Concern Over Repeated Examination Controversies 

According to sources, several members expressed concern over recurring allegations linked to NEET examinations. They reportedly questioned whether existing accountability mechanisms and penalties are sufficient to prevent such incidents from happening again. 

"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. 

Members are understood to have stressed the need for long-term reforms that can restore confidence in the examination system. 

Suggestion to Hold NEET Two or Three Times a Year 

One of the key recommendations discussed during the meeting was conducting NEET multiple times annually. 

Sources said members argued that students should not lose an entire academic year because of circumstances beyond their control, including examination cancellations or administrative failures. 

"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 representatives reportedly informed the committee that the suggestion would be examined. 

The demand for multiple NEET attempts has been raised by student groups for several years. Although a proposal to conduct NEET twice annually was announced in 2018, it was never implemented. 

CBT Transition Also Under Discussion 

Officials also informed the committee that the government is considering shifting NEET to a Computer-Based Test (CBT) format in future examination cycles. 

However, members highlighted the importance of ensuring a smooth transition, particularly for students from rural and remote regions. Concerns relating to digital access, testing infrastructure, and the availability of question papers in regional languages were also discussed. 

As discussions on NEET reforms continue, students and parents will be closely watching whether multiple exams attempts and the proposed digital transition become part of future entrance examination policies. 

(With Agency Inputs)