NEW DELHI, May 15 — Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday announced that the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) will shift to a computer-based format starting next year. The move is part of a broader strategy to overhaul the medical entrance process following the cancellation of the May 3 exam due to a paper leak.
Addressing a press conference, Pradhan stated that the decision to conduct a re-examination on June 21 was made after evidence surfaced that questions were being circulated on social media as “guess papers.” He affirmed that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been tasked with dismantling the “education mafia” responsible for the breach.
“We did not want any deserving candidate’s seat to be snatched away because of a mafia conspiracy,” the Minister declared. He maintained that the government’s priority is to protect students from being misled by anti-social elements. Pradhan also noted that while the government had implemented a majority of the Radhakrishnan Committee’s reforms, the current breach highlighted the need for more advanced technological safeguards.
The Minister confirmed that fresh admit cards will be issued by June 14 and that students will not be charged any fees for the re-test. Furthermore, he asserted that the National Testing Agency (NTA) will refund fees from the canceled session. Amid reports of unusually high scores at specific centers in Rajasthan, Pradhan assured that no individual, whether inside or outside the NTA, would be spared if found guilty of irregularities.
