Education officials plan sweeping changes for medical entrance exams

Starting next year, medical aspirants taking NEET-UG 2027 will face a computer-based test spread across multiple days instead of a single-day paper exam. Top officials recently briefed a Parliamentary Standing Committee on these proposed changes to secure the higher education entrance system. Odia students, like millions nationwide, faced immense anxiety during last year's paper leak crisis, making these structural reforms highly anticipated across the state.

Authorities plan to conduct the upcoming exams at nearly 1,000 secure centres spread across 500 cities. Most selected venues will be trusted government institutions such as Kendriya Vidyalayas. This logistical shift allows officials to accommodate roughly five lakh candidates each day over a five-to-six-day testing window.

Complete Organizational Restructuring

Officials are also preparing an intensive reorganization of the National Testing Agency. This top-to-bottom revamp targets the agency's internal processes, technological infrastructure, and overall framework. Sources indicate that the government intends to finish this structural overhaul by October. Currently, the autonomous testing body operates with about 150 sanctioned posts. However, recent security failures exposed severe vulnerabilities requiring immediate correction.

These drastic measures follow intense public outrage over the earlier exam paper leak. That breach forced the cancellation of the initial May test for 22 lakh candidates, sparking widespread protests and initiating an ongoing CBI investigation.

Expert Committee Recommendations

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan previously noted that future medical entrance exams would adopt a digital format. This transition relies heavily on suggestions from a high-level committee led by former ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan. Although the panel suggested these changes earlier, the shift to computer-based testing had stalled until recent crises demanded swift implementation.

Once the organizational restructuring concludes, authorities will release detailed notifications regarding shift timings and designated test cities. Law enforcement continues investigating the recent leaks, and officials promise strict legal action against all perpetrators who compromised the exam's integrity.