- The Centre is considering a unified national entrance exam for engineering and medical admissions
- The proposal stems from recommendations made by a committee formed after NEET-UG 2024 paper irregularities
- The committee supports a single test with separate sections for different streams
The Centre is examining the possibility of introducing a unified national entrance examination for engineering and medical admissions, officials told the parliamentary panel set up to look into the exam concerns in light of the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.
The proposal, under discussion currently, stems from the recommendations made by the high-level committee, formed after the NEET-UG 2024 paper irregularities, headed by former ISRO chief Dr K Radhakrishnan.
The report noted the possibility of a common undergraduate admission framework, "harmonisation and unification of entrance tests for undergraduate admissions", as part of its broader roadmap for reforming National Testing Agency-led examinations.
Such a system could eventually bring examinations such as JEE and NEET under a common framework, with separate subject components for different streams.
Several members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports backed the idea of a single test structure with dedicated sections such as Mathematics for engineering aspirants and Biology for medical candidates.
The committee additionally proposed tighter eligibility rules for NEET aspirants in the future.
"Imposition of number of attempts and age limits" would bring the medical entrance examination closer in structure to other national-level competitive tests.
The meeting assumes significance as it comes amid intense scrutiny of the NTA after the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 over allegations of a coordinated paper leak. NTA Director General Abhishek Singh and Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi briefed the panel on measures being taken to overhaul the examination process.
Members of the panel raised concerns over accountability, systemic failures and safeguards needed to restore public confidence in national examinations. They also sought details on the proposed transition to computer-based testing, including infrastructure readiness across states, exam duration and the frequency of future tests.
To tighten security and reduce the possibility of leaks, the NTA is also planning to minimise external access to the question paper-setting process and gradually reduce dependence on third-party test-delivery agencies by developing its own technological infrastructure, according to sources.
Committee chairman and senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh described the discussion as "productive", saying members across party lines expressed concern over the credibility of the country's testing mechanisms. He, however, declined to share specifics of the deliberations.
The NEET-UG 2026 examination was conducted on May 3 across more than 5,500 centres in India and 14 overseas cities, with over 22 lakh candidates appearing for the test. The examination was later cancelled following allegations of malpractice and paper leaks, prompting protests from students and opposition parties.
A re-examination has now been scheduled for June 21 under enhanced security arrangements, while a probe by the CBI is underway into the alleged leak network and procedural lapses.
