NEET likely to become 2-tier, held by Dual Organisers: Report

New Delhi: Amid the allegations of paper leak in the National Eligibility-and-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2024 examination and the ongoing litigation seeking a retest before the Supreme Court, the Government is considering dividing the NEET UG exam into a two-tier exam system including preliminary and finals, with dual organisers, TOI has reported.

The preliminary test may be conducted by NTA and authorities such as the National Board of Examinations (NBE), Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), or All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) take charge of conducting the final exam. 

Further, the Government is proposing to introduce an amendment and transition to a hybrid mode of delivery. Government sources informed the Daily that several options are currently being considered.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that this year's NEET UG 2024 examination was mired in controversies after a paper leak scam was revealed in Bihar. Around 13 people, including four examinees and their family members, were arrested in Bihar for their alleged involvement in the paper leak of the NEET-UG exam. Patna police sources had previously claimed that the NEET-UG question papers along with their answers were provided to around 20 aspirants a day before the date of the exam i.e. May 5, 2024.

Then, the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police, which took over the investigation, revealed that the brokers involved in the NEET paper leak scam took between Rs 30 lakh to Rs 50 lakh from each of the medical aspirants in exchange for giving them the question paper of the NEET UG 2024 question paper ahead of the examination.

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The matter ultimately reached the Supreme Court as several candidates filed pleas seeking a re-test amid the possibility that the examination was comprised and the tainted could not be segregated from the untainted.

During the ongoing hearing, the counsels for the petitioners highlighted the gaps in the NEET-UG examination alleging that there exists a systemic failure. Amid this situation, the Government is considering bringing amendments to the NEET UG 2025 exam pattern.

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, some of the changes that are being considered are transforming NEET-UG to a two-tiered examination- preliminary and finals. Sources who are aware of these developments informed the Daily that the number of candidates who would be selected for the finals is likely to be four to five times the available number of seats and the cut-off eligibility will be decided based on the preliminary scores and the total number of seats.

Commenting on the matter, a senior government official told the Daily, "There are also deliberations on whether the finals can be delivered on CBT mode, while continuing with pen-paper mode for the prelims. Another aspect being looked into is to engage separate agencies for prelims and finals. For example, if the preliminary test is conducted by the NTA, can the finals be entrusted to the National Board of Examinations (NBE)/ Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)/ All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)?"

According to the source, this is being considered to introduce multiple layers of security. The official added, "In case there are doubts that some candidates did manage to sneak in via wrong means in the prelims as the numbers are getting bigger every year, it will be difficult to make the cut in the finals."

NEET UG is held for admissions to various medical courses like MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BSMS, BUMS, and BHMS. These courses are offered by medical institutions that follow the norms, guidelines, and regulations the relevant Regulatory Bodies set forth under the NCISM Act, 2020 and NCH Act, 2020.

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