No proposal from NMC, NTA to conduct NEET twice a year: MoS Health

New Delhi: There is no proposal on the part of the National Medical Commission (NMC) and National Testing Agency (NTA) to conduct the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) examination twice a year, MoS Health Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar informed the Lok Sabha recently.

The clarification came from the Union Minister of State for Health while she was responding to a series of questions related to NEET, raised by MP Shri Ramesh Chand Bind. Referring to the stress and depression suffered by the NEET aspirants who are finding it difficult to clear NEET in a single attempt, Minister Bind had questioned the Union Health Ministry if there is any proposal on the part of the Government to conduct NEET UG Examination twice a year on the pattern of JEE (Mains).

"National Medical Commission (NMC) & National Testing Agency (NTA) have informed that there is no proposal to conduct NEET UG exams for providing two chances in a year," clarified the MoS Health.

The speculation regarding NEET being conducted twice a year has been going on for the last few years. Medical Dialogues had reported back in 2021 that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) had reportedly given its approval to hold NEET twice a year on the lines of JEE Mains. It was being speculated that this effect would come to pass from NEET 2021 itself.

However, in the recent reply before the Lok Sabha, the Union MoS Health has dismissed all such speculations regarding NEET being held two times every year.

Apart from the question regarding the Government's plans for conducting NEET UG twice a year, other questions raised by Minister Bind included whether the Government is also planning to conduct JEE(Mains)/NEET (UG) or other similar type of competitive exam through a single examination.

Referring to NEET exam, the MoS Health replied, "Section 14 of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019 mandates for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) to be conducted as a common/ uniform entrance test for admission to the undergraduate and postgraduate courses in all medical institutions in the country. NEET is a historic reform promoting meritocracy and providing opportunity to meritorious students to get admission in the best medical institutions in the country. It has resulted in curbing malpractices in medical admission, greater transparency and reducing the burden on prospective students of appearing in multiple entrance exams."

"NEET (UG) is conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) & the syllabus is based on the syllabi of all the State Boards and National Boards," she further added.

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