Will NEET 2026 Be Online? Latest Updates on Exam Mode and CBT Plans

Will NEET 2026 be conducted online?

The Ministry of Education is currently working on a detailed data analysis to find out if NEET 2026 can be held online. This includes looking at the necessary infrastructure for computer-based exams and how it could affect students from various locations and economic situations. The final call on whether NEET 2026 be conducted online or not will be taken by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

NEET 2026 exam mode: Analysis by Ministry of Education

The Ministry is gathering insights from other entrance exams like JEE and CUET UG that have successfully shifted to the CBT mode. JEE Main, which attracts around 12.5 lakh candidates in its first session and 10 lakh in the second, serves as a major example for understanding how to implement CBT in an exam with a larger candidate pool.

The authority is also studying the CUET UG exam, which was conducted in online mode and saw the participation of around 11 lakh candidates.

This analysis aims to understand how different student groups perform in computer-based exams compared to traditional pen-and-paper mode exams. The government is especially focused on ensuring that the shift to online mode does not put students from rural or remote areas in disadvantage, who may have less exposure to computer-based exams or may adapt to it more slowly.

History of NEET UG online conduct

The Medical Council of India (MCI) introduced NEET in 2013 to ensure fair MBBS and BDS admissions in the country. The NEET exam replaced multiple state and national-level tests to simplify the process and guarantee fairness and transparency in admissions.

In 2018, Education Minister Prakash Javadekar announced that NEET would be conducted online and twice a year starting in 2019. However, due to objections from the Health Ministry, the Education Ministry had to withdraw the decision. The Health Ministry was concerned that computer-based tests would put poor and rural students at a disadvantage due to their unfamiliarity with the CBT mode.

Later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of online education and examinations increased worldwide. In 2020, NEET was held in the offline mode with strict health protocols and safety measures. This experience of NEET 2020 amid COVID highlighted the need to shift the large-scale exams like NEET UG to online mode.

Challenges in conducting NEET 2026 online

Where on the one hand the Ministry of Education is trying to analyse the possibility of shifting to online mode, it is well aware of the challenges they will have to face upon shifting to CBT mode. Some of the challenges highlighted by the authority in conducting NEET 2026 online are as follows -

Digital challenge for students from rural and backward areas

The biggest challenge about which the Ministry of Education is most concerned is the computer literacy rate in the rural and backward areas of the country. If NEET 2026 is shifted to online mode, the ministry fears that it may put the students belonging to rural and backward areas at disadvantage due to their non-familiarity with the CBT mode and lack of resources.

Infrastructure challenges for CBT mode

Another big challenge in shifting the NEET UG to a CBT mode is the lack of infrastructure. To shift the exam in online mode, the ministry will be required to have thousands of computer centres that are equipped with reliable internet connectivity. Apart from this, the adequate requirement of technical support and proper power backup is also necessary.

Security concerns in CBT mode

The CBT mode of NEET UG exam presents a security concern also. Given it is the biggest medical entrance exam in India, the risks of cyber-security can’t be ignored. Even a slight security breach could disrupt the complete examination process.

Normalisation process in evaluation

One of the major reasons the NEET UG exam is conducted in a pen and paper mode is its huge candidate pool. The NEET UG exam attracts over 24 lakh students yearly and if the exam is shifted to online mode, it will be nearly impossible to conduct the exam in a single shift in a single day due to the lack of infrastructure. Hence, if conducted online, NTA will have to come up with a fair and transparent normalisation process to balance the difficulty levels in different exam shifts.