New Delhi: Students preparing for NEET UG 2027 may have to take the exam using pen and paper, just like they do now. The plan to move the exam to computers may take more time. Officials believe that a full shift to the online exam system is unlikely before 2028.
This comes after the Central Government extended the work period of a special team led by Nandan Nilekani until January 27, 2027. The team was formed to suggest changes to India’s examination system and find ways to stop question paper leaks.
NEET UG is held every year in May. Preparing for such a big exam takes at least five to six months. This is one reason why changing the exam system for 2027 may be difficult.
Why Is the Government Taking More Time?
The six-member team is led by Nandan Nilekani, the co-founder of Infosys. It was formed on July 27 and was first given three months to complete its work.
The team has been asked to find ways to make exams safer, fairer and more transparent.
The government told the Supreme Court on October 5 that the team had already held 18 meetings. It had also spoken to more than 40 government departments and received over 54,000 suggestions from students, experts and other people.
Now, the team has been given more time until January 27, 2027, to speak with different state governments and prepare its final report.
Officials believe that the new rules may be ready for use from 2028.
Why Are Some States Worried About Online NEET?
Some southern states, especially Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, have raised questions about moving NEET from paper to computers.
They believe that an online exam could create problems for students living in villages and areas where computer and internet facilities are not easily available.
These states also want the government to give more importance to school examination marks. They have also raised concerns about differences between state education boards.
For example, students studying under different state boards may not always follow the same books and syllabus used by CBSE schools.
This could make the exam difficult for some students.
Tamil Nadu Wants Medical Admissions Through Class 12 Marks
Tamil Nadu has strongly opposed NEET for several years.
The state has said that medical college admissions should be based on Class 12 examination marks instead of a common entrance test.
In August, the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution asking the government to remove NEET.
The state also shared findings from a 2021 report led by Justice AK Rajan. The report said that students from Tamil-medium schools, government schools and weaker sections of society faced more difficulties in getting medical seats through NEET.
Tamil Nadu believes that students should get a fair chance, even if they do not study in big private schools or English-medium schools.
Karnataka Also Wants States to Have a Bigger Role
Karnataka has also asked the Central Government to involve state governments in decisions about medical entrance exams.
A Karnataka government official said that the state had been managing engineering and medical seat allotments since 1992.
The official said that states should be included if the government plans to make major changes to the examination system.
Karnataka has also asked for more state representation in the National Testing Agency (NTA), the body responsible for conducting NEET.
The state believes that the NTA should have clear rules and proper accountability.
Why Is It Difficult to Conduct NEET on Computers?
Moving NEET to computers is not as simple as it may sound.
More than 22 lakh students registered for NEET UG 2026. To conduct an online exam for so many students, the country needs a large number of computer-based examination centres.
Many students may have to take the exam on different days or in different time slots.
This creates another problem.
If students get different question papers, some papers may be easier while others may be harder.
To solve this problem, the NTA will need a fair system called normalisation.
In simple words, normalisation means adjusting students’ scores when they take different versions of an exam. This helps make sure that students are treated fairly.
This is very important in NEET because even one mark can make a difference in getting admission to a government or private medical college.
A Health Ministry official has said that it may take at least two years to prepare the system needed for such a large online examination.
Government Had Earlier Announced an Online Exam Plan
In October 2024, a committee led by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan recommended moving exams to the computer-based system.
The committee said that online exams could help reduce the chances of question paper leaks. It also suggested building secure examination centres across the country.
Later, on May 15, 2026, former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced that NEET would move to the online system from 2027.
However, on August 4, the Central Government told the Supreme Court that the final decision had not yet been taken.
During a meeting on August 20, the Health Ministry and National Medical Commission (NMC) also raised concerns about the lack of computer centres and the need for a fair marks system.
What Could Happen Next?
A 31-member Parliamentary Committee on Education has also suggested moving to online exams slowly, instead of making a sudden change.
The committee has recommended:
- At least 1,000 secure government-owned computer exam centres.
- At least one examination centre in every district.
- Practice tests to help students learn how to take online exams.
- A clear and independently checked system for calculating marks.
- Special arrangements for areas where computers and internet facilities are not available.
The committee has also suggested a temporary system for areas without enough computers. Under this plan, question papers could be sent securely to exam centres and printed there.
This would help students take the exam even if their area does not have enough computer facilities.
Will NEET UG 2027 Be an Online or Offline Exam?
For now, there is no final decision on changing NEET UG 2027 to an online exam.
The exam may continue in its current pen-and-paper format. The final decision will depend on the government’s review of computer facilities, exam safety and other important issues.
Students should continue their NEET preparation as usual and wait for an official announcement from the government and NTA.
The biggest goal is to make sure that every student gets a fair chance, whether they come from a big city or a small village.
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