NEET-UG to go online from 2027: Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announces CBT shift after 2026 leak row

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced on Thursday that NEET should be shifted to a Computer-Based Test system from next year, signalling the end of the paper-based format that has now been at the centre of multiple leak scandals.

The announcement came alongside a revised examination schedule. The National Testing Agency has set June 21 as the date for the re-examination, giving over 22 lakh medical aspirants a fresh opportunity after the May 3 exam was cancelled following paper leak allegations. Authorities have assured that the rescheduled test will be conducted under significantly tighter security and improved transparency measures.

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Why was the exam cancelled?

Pradhan was direct in his address. The May 3 examination was cancelled to protect the interests of students, he said, and the government remains committed to fighting what he described as the "exam mafia." He acknowledged that a breakdown in the chain of command had occurred, even as he noted that recommendations of the Radhakrishnan Committee had been implemented ahead of the exam.

"The government accepts the lapse," Pradhan said, adding that the Centre was committed to fixing the system and calling exam malpractices something that must be eradicated. He appealed to students not to fall for rumours circulating around the controversy and sought broader support from citizens, policymakers, and society to ensure a clean and fair examination process going forward.

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CBI investigation and accountability

On the question of accountability, Pradhan left little room for ambiguity. The CBI will conduct a detailed investigation into the matter, he said, asserting that no one involved in wrongdoing would be spared.

What changes next

The push toward a Computer-Based Test format represents the most significant structural response to emerge from the crisis so far. A CBT system would eliminate the physical paper trail that investigators believe made the 2026 leak possible, from the printing press in Nashik to the distribution chain that allegedly reached six states before exam day. The transition, if implemented from 2027 as indicated, would fundamentally change how NEET is conducted and secured.