NEET UG May Move to Computer-Based Test: What IIT Madras Director's Paper-Leak Remarks Signal for Future Aspirants

If you're preparing for NEET UG, the way the exam is conducted could change in the coming years — and a new statement from a top government-appointed expert gives us a clearer picture of why. IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti, now part of a six-member central task force on exam reform, has publicly said that recent NEET UG paper leaks happened because of people involved in setting the question paper, not because of any lapse in printing or transporting question papers. He has also floated the idea of moving NEET UG away from its current single-day, pen-and-paper OMR format toward a multi-session computer-based test, similar to how JEE is conducted. Nothing has been finalised yet, but the direction of thinking matters a great deal for anyone planning to appear for NEET in the next few years. This article breaks down what was said, who is involved, and what it could mean for your NEET journey.

What was actually said, and by whom

V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, made these comments after being named to a six-member task force set up by the central government to overhaul how public examinations, including entrance tests like NEET UG, are conducted and secured.

He stated plainly that the paper leak problem originated at the stage where question papers are set — meaning among the individuals or agencies responsible for creating the exam content — and not during the later stages of printing or physically transporting the papers to exam centres. This distinction matters because it points reform efforts toward tightening how question papers are drafted and handled at the source, rather than only strengthening logistics and transport security.

The proposed shift: multi-session computer-based NEET

Kamakoti also suggested that the task force is exploring converting NEET UG from its current format — a single date, pen-and-paper test using OMR (optical mark recognition) answer sheets — into a computer-based test spread across multiple sessions and days, on the pattern used for JEE (Joint Entrance Examination, the engineering entrance exam).

His reasoning: NEET UG draws roughly 22 lakh (2.2 million) candidates every year, and a single-day paper-based exam with one uniform question paper is harder to secure than a system where different sets of candidates take different question papers across sessions.

He was candid that this isn't simple — creating enough distinct, equally fair question papers for multiple sessions is itself a major challenge that the task force will need to solve before any such change can be implemented.

Who is on the task force, and why it matters

The task force is chaired by Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys and the person credited with architecting India's Aadhaar identity system. Its other members are former Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka, IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti, former Union Education Secretary Anita Karwal, and logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena.

This is a high-level, technically capable group spanning technology, security, education administration and logistics — a signal that any recommendations are likely to be detailed and implementation-focused rather than symbolic.

The legal backing: Public Examinations Amendment Bill, 2026

The task force operates under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to amend the existing Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. The amendment proposes stricter penalties for anyone involved in exam malpractice, including paper leaks.

The Bill was introduced in Parliament's Monsoon Session on July 27, 2026, with consideration and passage scheduled for July 28, 2026. Parliamentary proceedings on July 27 were disrupted by Opposition protests and a statement from the Indian National Congress president, so aspirants should track whether and how the Bill is finally passed and what its provisions say once enacted.

What this means for a NEET aspirant today

For students appearing in the immediate next NEET UG cycle, nothing changes based on this statement alone — the current pen-and-paper OMR format remains in place until the National Testing Agency (NTA) issues an official notification saying otherwise. Kamakoti's comments reflect a task force's thinking-in-progress, not a confirmed policy.

However, aspirants who are a year or two away from taking NEET should keep an eye on official communication. If NEET does eventually move to a multi-session computer-based format, it would change exam-day strategy significantly — students would need comfort with on-screen reading, on-screen navigation between questions, and time management within a session, skills that JEE aspirants already practise.

The bigger reassurance here is about exam integrity: identifying that leaks stemmed from the paper-setting stage means future safeguards are likely to focus on background checks, isolation protocols, and monitoring of everyone involved in drafting NEET's question papers — a direct step toward reducing the risk of exam cancellation or re-tests that have disrupted admission timelines in the past.

• Current format (OMR-based, single day) continues until NTA notifies otherwise.
• Any CBT/multi-session shift would likely be phased in with advance notice, given the scale of 22 lakh+ candidates.
• Stricter penalties under the amended law could deter future malpractice, indirectly protecting the credibility of your NEET score and admission process.
• Students already comfortable with computer-based tests (like JEE aspirants) would have less to adjust to if a CBT NEET is eventually rolled out.

Frequently asked questions

This is a policy discussion in progress, not a confirmed exam change — so NEET aspirants should keep preparing under the current format while staying alert to official NTA notifications. MedAdmit will track and report any confirmed decision on NEET's exam pattern or the Public Examinations Amendment Bill as soon as it becomes official.