NEET UG 2025 in offline mode; NTA announces a day after CBI files case against 8 for impersonation

NEW DELHI: The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test - undergraduate (NEET UG 2025) will be held in OMR-based pen-and-paper mode in a single day and single shift, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the exam pattern of NEET a day after the CBI filed fresh case against 8 people for alleged impersonation.

"As decided by National Medical Commission (NMC), it is informed that the NEET (UG)-2025 shall be conducted in Pen and Paper mode (OMR based) in Single day and Single Shift," the NTA said in its latest notification.

While the exam has received fierce opposition since its inception, last year’s NEET UG exam was no exception. Several allegations on paper leaks, impersonation, irregularities, and malpractices were reported, which led the matter to the Supreme Court.

Though the apex court did not cancel the exam, it has directed the ministry of education to set a high-level expert committee to look into the functioning of NTA and to suggest reforms for the exams.

The 7-member committee headed by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairperson K Radhakrishnan submitted its report in December. In a significant change, the Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced that the NTA will no longer be holding recruitment exams, instead it will solely focus on college entrance exams.

The panel also recommended conducting the NEET UG exam in multiple shifts, sessions and introducing age limit and thereby reducing the number of attempts.

However, none of the recommendations made by the high-committee regarding the exam pattern has been implemented in the NEET UG 2025. Instead, the NTA will follow the old exam pattern introduced by the National Medical Commission (NMC).

NEET irregularities: CBI registers fresh case

The CBI has registered a fresh case in connection with alleged impersonation by four NEET-UG 2024 candidates in Bihar's Purnea, officials told the PTI. The central probe agency took over the case from Bihar Police on a request from the state government.

The principal of SRDAV public school, one of the centres for the NEET exam held on May 5 last year, has alleged that the candidates' biometrics showed four impersonators were taking the exam rather than genuine candidates.

According to the FIR, one Nitish Kumar of Bhojpur appeared for Ashish Kumar of Mujaffarpur, Kamlesh Kumar of Jalore (Rajasthan) appeared for Dheeraj Prakash of Siwan, Saurabh Kumar of Begusarai appeared for Tathaghat Kumar of Sitamarhi and Mayank Chaudhary of Sitamarhi appeared for Deepak Kumar Singh of Muzaffarpur, the PTI reported. The CBI has booked all eight for alleged impersonation, cheating and forgery among others.

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other medical courses in government and private institutions. More than 23 lakh MBBS aspirants appeared on May 5 last year at 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including 14 abroad.