Archive · 11 Oct 2026
Parliamentary Panel Proposes Two-Stage NEET UG Examination
A parliamentary committee has suggested changes to how large entrance exams could be run.
It wants the National Testing Agency to consider having two parts to NEET UG.
The first part would be common for students applying to different medical fields.
The second part would test students separately for particular courses.
The committee says this could reduce competition between students applying for different courses.
It also wants the agency to create a large bank of questions and update it often.
The panel says this could help protect exams from paper leaks.
It also suggested that experts from well-known institutions help prepare and translate questions.
Students who arrive late could be allowed to take the test if they first record an undertaking.
A parliamentary committee recommended that the National Testing Agency consider a two-stage format for NEET UG and other large examinations.
The proposed format would use common prelims for medical streams and course-specific mains to separate candidate rankings.
The committee said trust in NTA examinations is a matter of social justice and national integrity and called for accountability to Parliament.
It recommended building a large, diverse, regularly updated question bank to reduce risks to exam integrity and paper leaks.
The panel also suggested using experts from leading institutions, including IITs, AIIMSs and IIMs, and allowing late arrivals to sit after recording an undertaking.
- Who
- The Parliamentary Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports made recommendations concerning the National Testing Agency.
- What
- The panel proposed that the NTA consider two-stage exams, develop a large question bank, use leading-institution experts, and allow some late arrivals to take exams after recording an undertaking.
- When
- The recommendations were reported on Friday; the article does not specify a date.
- Where
- The recommendations concern national examinations in India.
- Why
- The panel said the changes could reduce avoidable competition and help protect examination integrity and public trust.
Panel recommendations
Current approach described
Exam format
Panel recommendations
The committee said the NTA should examine a two-stage format, with common prelims and specialised mains for specific courses.
Current approach described
The article describes NEET UG as a single-stage test covering several medical courses together.
Question setting
Panel recommendations
The panel recommended a large, updated question bank, saying it could help defend against paper leaks over the long term.
Current approach described
The report says repeatedly using the same question sets or having examiners create new papers each year can pose risks to exam integrity.
- Exam discussed
- National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG)
- Proposed exam structure
- Common prelims followed by course-specific mains
- Courses covered
- MBBS, BDS, nursing and AYUSH
- Candidates handled
- More than 22 lakh students, according to the article
- Question bank proposal
- Build a large, diverse and continuously updated question bank
- Suggested expert institutions
- IITs, AIIMSs and IIMs
- Late arrivals
- Allow them to sit for the test after recording an undertaking