NEET UG, CBSE, NCERT review: parliamentary panel outlines exam reforms for 2026-27

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports has initiated a thorough review of India’s national-level examinations, public examination systems, and key educational institutions for the 2026-27 period. Chaired by Congress MP Mukul Wasnik, the committee’s agenda includes scrutiny of examination security, the functioning of coaching centres, and deploying education policies, with specific meetings held on May 29, June 1, June 2, July 1, and October 9, 2026, in New Delhi.

This review follows renewed scrutiny of the country’s examination framework, particularly after allegations surrounding the leakage of NEET-UG question papers in 2026. The committee’s work aligns with broader national priorities under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which aims for transparency and quality in assessment systems. The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee was reconstituted in September 2026 for a one-year term to address these concerns.

Review of National Testing Agency and Examination Security

The committee’s agenda for 2026-27 includes a detailed examination of national examination security and the performance of educational institutions. This comes given the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, which led to the cancellation of the examination originally held on May 3, 2026, and its re-examination on June 21, 2026. The CBI has arrested 13 individuals in connection with this case. The NTA Director General, Abhishek Singh, briefed the committee on July 1, 2026, regarding the outcome of the NEET-UG re-examination and the progress of the paper leak investigation, informing members that the leak did not originate from the agency’s systems. Higher education secretary Vineet Joshi also attended the July 1 meeting.

A separate Parliamentary Standing Committee report, the 382nd Report titled ‘Reforms and Strengthening of the National Testing Agency (NTA)’, was presented to the Rajya Sabha Chairman on October 9, 2026. This report highlighted systemic deficiencies in examination conduct and governance lapses within the NTA, which was established in November 2017 as an autonomous body to conduct standardized entrance examinations such as JEE Main, NEET-UG, UGC-NET, CMAT, and GPAT. The NTA’s Governing Body is chaired by the Secretary, Higher Education, Ministry of Education. Former Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan heads a high-powered steering committee constituted by the Centre to oversee deploying recommendations for the NTA. The committee will also review preparations for transitioning NEET-UG to a computer-based format from next year.

Recommendations for Examination Conduct and Student Welfare

The committee has put forth several recommendations aimed at improving examination conduct and ensuring student welfare. These include creating a large, diverse, and regularly updated question bank to mitigate the risk of paper leaks and proposing that final question papers be set closer to the examination date with strengthened confidentiality measures. The report also suggested recruiting specialised professionals in examination security, data analytics, digital infrastructure, and logistics to enhance the NTA’s capabilities. A phased transition to computer-based testing, including for NEET-UG, was recommended, alongside expanding secure, government-owned computer-based testing infrastructure.

Regarding student experience, the committee recommended improving complaint channels to make the NTA more responsive to students and institutions. It also called for establishing an independent mechanism to audit examination security and investigate candidate grievances. The committee further recommended that district administrations withhold permission for any rally, procession, or public gathering on days of crucial competitive examinations, stating, “Public rallies, processions, or large gatherings on the day of examination can delay candidates and cause them to miss their reporting time.” It suggested amending the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, to direct district administration on this matter. In addition, the committee advised evolving a mechanism to allow late-arriving students entry into the exam hall after signing an undertaking, allowing them to attempt the exam only for the remaining time. A separate 15-minute window, ahead of or after the test, was recommended for invigilator formalities.

Review of Key Educational Bodies and Policies

The committee’s agenda extends to reviewing the functioning and performance of several key educational bodies and deploying education policies. This includes the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), and the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE). For CBSE, the review will cover its affiliation framework, regulatory functions, examination administration, and overseas ventures. The committee also plans to examine deploying the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Student welfare and support mechanisms in school education, encompassing health, safety, mental well-being, inclusive education, and grievance redressal, are also part of the committee’s agenda. Also, the committee will consider the influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies on education, with attention to their implications for students’ employability. Putting in site regulations and guidelines issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC) concerning the internationalisation of higher education will also come under review.

Further reading

• NEET UG 2027: Apply online by early March; exam May 2
• NEET UG 2027: Apply Feb-Mar, Exam May 2 (CBT)
• NEET application form: eligibility, dates and how to apply Next step
• NEET PG 2026: Register for Round 2 by November 11; fill choices by November 12
• KCET registration 2027 to open tentatively in January, application fee details
• KEAM 2026: Apply for 84 MBBS, 106 BDS stray seats. CEE to announce dates Applications open

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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