NEET UG reforms: Parliamentary panel calls for NTA accountability, age cap review

A Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports today, 10 October 2026, called for a legislative mechanism to ensure the National Testing Agency’s (NTA) accountability to both Houses of Parliament. The committee also recommended significant reforms for the National Eligibility-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) examination.

These recommendations were made in the wake of the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and subsequent cancellation of the examination, which affected over 2.2 million students. The panel presented its 382nd report on ‘Reforms and Strengthening of the National Testing Agency (NTA)’, highlighting the agency’s critical role in India’s education architecture and the trust placed in it by students and parents.

Accountability and Structural Reforms for NTA

The Parliamentary Standing Committee has urged the Education Department to introduce an appropriate parliamentary framework to ensure the NTA’s accountability to Parliament. The committee noted that the NTA, responsible for conducting major public examinations like JEE-Mains, NEET-UG, UGC-NET, and CUET under the National Education Policy 2020, has significant responsibilities and coordinates with multiple stakeholders. The report stated, “The trust that students and parents place in NTA is not merely an administrative concern but a trust that the examination they are sitting is fair, secure, and meritocratic. It is a matter of social justice and national integrity.”

The committee also addressed the NTA’s internal structure, noting that 23 out of 39 sanctioned positions are currently filled by officers on deputation, representing a 41% vacancy. The panel recommended that the NTA expedite recruitment to all sanctioned positions and hire its own permanent officers, particularly specialists in psychometrics, examination security, digital infrastructure, data analytics, and examination logistics. This is intended to build the necessary expertise over several years of experience, rather than relying on officers with limited tenures.

NEET-UG 2026 Cancellation and Examination Security

The NEET-UG 2026 examination, initially held on 3 May 2026, was cancelled on 12 May 2026 due to paper irregularities and malpractice from external actors. The NTA reported that the cancellation was triggered by an overlap of at least 120 questions between the actual exam paper and a circulating ‘guess paper’. A re-examination was conducted on 21 June 2026, with results declared on 16 July 2026. Ten arrests have been made in connection with the cancellation, including a coaching centre founder and two members of NTA’s expert panel.

To enhance security and prevent future irregularities, the panel suggested a shift from the current pen-and-paper format to a computer-based model (CBT) for examinations. The committee noted that CBT eliminates the need for printing and transporting question papers long in advance, allowing final papers to be set closer to the examination date from a large, diverse, and continuously updated question bank. The panel also recommended strict quarantine and sequestering of final paper-vetters until the conclusion of the examination. In addition, the committee urged the NTA to avoid reliance on private centers for CBT examinations and establish government-owned infrastructure, with the Ministry of Education considering including CBT-based exams at the school level to build student familiarity.

Review of Age, Attempts, and Qualifying Percentiles

The Parliamentary Standing Committee has called for a review of NEET-UG qualifying percentiles and cut-off methodology, and a possible two-stage examination structure for medical admissions. The NTA has informed the committee that an upper age limit and attempt cap for NEET UG are under consideration as part of the next phase of reforms. Currently, NEET-UG has no upper age limit, a change implemented by the National Medical Commission (NMC) in March 2022, and no restriction on the number of attempts. Candidates must be 17 years old on or before 31 December of the year they take the NEET-UG exam.

Earlier, in 2017, the Centre had introduced a cap of three attempts and an upper age limit of 25 years (30 years for reserved-category candidates) for NEET, but these restrictions were later removed following court decisions and NMC directives. The proposed reforms align with recommendations from a High-Level Committee chaired by former ISRO chief K. Radhakrishnan. The NEET (UG) 2026 bulletin specified the following qualifying percentiles:

Phase 1 reforms for Re-NEET 2026 included over 99.5% government-run exam centres and 34 state-level control rooms. The NTA has also proposed multi-session and multi-stage testing as a long-term reform for NEET UG. The committee further recommended allowing late candidates to enter after signing an undertaking, provided they take the examination only for the remaining time. The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, may also see an amendment to prevent public rallies on examination days.

NEET UG 2026 Key Dates

The NEET UG 2026 examination cycle experienced significant changes due to the paper leak and subsequent re-examination. The key dates for the 2026 cycle were as follows:

As of 7 October 2026, the NTA has not released the NEET (UG) 2027 information bulletin. Aspirants are advised to monitor the official NTA and NEET websites for updates regarding the upcoming examination cycle.

Further reading

• AIIMS Bhubaneswar NEET UG 2026 cutoff: General category closing rank 726 in Round 3
• MP NEET UG counselling 2026 MOP UP round result out: report by 14 October
• National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (UG) cutoff: previous closing ranks and marks Next step
• KCET: Apply for SJM College of Pharmacy B.Pharm, D.Pharma, Pharm.D by 2026 admissions
• Common University Entrance Test application form: eligibility, dates and how to apply
• National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (UG): complete exam guide

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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