NEET UG twice a year? Education Ministry draft proposes major exam reforms

India’s Education Ministry has prepared a draft proposal outlining significant exam reforms, including the potential for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) to be conducted twice a year. The proposal, dated September 30, 2026, seeks to alleviate pressure on medical aspirants and reduce their dependence on private coaching institutions.

This move would bring NEET-UG, which is currently held once annually, in line with the JEE Main engineering entrance examination model, which is already administered twice a year. The draft also addresses long-standing concerns regarding exam difficulty and curriculum alignment, proposing a thorough review of question levels.

Proposed Changes to NEET-UG Examination Structure

The core of the Education Ministry’s draft proposal centers on conducting NEET-UG twice per year. This structural change is intended to ease the psychological burden on aspirants by providing two opportunities to qualify within the same academic year. The current system of a single annual attempt has been cited as a source of immense pressure, often leading students to seek expensive private coaching.

By offering a second chance, the proposal aims to diminish the perceived necessity of such coaching. The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts NEET (UG), would be handling implementing this change if the proposal is adopted. NEET (UG) serves as the common and uniform entrance test for admission to undergraduate medical education, including BAMS, BUMS, BSMS, and BHMS courses, across all medical institutions in India.

Curriculum Alignment and School-Based Preparation

A significant aspect of the draft proposal focuses on enhancing the alignment of NEET-UG questions with the Class 12 curriculum. This comes reacting to persistent complaints from aspirants that exam questions often exceed Class 12 difficulty or cover non-standard curriculum topics. The proposal recommends a complete review of NEET-UG question difficulty levels to ensure they align with Class 12 material.

In addition, the draft points to question papers should consider the curricula of major State Boards alongside the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) syllabus. To strengthen school-based preparation for these entrance exams, the proposal recommends providing specialized training to school teachers for entrance exam guidance. This initiative aims to bolster the role of schools in preparing students, potentially reducing the reliance on external coaching.

Recent Developments in Medical Seat Allocation and NEET (UG) 2026

In related developments, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) released the provisional Round 2 allotment result for NEET UG 2026 counselling on September 14, 2026. This counselling process follows a significant increase in MBBS seats across the country. The National Medical Commission (NMC) approved an increase of 13,186 MBBS seats across 27 states and Union Territories, bringing the total number of MBBS seats in the matrix to 140,214. Before this increase, the total MBBS seat count was 127,028.

Karnataka recorded the highest increase with 1,650 MBBS seats, raising its total to 15,745 seats across 76 medical colleges. Tamil Nadu added 1,250 seats, bringing its total to 14,299, while Bihar added 1,240 seats and Uttar Pradesh added 1,200 seats. Seven states and Union Territories recorded no increase in MBBS seats in the latest matrix. The NEET (UG) 2026 examination itself saw a re-examination held on June 21, 2026, after the initial exam on May 3, 2026, was cancelled due to a paper leak. For NEET (UG) 2026, 2,279,743 candidates registered, and 1,999,895 appeared for the re-examination.

Further reading

• NEET UG 2026: Uttarakhand opens Round 3 NRI quota MBBS registration until 5 October
• Kerala NEET third phase option registration for MBBS, BDS courses closes October 10
• NEET UG application form: eligibility, dates and how to apply Next step
• NEET PG 2026: PwD Round 1 portal opens October 1. Apply for MD/MS seats
• Ladakh Central Pool MBBS/BDS: Apply by Sep 10 for 2026-27 single merit list Applications open
• NEET 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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