Speculation about changes in the exam pattern for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2025 continues, with the National Testing Agency (NTA) only maintaining that it is awaiting a report of the high-powered expert committee, which was formed on the directions of the Supreme Court.
The committee was constituted to look into measures to enhance the NEET exam process.
In a Right to Information (RTI) reply to health activist Vivek Pandey, who had sought the minutes of meetings held to discuss any potential changes in the NEET 2025 exam pattern, the Centre said: “The information sought is not available in the form you desire. Hence, this information could not be furnished to you.”
Following this, Dr. Pandey filed a first appeal seeking similar information. He sought to know the details of minutes of meetings held in July and August regarding the NEET 2024 and 2025 exams.
Responding to the appeal, the government maintained that the information sought “is not available and hence not furnished”. It further added: “On directions of the Honourable Supreme Court of India the Government has constituted a high-powered expert committee whose report is still awaited.”
Speaking to The Hindu, Dr. Pandey said: “The initial RTI was filed in August to understand and make it clear for the students if they can expect any change in the pattern. Last-minute changes put unwanted pressure on them.’’
According to the NTA, the overall registrations for the NEET-UG 2024, which was held on May 5 had touched an all-time high of 23 lakh. NTA conducts the pen-and-paper entrance exam in 13 languages, as a common and uniform eligibility-cum-entrance test for admission to undergraduate medical education in all medical institutions.
Demand for a change in pattern for the exam has been gaining ground after allegations of irregularities in the exam came to the fore last year. The Central government had set up an expert committee on June 22 to examine and recommend measures to ensure that the exam process is fair.
The Supreme Court had also issued some directions to the committee and asked it to submit its findings by September 30, 2024, before extending the date.
Meanwhile, for undergraduate engineering programmes, the NTA had recently announced a change in the pattern of the entrance exam and noted that the optional questions in JEE Main Section B, introduced as a temporary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic, will be discontinued for the 2025 exam.
Published - October 24, 2024 09:28 pm IST
