Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned the NEET UG hearing till July 18. The decision was taken as responses by the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA) were yet to be received. During the first hearing on July 8, SC said that it was clear that the NEET UG 2024 paper was leaked. The alleged irregularities have left the NEET aspirants and parents feeling betrayed who now demand more transparent policies.
The government on June 22 constituted a committee to make recommendations on the reforms in the mechanism of NEET UG, improvement in data security protocols and structure and functioning of the exam conducting body — National Testing Agency (NTA).
The committee is formed under the Chairmanship of Dr K Radhakrishnan and comprises other experts. The government had given the provision to stakeholders especially students and parents in this regard to share suggestions, views and ideas between June 27 and July 7.
Before the suggestions were released by the committee, indianexpress.com spoke to some experts and found out some practical measures to improve the exam system.
‘Transitioning to online, mix of scientifically-developed MCQs’
The solution lies in transitioning to computer-based tests (CBTs), a method already proven in high-stakes exams like JEE Main, suggested Sridhar Rajagopalan, a member of NCERT’s National Expert Group on Assessment in Elementary Education (NEGAEE) and who has also served on several national education committees, including the expert committee for PARAKH and the CBSE-SAFAL.
He added that while hacking attempts may occur, robust security measures like monitoring unauthorised software and AI-powered proctoring can significantly reduce the risk.
To mitigate the risks of paper leak and other irregularities, Rajagopalan further added: “Tests should be of appropriate difficulty levels depending on the purpose of the exam. A mix of scientifically-developed MCQs testing deep understanding, alongside subjective questions (which may be evaluated only for the top-scorers), would create a fairer assessment.”
He further suggested how an increased transparency in exam data, and use of percentiles and scaled scores, would strengthen fairness and public trust. Advanced statistical analysis techniques can further identify cheating patterns and inform future test development. “It is imperative that we urgently evaluate our assessment approaches to guarantee that they not only test the appropriate skills but also incorporate robust safeguards to uphold the integrity of examinations,” he said.
‘Exams in a phased manner’
Conducting exams phase-wise can significantly reduce the burden on the students and prevent paper leaks, Aprajita Gautam, president of the Delhi Parents Association (DPA) said. Gautam suggested that holding exams online could be a game-changer in minimising paper leaks and protect children’s futures.
“It’s time for us to embrace technology and make our exams more secure, transparent, and student-friendly,” she added saying that: “Instead of NTA, an autonomous body should be entrusted to organise the exam.
According to Dr Sumangala Biswas, MD assistant professor, MGM MCH Jamshedpur, the phase-wise exams will be a step ahead in the right direction to arrest the irregularities. “In phase-wise exam, it must however be noted that the exam quality is not compromised and the marking pattern is such that it is in the benefit of the students,” the assistant professor added.
‘NEET prelims and NEET advanced’
V Ramgopal Rao, group Vice-Chancellor of BITS Pilani campuses and former IIT Delhi director suggests the NEET to be held as a two level exam – NEET UG prelims and NEET UG mains.
Similar to JEE Mains, he says, NEET prelims can be conducted by NTA over multiple sessions and be computer-based. Each batch can accommodate about 2 lakh students, with exams spread over two months using a large question bank.
For about 2.5 lakh candidates shortlisted through NEET Prelims, NEET Advanced should be conducted which should be managed entirely by AIIMS, he suggests.
“This computer-based test, similar to JEE Advanced, should probe understanding of concepts. Institutional ownership and commitment are essential to maintain sanctity and integrity. Important to have AIIMS own and take control of the NEET Advanced,” he added.
Conducting a pen and paper-based exam across so many centres by transporting multiple sets of physical question papers in various languages is impractical. NTA relies on third-party vendors and contract staff and ensuring the integrity of so many people for such a high-stakes exam is challenging and risky. However, the online exam, he adds, for 23 lakh students in one sitting is not feasible and therefore, a prelims and mains set up is necessary.
‘Responsibility to state’
Advocate Ashok Agarwal who is a practicing lawyer in Delhi, is however of the opinion that the government should give the responsibility of conducting the exams to the states. He says, the government should decide without considering any interests of any lobby.
“It is not tough to take exams without paper leaks and irregularities if the intention of the government is right and is solely motivated towards students’ interests,” he added.
Giving the responsibility to the states might increase bias on the part of the stakeholders, the assistant professor at MGM MCH Jamshedpur said.
“Since there are many candidates involved, giving the responsibility to the states alone will require proper experience and strict guidelines,” an MBBS student, Nilanjana Deka from the Jorhat Medical College, Assam said.
However, the Union government has reached out to the states for help in ensuring the integrity of its entrance tests. The states can help introduce an additional layer of oversight for the exams by appointing one civil and one police observer for each exam centre in their respective states. An observer is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the exam is fair and free of any malpractices. In addition to this, states were also asked to appoint one state-level nodal officer to coordinate with the exam conducting agency.
NEET UG Row: The government had given the provision to stakeholders - students and parents - to share suggestions, views and ideas on how NEET UG can be conducted to minimise irregularities between June 27 and July 7 (Express image/ representative) 
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