New Delhi: To restore integrity to large-scale competitive entrance tests, a parliamentary panel has advised the National Testing Agency (NTA) to restructure the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) Undergraduate (UG) into a two-tier evaluation model.

In its latest report, the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports urged the Union Education Department to establish a formal statutory framework ensuring the NTA remains directly accountable to Parliament, highlighting that public confidence in national examinations is central to social justice.

Two-stage exam structure to reduce overlap

Currently, NEET UG operates as a single-stage screening test for over 22 lakh candidates vying for seats across diverse fields, including MBBS, BDS, nursing and AYUSH courses. Drawing parallels with the multi-tiered Civil Services Examination, the committee proposed splitting the medical entrance into two distinct phases.

1. Common preliminary exam: A single screening test for all aspiring medical students.

2. Specialised mains stage: Course-specific examinations tailored separately for MBBS, dental, nursing and AYUSH tracks.

By separating candidates based on their specific academic discipline during the mains stage, the panel noted that nursing and AYUSH applicants would be ranked independently from MBBS aspirants, remarkably curbing unnecessary competition.

Overhauling question banks to prevent leaks

Addressing security vulnerabilities and question leaks, the panel emphasised that creating expansive, continuously refreshed question repositories is the most effective long-term safeguard.

Rather than relying on annually commissioned question sets or recycled papers, the committee recommended that the NTA collaborate with top-tier faculties from premium institutions, including IITs, AIIMS and IIMs, to build secure, diverse question banks and manage high-precision translations. Papers would then be generated dynamically without the prior knowledge of individual test setters.

In addition, the panel advocated for student-friendly administrative measures, proposing that candidates who arrive late at examination venues be permitted to take the test after recording a formal undertaking.