NEET UG 2025: Retaining Pen-and-Paper Mode Sparks Debate on Fairness and Efficiency

As per a Poll conducted by Shiksha, over 50% of participants are not in favour of the NEET 2025 exam in online mode. Experts and students voice concerns over NEET UG 2025's continued use of PBT mode, citing issues of paper leaks, efficiency, and technological regression. Meanwhile, 48% of students said that NEET 2025 in online mode will be a better mode to conduct the examination. 

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct the NEET UG 2025 examination in a pen-and-paper format (OMR-based). The examination will be held in a single day and single shift at multiple examination centres across the country. Despite recommendations by the NTA Expert Committee, this national-level entrance examination will be conducted in offline mode. 

As the applicants prepare for the entrance examination, the decision to conduct the exam in pen and paper mode has stirred significant debate about the credibility of the examination. The decision to conduct the exam in PBT mode has reignited debates over the suitability of offline examinations for a competitive test that serves over 20 lakh aspirants vying for limited undergraduate medical seats across India. 

NEET UG 2025: Over 50% of Students Are Against Online Mode

NEET UG 2025: Existing Exam Mode to Continue

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduates (NEET-UG) is the gateway for aspiring medical students for undergraduate medical/ dental courses across India. The NEET UG 2025 will continue to be conducted in PBT mode. This also raised the threat of paper leaks and various malpractices, which existed in last year's NEET exam, and remains a concern this year.

Meanwhile, the authorities have changed the NEET 2025 exam pattern through an official notification. The pattern has been reversed to the same, that was followed pre-COVID era. Instead of 200 questions, there will now be 180 questions. The total duration of NEET 2025 has been reduced from 200 minutes to 180 minutes. 

NEET UG 2025 in PBT Mode: Experts’ Insights 

NEET 2025 examination in pen and paper-based mode has raised serious concerns among students as well as the stakeholders. The medical fraternity has shared their insights about the exam mode. 

The patron of Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), Dr. Sandeep Dagar said “I strongly advocate for conducting NEET UG 2025 in online mode rather than the traditional pen-paper format. Online examinations are more efficient, ensuring quicker result processing and minimising errors in evaluation. They also eliminate the challenges of logistical delays and human errors in handling physical answer sheets.

Moreover, in today’s digital age, most students are already accustomed to online platforms, making the transition smoother and more in line with global educational trends. Also, online mode ensures uniformity, transparency, and accessibility for students across the country, paving the way for a fairer, more transparent and more streamlined examination process.” 

Further, Dr. Manish Jangra, Chairman of FAIMA shared “I am of the view that the traditional pen and paper mode of conducting the NEET UG exam has seen several loopholes in recent times. There have been multiple instances when NTA has been questioned upon conducting unfair means on this mode of taking NEET UG examination. Thus, In my view, switching the NEET UG exam in India to an online mode instead of the traditional pen-and-paper mode has several advantages. While we have seen a big roar over the NEET UG SCAM ( Paper leak) in 2024, it is now a much-needed transition that India needs in order to have a free and fair conduction of the NEET UG Examination, being a gateway to become a Doctor in India.”

“In my opinion, to maintain the sanctity of the NEET UG exam, shifting to OMR based exam is a retrogressive step. The government should rather focus on increasing the security measures for the online mode of examination like biometric verification, live candidate verification during exams, end-to-end encryption of data, AI-powered fraud detection, IP address restrictions, network monitoring and audio-video recording of every candidate during the exam process.” Says Dr. Brajesh Lahri, MD Ophthalmology at AIIMS Delhi and executive member of FAIMA. 

 NEET UG 2025 in Offline Mode: Students Shared Responses

The NEET UG 2025 in pen-paper-based mode gets numerous reactions from students. Many view the PBT mode as a regression, especially during the rapid advancement of technology in education.

Ankit Gupta, a NEET aspirant from Delhi said “I think the online mode is far more efficient. It reduces the chances of human error during the evaluation process. It’s easier for authorities to manage the exam, and the results come out faster”. 

Further Ruchi Singh, a NEET aspirant studying at a renowned coaching centre in Delhi, shared “Last year NEET paper was leaked as the question paper was handed over to the students in physical mode. Despite the controversy, the authorities have decided the examination to be held in pen paper-based mode. This will increase the chance of paper leaks in my opinion.”

Another student of the same coaching centre, Vidit shared “Online mode examinations are efficient and reliable, allowing for quicker processing, reduced errors, and better access to resources.”

The Verdict 

With the 2025 exam approaching, the question remains: Is pen-and-paper the right choice for NEET UG 2025? The retention of NEET UG 2025 in PBT mode has several benefits but it also presents new challenges that must be addressed. 

Aspirants willing to get admission to medical courses across the country face an intense race for limited seats in medical colleges. With this, the responsibility of conducting the examination in a fair, inclusive, and mentally corroborative process shall be the foremost concern.

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