NEET-UG Paper Leak Fallout: Panel Recommends Digital Question Banks, Stricter Expert Checks

A Parliamentary panel has recommended that the National Testing Agency (NTA) build a large question bank, prepare examination papers close to the test date and recruit verified experts from premier institutions such as the IITs, IIMs and AIIMS to prevent paper leaks.

The recommendations are part of a report on reforms and strengthening of the NTA, presented to Rajya Sabha Chairman on Friday by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, headed by Rajya Sabha MP Mukul Wasnik.

The report follows the controversy surrounding the NEET-UG paper leak and alleged administrative lapses at the NTA, which triggered nationwide student protests and raised concerns about the integrity of competitive examinations.

The committee described investment in question banks as one of the most viable long-term defences against paper leaks. It noted that repeatedly using the same questions or relying on examiners to prepare fresh papers every year could create security risks.

It recommended that the NTA maintain a large, diverse and regularly updated question bank, allowing papers to be generated without question-setters knowing beforehand which questions would be selected.

The panel also called for final question papers to be prepared shortly before examinations. The recommendation gains significance as the Centre has announced that NEET-UG will move from pen-and-paper mode to a computer-based test (CBT) from next year.

Since digital examinations eliminate the need to print and transport physical papers, questions can be selected digitally and vetted by experts closer to the examination date.

The committee also recommended strict isolation of final paper-vetters until the examination concludes. The NTA should verify experts' backgrounds and integrity and check potential conflicts of interest, including links to private coaching centres or family members appearing for the examination.

However, the panel stressed that the shift to CBT must not disadvantage students from remote areas or marginalised backgrounds. It called for a national strategy to improve digital accessibility and ensure a fair transition.