NEET UG Exam: A parliamentary panel on Friday suggested that the National Testing Agency (NTA) should consider a two-stage examination process for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) Undergraduate (UG) and other large examinations.
The Parliamentary Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, noted that the trust in the examinations conducted by the NTA was a matter of social justice and national integrity, according to a report by the Press Trust of India (PTI).
The parliamentary panel noted that, contrary to the Civil Services Examination that follows a multi-stage format for filtration of candidates, the NEET UG examination remains a single-stage test that covers MBBS, BDS, nursing, and AYUSH admissions together handling more than 22 lakh students.
In a detailed report the committee said: “The education department may introduce appropriate parliamentary framework that ensures NTA’s accountability to Parliament. “The Committee is of the view that NTA should examine the feasibility of a two-stage format for its large examinations, such as having a common prelims examination for all medical streams while conducting specialised mains stage for specific courses, so that a candidate seeking nursing or AYUSH is tested and ranked apart from one seeking admission to MBBS, reducing avoidable competition,” the panel suggested. The committee further recommended a broad base of question banks and suggested that students who arrive later at exam centres be allowed to sit for the test after recording an undertaking, according to the report.
