NEET-UG, India’s biggest medical entrance exam, is headed for the computer screen. Here is what the planned shift from pen-and-paper to computer-based testing means for aspirants.

**What is changing.** Instead of marking answers on an OMR sheet, candidates will take the test on a computer at designated centres. The Ministry of Education told PTI on September 30 that it is building a national strategy for examination-grade CBT infrastructure — standardised centres, enough capacity and multi-model sourcing — to close the geographic gap in test-centre availability.

**Why now.** The NTA told the Supreme Court in May 2026 that NEET-UG would move to CBT from 2027, and a high-level committee recommended the shift along with multi-session formats. The trigger was the 2026 paper leak: the May 3 exam was cancelled after Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group uncovered a “guess paper.” Digital delivery makes leaks far harder to execute at scale.

**What aspirants should do.** Practice on screen, not on paper — reading long passages and managing time on a monitor is a different skill. If multi-session formats arrive, percentiles may replace raw marks. The final call comes after the Nandan Nilekani-led task force reports, but the direction is set: start preparing digitally.