The Union government is exploring the possibility of shifting the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) for undergraduate medical admissions, currently conducted in offline mode, to an online format. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, while addressing reporters in New Delhi on Tuesday, stated that a decision on the matter will be made soon by his Ministry.
NEET-UG, which is managed by the Union Health Ministry and conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), is currently held in pen-and-paper mode. Pradhan highlighted that two rounds of discussions have taken place between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health. “Since the Health Ministry is the administrative body for NEET, we are collaborating with them to determine whether the exam should be conducted in offline or online mode. The NTA is ready to conduct the exam in whichever mode is deemed best,” Pradhan stated. In 2024, over 24 lakh students appeared for the NEET-UG exam.
Pradhan also mentioned that any changes to the NEET exam format would be implemented in 2025. “The decision on the methodology and protocols for NEET will be announced soon,” he added.
Reduced Prices for NCERT Textbooks
In addition, Pradhan announced that the prices of National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbooks for certain classes will be reduced starting from the next academic year. NCERT, which currently prints five crore textbooks annually, plans to increase its printing capacity to 15 crore books by the following year. For classes 9 to 12, new textbooks aligned with the updated curriculum will be introduced in the 2026-27 academic session.”
Earlier, there were concerns about the demand and supply of textbooks, but that will be addressed with the increased printing capacity,” Pradhan explained. He assured that while the volume of textbooks printed will rise, the prices for some classes will be reduced to ease financial burdens on parents. Importantly, no price hikes will occur for any class.
Progress in Educational Reforms
The Education Minister also provided an update on educational reforms, noting that new textbooks have already been released for seven out of the 15 grades, with more books planned for release in the upcoming academic year. Textbooks for subjects like arts, physical education, well-being (for classes 3-8), and vocational education (for classes 6-8) are in development. These textbooks will be available in all scheduled Indian languages and accessible via online platforms, ensuring greater accessibility and convenience for students across the country.
