NEET candidate above 70, panel seeks age cap, attempt limits

New Delhi: Candidates above 70 have appeared for NEET-UG, prompting a parliamentary panel to recommend exploring reasonable age and attempt limits for the medical entrance examination. The panel has also proposed a two-stage medical entrance test, a shift to computer-based testing (CBT) and regulation of the coaching industry as part of a wider overhaul of the National Testing Agency (NTA).

The recommendations are part of the parliamentary panel on Education's report, 'Reforms and Strengthening of the National Testing Agency (NTA), chaired by senior Congress leader Mukul Wasnik.

The panel has called for NEET, JEE (Main) and CUET to test conceptual understanding based on the official school curriculum rather than techniques specific to coaching, alongside a regulatory framework for coaching institutes covering fee transparency, safety and students' mental health.


It also proposed examining a two-stage format for large medical entrance examinations, with a common preliminary test for medical streams followed by specialised mains examinations for individual courses. Candidates seeking nursing and AYUSH admissions could be tested and ranked separately from MBBS aspirants, reducing avoidable competition among more than 22 lakh candidates.

Noting that NEET-UG currently has no limit on attempts and no effective upper age limit, the committee asked the Ministry of Education to explore reasonable restrictions in consultation with the Health Ministry

The committee suggested a phased transition from pen-and-paper testing to CBT, and called for 1,000 secure, government-owned testing centres by 2030, with at least one centre in every district.