Hold NEET twice a year & online to stop leaks, says coaching association

Pune: The Professional Teachers’ Association on Wednesday demanded that NEET be conducted twice a year in multiple shifts through a computer-based online format to prevent future leaks and malpractice.The association, representing private coaching class owners in Maharashtra, sought stronger digital security systems, greater transparency in the functioning of National Testing Agency, and the setting up of fast-track courts to ensure speedy punishment for all the accused in the case.Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said that NEET would shift to an online format next year. The association said conducting the examination in multiple sessions instead of a single day would significantly reduce the chances of paper leaks.“The future of more than 22 lakh students cannot be put at risk because of a criminal racket. The examination system must be modernised and create fear of law among those involved in such crimes,” Prashant Kasar, president of the association, said.The association said it strongly condemned the alleged leak and large-scale malpractice linked to the medical entrance examination. It also maintained that strict action should be taken even if coaching class operators are found involved.“The association will not support any coaching class owner found guilty. Honest students and sincere coaching institutes are suffering because of the actions of a few people,” Mohan Gavade, secretary of the association, said..PTA demands fast-track courtsThe association said all the accused identified during the ongoing CBI probe must be arrested and given the strictest punishment. It proposed that NEET have multiple examination slots with percentile-based normalization of scores.This system would make the examination process more secure and reduce dependence on a single high-stakes exam day. The statement comes amid continuing outrage over the NEET paper leak case which has once again raised concerns about the credibility and security of competitive examinations.