The National Testing Agency (NTA) is yet to issue the dates of registration for the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) UG 2025, causing an uproar among applicants and concerns in the education ministry. The schedule of registration by NTA is typically released by the end of November or mid-December, but for the 2025 cycle, no update was issued. The delay has led to further anxieties, given the flak NTA had received after accusations of a paper leak during NEET UG 2024.

On January 14, the NTA sent out a notice that introduced integration of the APAAR ID to NEET UG 2025. According to the press release, it is an “initiative by the National Medical Commission to strengthen transparency, efficiency, and security in the conduct of the Examination.”. Although there is no concrete timeline for how and when registrations would be accepted, the process will begin in “due course of time”, as stated on the notice, this has worried many candidates to date.

Criticism of such confusion has erupted as TNN revealed to insiders within the NTA of this being nothing short of “complete mess” describing how confidentiality seems to have ailed the body as well as the logistical mishandling within this new system of theirs. These, they warned, might compromise the credibility of the agency. Officials of the education ministry have been equally concerned, pointing out that, after the consolidation, the task may not be effectively managed in the available time. According to one of the officials, this raises questions on whether NTA is able to uphold the integrity and smooth conduct of one of India’s most important entrance exams.

This has caused much frustration, with millions of aspirants left in limbo. Many fear that uncertainty may affect their study plans and increase stress levels in an already demanding preparation period. This development has also increased scrutiny on NTA’s operational efficiency, especially after the controversies surrounding NEET UG 2024.

The credibility of the NEET UG suffered heavily last year owing to allegations over a paper leakage and other alleged irregularities during the examination process. In turn, a committee of high-power, headed by former ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan, was constituted. It was suggested that reforms at all levels will be proposed towards restoring confidence over the examination system of the country. The seven- member panel placed its recommendations for major changes as the only route to prevent reoccurrence on November 1, 2024.

Among the proposals, one major recommendation is a hybrid examination model. This is where the question papers would be sent digitally while students write on OMR sheets in the conventional way. It would thus provide a higher degree of security, reducing the probability of question papers getting into unauthorized hands. The model is trying to address one of the major vulnerabilities that have plagued the system by transmitting exam questions closer to the start of the examination.

The committee also recommended that the number of attempts and exam centers be restricted so that better management and oversight could be ensured. Experts have widely endorsed these reforms, viewing them as necessary steps to rebuild trust and enhance the efficiency of the examination process.

While these reforms do look promising, their implementation into practice is what remains to be seen, leaving questions about NTA’s preparedness for such reform. The continuous delay in date announcements for the registration of NEET UG 2025 has only flared up apprehensions that seem to question the agency’s efficacy in executing this reform within time.

As the clock ticks, aspirants, education officials, and experts are calling upon NTA to redress these issues as soon as possible. Confidence in the examination system can only be restored with a sense of timeliness but more importantly with an intention to make the process more transparent, efficient, and fair. Millions of students continue to wait, hoping for clarity and stability in a process that could well shape their future.