New Delhi, November 1: The Centre has extended the tenure of the Nandan Nilekani-led task force on examination reforms till January 2027, The Times of India reported, citing government officials. The panel was earlier expected to submit its report by the end of October.

Source: The Times of India (via 7Globe)

According to the officials cited by TOI, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) wants the task force to seek the views of chief ministers and chief secretaries before it finalises its recommendations, so that region-specific challenges in testing infrastructure, connectivity and administrative preparedness are understood first.

Source: The Times of India (via 7Globe)

Careers360 reported that the six-member task force, set up in July, has received more than 50,000 suggestions from students, parents, teachers, academic institutions, subject experts, industry organisations and exam-conducting bodies on making the examination system leakproof, and that the government has submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court listing the progress made by the panel so far.

Source: Careers360

Hybrid NEET-UG and a national CBT network under discussion

During consultations, some stakeholders and experts have suggested a hybrid format for NEET-UG 2027 — part pen-and-paper and part computer-based — to allow time to expand infrastructure for a complete shift to computer-based testing (CBT) in 2028, TOI reported. This is a proposal under discussion, not an announced exam rule.

Another proposal likely to feature in the panel's recommendations is a nationwide network of CBT centres developed by the Centre and state governments with private investment, to expand government oversight of testing facilities in districts that lack secure, adequately equipped centres, the TOI report said. The task force is also reported to be prioritising the 'debundling' of examination responsibilities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the high-powered task force a day after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as Union education minister following student protests in July, Careers360 reported. The panel was set up after the NEET-UG 2026 paper-leak controversy, following which the Centre announced that NEET would move to computer-based mode from 2027.

Careers360 also reported that the panel has consulted former ISRO chairman K. Radhakrishnan, who headed the committee set up after the 2024 NEET paper leak and whose recommendations were submitted in October 2024. The Nilekani panel's final report is now due by January 2027.