The NEET-UG exam was cancelled by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on Tuesday, just a few days after it was conducted for 22.05 lakh candidates on May 3. It is one of the most competitive and high-stakes examinations for undergraduate medical admissions. The NTA, which has in the past faced criticism for being surrounded by allegations of malpractice and paper leaks, has this time cancelled the exam entirely.
Right from its inception, NEET has been surrounded by controversies. The first attempt at the “one exam NEET policy” was made in 2013, but it was stalled with the Supreme Court suspending the scheme in response to petitions by private colleges, as they argued that it took away institutional autonomy.
It was restored in 2016 by a five-judge bench, and the National Testing Agency (NTA) was established in November 2017. It was set up to conduct examinations such as NEET, JEE Main, and CUET UG/PG. However, it has continued to be surrounded by controversies, while the fate of lakhs of students depends on it. In the past, both the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) have opposed NEET in Tamil Nadu. They have argued that it compromises social justice and harms rural, economically disadvantaged students.
The NEET fiasco also draws attention to how countries across the world follow different models for undergraduate medical admissions.
The MCAT is required for admission to most medical schools in the United States of America (USA), Canada, and US territories. It is conducted and developed by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), and is held multiple times annually.
The MCAT is conducted digitally at secure testing centres, reducing risks associated with transporting physical question papers. It also increases the speed of result processing. Candidates do not all receive the exact same paper, since questions are drawn from large banks, making mass leaks less useful. The exam is conducted across several dates in a year rather than one massive single-day national test. This reduces pressure on one exam event and lowers the impact of any compromise.
According to The Princeton Review, “The exam is designed to test the skills you'll use when you get there, including basic science, verbal reasoning, and writing ability. The MCAT is a 6-hour and 15-minute computer-based test that has the reputation of being one of the most challenging standardised tests.”
Each section is scored on a range of 118 to 132, with a median score of 125. You receive a score for each section, plus an overall score. Total scores are centred at 500, with a range from 472 to 528.
The registration fee for the 2026 MCAT is $355. Students from outside the USA, Canada, or US territories must pay an additional $130 international fee on top of the registration amount.
The Gaokao is China’s national college entrance exam. More than 10 million Chinese students take the Gaokao, competing for only 500,000 spots at the nation’s top 100 universities. One exam can make or break a child’s future in China. It is the largest standardised exam in the world.
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
