NTA seeks govt tech infrastructure for NEET-UG computer-based test centres

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has asked the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to gather details of IT infrastructure and available space at government institutions as part of preparations to develop testing centres for conducting NEET-UG in computer-based mode from next year, officials said.

The exercise is aimed at identifying suitable government facilities that could be developed as Standard Testing Centres (STCs) for computer-based examinations. AICTE has asked government institutions approved by it to provide information about their existing technological infrastructure as well as vacant or unutilised spaces.

Govt facilities preferred

A senior NTA official said computer-based testing centres cannot be outsourced to small private operators and must be selected after being assessed against stringent parameters. AICTE, as the country's technical education regulator, oversees a large network of technical institutions equipped with infrastructure that could potentially be used for examinations, the official said.

The exercise comes as the NTA undergoes an overhaul following concerns over the conduct and security of major entrance examinations. The Centre had announced that NEET-UG, currently conducted through the pen-and-paper format, would shift to computer-based testing from 2027.

The move is expected to require a significantly larger and geographically dispersed network of secure examination centres because NEET-UG is among India's largest entrance examinations.

Infrastructure mapping begins

In a communication to heads of institutions, AICTE said the NTA conducts several national-level examinations through computer-based testing and is assessing infrastructure available at government institutions as examination modes progressively migrate towards digital testing.

AICTE has clarified that the exercise covers only government colleges and institutions approved by the council. Institutions have been instructed to ensure that the information they provide is accurate, complete and verified by the competent authority before submission.

The regulator has also circulated a detailed format seeking information on the number of functional computers available at each institution, networking infrastructure and internet connectivity. Institutions have additionally been asked to disclose the availability of power backup, CCTV surveillance and other related facilities required for conducting secure computer-based examinations.

Details of vacant or unutilised spaces have also been sought to assess whether additional testing capacity can be created at existing government institutions.

The infrastructure mapping is expected to help the NTA determine the number, geographical spread and capacity of government facilities that could form part of the testing network required for NEET-UG's transition to computer-based examinations.