NEET-PG 2026 To Be Held In Single Shift, Centres Closer To Home; Centre Announces Major Reforms

Published 2 August 2026 · local

NEET-PG 2026 To Be Held In Single Shift, Centres Closer To Home; Centre Announces Major Reforms Published By, Last Updated: August 02, 2026, 10:15 IST

NEET-PG 2026 To Be Held In Single Shift, Centres Closer To Home; Centre Announces Major Reforms Published By, Last Updated: August 02, 2026, 10:15 IST Centre reforms NEET-PG 2026: single shift, closer exam centers, more time per question, enhanced security, and easier medical counseling. The Centre has introduced major reforms for NEET-PG 2026, including a single-shift examination, revised centre allotment process and stronger security protocols. (Photo: PTI) The Centre has announced a series of reforms for the Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET-PG) 2026, introducing significant changes in the examination process, security measures and test centre allocation to improve the experience for candidates. According to the Union Health Ministry, the NEET examination will now be conducted in a single shift, a move aimed at ensuring uniformity in the difficulty level of the paper and fairness in the assessment process. Recent editions of the examination had to be conducted in multiple shifts due to emergencies or postponements. ALSO READ | Delhi HC Transfers Judge Hearing NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Cases, Justice Ajay Gupta To Take Over News agency PTI quoted officials as saying that the decision to return to a single shift is intended to ensure that all candidates write the same paper under identical conditions. Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda reviewed the preparedness for NEET-PG 2026 on Saturday and directed all agencies to ensure that the examination is conducted in a smooth, secure, transparent and technology-enabled manner. NEET-PG 2026 Exam Centres To Be Allotted Closer To Home Instead of the earlier first-come, first-served system, candidates will now be asked to provide three state preferences while applying.

Their correspondence state will be the mandatory first preference, enabling authorities to allot examination centres closer to their place of residence. Previously, candidates who registered later often found nearby centres fully booked and had to travel to other states to appear for the examination. The Health Ministry said candidates will also receive information about their allotted test city nearly three weeks before the August 30 examination, giving them sufficient time to arrange travel and accommodation. Earlier, city and venue details were released much closer to the examination date, leaving many candidates scrambling to make travel and stay arrangements. NEET-PG 2026: More Time Per Question The Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has also revised the examination pattern. Under the new format, the NEET examination will consist of 180 questions to be answered in 210 minutes, allowing candidates more time per question while maintaining the overall duration of the test. ALSO READ | ‘Govt Heard, Acted, Delivered’: Raghav Chadha Breaks Silence On NEET Paper Leak Protests Previously, the examination consisted of 200 multiple-choice questions carrying a maximum of 800 marks. The ministry said the revised pattern is aimed at improving the examination experience without altering the total testing time. NEET-PG 2026 Security Measures Strengthened The Centre has also announced multiple technology-driven measures to strengthen the integrity of the examination process. According to the ministry, the end-to-end preparation and delivery of question papers has been reinforced through multiple layers of encryption, secure offline preparation, time-bound finalisation of question papers shortly before the examination and controlled digital decryption only at the scheduled commencement of the test. Aadhaar-based authentication has also been introduced during both the application process and on the examination day.