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Several major computer-based competitive exams in India are conducted in CBT mode which include engineering entrance exams such as JEE Main, CUET, SSC CHSL, etc.
NEET UG 2026 re-exam is set to be conducted on June 21. (AI Image)
After the recent National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) controversies and paper-leak concerns, the government has announced plans to shift NEET-UG to CBT mode from next year. In this light, let’s take a look at the major competitive exams in India that are already conducted as Computer-Based Tests (CBT), some of which are run by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Several major computer-based competitive exams in India are conducted in CBT mode which include engineering entrance exams such as the Joint Entrance Examination – Main (JEE Main), which has been fully CBT since 2019; BITSAT; VITEEE; SRMJEEE; CAT, among others. Other CBT-based exams include CUET-UG, CUET-PG, UGC-NET, and CSIR-NET. Government recruitment exams, such as SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, IBPS PO / Clerk, SBI PO, and RRB NTPC, are also held in CBT mode.
How Are CBT Exams Conducted in India?
Each candidate is allotted a desktop computer, rough sheets, and login credentials. Security measures typically include biometric verification, frisking, CCTV monitoring, metal detectors, and locked browsers. At the scheduled time, invigilators unlock the systems and students log in using their roll number and password. Instructions then appear on the screen.
The interface generally includes a timer, question palette, mark-for-review option, and navigation buttons. Questions are delivered digitally from encrypted servers. Depending on the exam, questions may be identical for all candidates or vary across shifts. Most exams involve numerical answer questions, section-wise navigation, multiple shifts, and normalisation.
According to NTA, depending on the type of question, answers may be entered either by clicking on the virtual on-screen keyboard (numeric or otherwise) using the computer mouse, or by clicking the chosen option(s) with the mouse. Candidates may change or modify answers already entered at any time during the examination.
Advantages of CBT include the absence of physical question papers (reducing leak risk), faster result processing, and less manual handling. However, CBT also poses challenges, such as the need for thousands of secure computers, reliable internet/servers, issues around shift normalisation, and concerns about accessibility in rural areas.
For a long time, NEET remained a pen-and-paper exam because of the huge candidate volume, limited CBT infrastructure in smaller towns, fears of unequal difficulty across shifts, and concerns over the fairness of normalisation. But after repeated leak allegations, policymakers now appear to favour CBT despite the logistical hurdles.
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